How to Survive Busy Season
Lots of professions have “busy seasons”. For accountants, it’s tax time. For teachers, it’s report cards. For RMTs in Canada, it’s December, AKA, “I-procrastinated-using-my-extended-health-benefits-all-year-long-so-now-I-will-cram-a-year’s-worth-of-massages-into-a-2-week-period” season. 🙄
Sometimes I take advantage of this influx of bookings and open up extra hours. Might as well work while the work is there, right?
Money don’t grow on trees!
Other seasons of life, I keep my schedule the same and refer out to other practitioners if I can’t fit people in.
It’s up to you!
But if you do end up being busier than usual, here are some tips to keep your sanity! 🤪
1. Do little things that make life fun
Bring holiday treats into the office
Change up your playlist
Wear fun earrings
Bring a cozy drink for in the car
Diffuse some festive essential oils
Treat yourself (and a co-worker) to lunch
2. Squeeze in some self care
Go for a massage yourself
Go to the gym
Take time for your hobbies
Get to bed on time
Listen to uplifting podcasts/audiobooks in the car
3. Be selective about who you see
If people are jostling for a chance to come see you, use this as an opportunity to see those who fill your bucket. Weed out clients who disrespect your time or suck your energy physically, mentally, or emotionally.
4. Remind yourself that it won’t be like this forever
Whenever I have to put my head down and just get to work, I remind myself that this isn’t permanent. Our frame of mind makes all the difference.
I’ll often take a week off in January when it’s naturally slower anyways so I can take a breather.
One Last Note About December and Massage Insurance Benefits
Did you know that it’s considered insurance abuse to encourage clients to use up their benefits at the end of the year just for the sake of using them up? (source).
Clients should always have a medical reason for using their insurance benefits.
I try to encourage my clients to use their benefits throughout the year.
Cramming 10 massages into one month makes no sense. That would be like cramming 10 oil changes into one month. 🚗 You wouldn’t do that with the maintenance on your car, so why would you do that to the maintenance of your body?
If you do want to put a social media post or email together encourage people to book at the end of the year, a better way to word things that won’t give insurance companies the side-eye, is:
”If you need a massage before the end of the year, be sure to book in early as December is a busy month for us!”
Hope your month is a good one! XOXO
Melissa
P.S. If you need more help with the insurance side of things, be sure to check out my ever-popular direct billing course here:
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