My practice ate my life

Last year, I got my practice to grow from 'hardly there' to a full-time salary earner. I also managed to distance myself from my family and to completely abandon any hobbies and fun.

My goal this year is to manage the same workload in less time and with less effort. I have been reading  time management books galore and trying to work out some systems and methods for spending less time in front of my computer. So far, my new year resolutions include:

- not looking at silly websites at my desk. I am still allowed to have fun on the internet, but have to use iPad to do it
- writing reports within the week I finish seeing the client (probably the best time saver, but oh-so-hard to actually do!)
- and getting my paperwork better organised.

I think I need more than that.

Do you have any systems, methods or tricks of keeping your private practice from taking over your life?

Feel free to leave a comment below this post or to write a post of your own. If you would like to publish a one-off post or become a regular contributor, just send me an email at IzaWalters@gmail.com and I'll set you up.

cheers,
Izabela

Peer supervision groups

I have just posted information about peer supervision groups on CCN website. The url is:

http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/GroupContent.aspx?ID=4132. This is one way of exchanging information, getting grounded and getting our peer supervision hours for registration.

There are two groups in NSW and Victoria, and one group each in South Australia, Tasmania, and Singapore.

 

They look good, but I'd love an interest group specifically related to private practice issues. And maybe one on medico-legal issues as well? Is there anybody who is willing to organise one? We could even run it as an online conference call using Skype. I would be happy to figure out the technical details, if there is somebody willing to set up the times, advertise and organise new members.

 

cheers,

Izabela

Organising myself

I have promised myself that I will clean my desk these holidays. I am maybe half-way through the reorganization, and have lost hope for a complete desk clean-up. But a huge mountain of paperwork got shifted and I am feeling very accomplished. The business side of things is now organised in the following folders:

1. Marketing - ('to do' and 'information')
3. Assessments - half a filing cabinet drawer, divided into 'follow up to do', '2 weeks ago clients', '1 week ago clients', 'this week', 'next week' and folders for 6 months ahead
4. Financial - ('to do', 'receipts', 'pending invoices' and 'paid invoices')
6. Admin - ('to do' and 'information')
8. Practice Improvement and PD -('to do' and 'information')



What are your ways of organizing business paperwork? Do you have a method that works? Or do you have an 'action' pile that threatens to topple over (also known as my filing system in 2011)?

Cheers,
Izabela