Therapist, Interrupted: Time Management Tips to Keep You Sane
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
Let’s be real—being a therapist sometimes feels like playing 4D chess on a rollercoaster. One minute you’re in the zone during a session, the next you’re trying to remember if you billed that insurance claim, replied to your intern’s question, or ate lunch (spoiler: you didn’t).
Time management isn’t just a productivity buzzword—it’s a survival skill. Here’s how to keep your calendar from becoming a crime scene and your brain from overheating.
Prioritize Like a Pro (or at least pretend to)
If your to-do list looks like a CVS receipt, it’s time to prioritize. Enter the Eisenhower Matrix—fancy name, very real magic. You divide your tasks into four quadrants:
Urgent + Important → Do it now (yes, that note you forgot counts).
Important, Not Urgent → Schedule it before it becomes urgent.
Urgent, Not Important → Delegate it, if you have someone to delegate to (or just bribe your teenager).
Not Urgent, Not Important → Delete. Or at least move it to the “Maybe someday when I’m a mythical creature with free time” pile.
Set Boundaries (Not Just for Clients)
We teach boundaries—but enforcing them in our own lives? That’s where things get wobbly.
Here’s your permission slip:
Say no to the fifth “quick favor” this week.
Communicate your availability like a grown-up who values sleep.
Schedule downtime the way you’d schedule supervision. Yes, that means breaks where you don’t answer emails or start “just one note.”
Remember, “No” is a complete sentence. Bonus points if you say it with your phone on Do Not Disturb and a snack in hand.
Tech = Your Tiny Assistant (That Doesn’t Ask for PTO)
If you’re not leaning on tech to help you manage your day, you’re working too hard. Seriously.
Google Calendar + Acuity: Because your brain deserves better than double-booked chaos.
Todoist or Microsoft To Do: So you don’t have to keep scribbling your to-do list on sticky notes, envelopes, and—let’s be honest—your hand.
EHR systems: Love them or tolerate them, but use them. They’re your admin fairy godmothers.
Set recurring reminders. Automate everything you can. Let robots do their thing so you can do your thing.
Time Blocking: AKA, Calendar Tetris
If you’ve never tried time blocking, it’s a game-changer. Think of it as assigning every part of your workday a job. No more “I’ll get to that when I have time” (because… when exactly is that?)
Try this:
Block client sessions in chunks.
Block admin tasks like documentation and billing. (Add 15 minutes for staring into the void—realistic expectations.)
Block self-care like it’s a client. Don’t reschedule it. Don’t ghost it.
Self-Care (Without the Eye Roll)
You’ve heard it a million times, but hear it again—with love: if you don’t take care of yourself, everything else gets wobbly.
Easy self-care wins:
Mindfulness or a silent moment in your parked car before going inside.
Movement. Even a walk around the block counts. Bonus if you wear actual shoes.
Hobbies. Remember those? The things you do just for joy? Bring one back.
Burnout doesn’t always show up with sirens. Sometimes it just sneaks in through too many unchecked boxes and skipped lunches.
Wrap-Up: Be Your Own Favorite Client
You wouldn’t let your client spiral into chaos because they didn’t take a lunch break or said yes to everything. So don’t do it to yourself.
Prioritize what matters. Say no like you mean it. Let tech take some of the load. And treat your calendar like your nervous system depends on it—because it kind of does.
Now go drink some water. Your to-do list will still be there in 10 minutes.
Comments