How to Tackle Time Management and Understand Your Worth as a Clinic Owner

Good Morning,

I hope its been a great week!

As clinic owners, one of the biggest challenges I hear about is the lack of time. Whether it’s attending a masterclass and being unable to implement the learning, or simply not having enough hours in the day to lead the team effectively, it seems like there’s never enough time to get everything done.

I’ve heard it all: clinic owners don’t have time for performance reviews, managing marketing, or even completing their notes by the end of the day. And it’s not because they aren’t motivated or capable. In fact, quite the opposite — they’re often incredibly driven and hardworking. So, what’s going on here?

I have talked previously about working out your hourly rate, and I felt it was time to revisit that conversation. Sometimes we hear valuable advice, but we aren’t in the right frame of mind to act on it. This time, let’s into why understanding your hourly rate is crucial for your business’s growth.

One of the most common conversations I have with clinic owners revolves around the feeling of being the bottleneck. One clinic owner recently told me, “I am the one holding everything up because I can’t let go and delegate.” Sound familiar?

If you’re constantly stuck in a cycle of “doing everything,” your business is at risk of stagnating. Worse, you may even see a decline in income. Until you take a step back and evaluate where your time is going, it’s tough to break the cycle.

One reason why so many clinic owners undervalue their time is rooted in the NHS. Many of us trained in the NHS, where services are provided for free. As a result, the concept of pricing can feel uncomfortable or unnatural. It’s easy when you don’t have to discuss costs with clients, but when you enter the private sector, that changes.

When it comes time to have that price conversation, it’s tempting to avoid it. Many clinic owners feel anxious or uneasy about discussing fees. Why is this? Part of the issue lies in our mindset around money and worth, which is often shaped by experiences like working in the NHS.

Another thing I see frequently in our industry is an overemphasis on continuous professional development (CPD). Now, don’t get me wrong—CPD is important. But there’s a tendency for clinic owners to believe that they need to keep doing more courses to prove their worth and justify charging higher fees. The trouble is, many people do these courses but never actually increase their prices. It’s as if, despite being more skilled, there’s a reluctance to reflect that in their rates.

Another challenge clinic owners face is working with insurance companies. Many of them set fees at unsustainably low levels—sometimes as little as £35 per session. Yet, the cost of running a clinic—staff wages, rent, heating, and other overheads—has increased significantly in recent years. These low rates can make it difficult, if not impossible, to keep your business afloat.

To make matters worse, some insurance companies no longer allow us to charge for tasks like writing letters or sending patient notes. These admin tasks take time, and time is money. It’s no wonder that many clinic owners find themselves stuck in a loop of undervaluing their services.

So, how do we get out of this mindset? It all starts with understanding your worth and calculating your hourly rate. Once you know how much your time is truly worth, it becomes easier to delegate tasks and focus on what really matters—growing your business and leading your team.

Understanding and valuing your time is not just about numbers. It’s about recognising that you are not only a skilled practitioner but also a business owner. And that means running your business in a way that is financially sustainable.

By taking the time to reflect on where your hours are going and being courageous enough to set the right rates, you can break free from being the bottleneck. Your business will thank you for it.

Let’s make time for what really matters. You deserve to lead your clinic confidently and successfully without being bogged down by the day-to-day grind. If you are now thinking, this is me…then now is the opportunity for you to spend the day with like minded clinic owners. If you want to learn how you can transform your clinic then grab your ticket to my Clinic Growth Live Event! Be quick as ticket sales close on 30th September and we have very few left! Grab your ticket here, I cant wait to see you!

Katie X