I have been getting asked a lot lately how I structure my day and what does a day looks like for me now that I am full-time. Pretty much no day is ever the same for me since I never know who is going to call for an appointment, what important email comes through, or what last minute change in my schedule needs to happen. I broke down my day into two options: seeing clients/having classes and a "work" day so you can see what it looks like to be me all day long :)
A Day With Appointments (My Wednesday)
6:45am - Get ready for the day, eat, make coffee, pack my bag, check emails
8:00am - Head over for a committee meeting that I am Vice-Chair for, send out committee emails
9:30am - Chat with a fellow entrepreneur post meeting
10:00am - Leave to head downtown for my cooking class
10:45am - 1:45pm - Prep, have class, clean-up, chat with staff in the building, etc
2:15pm - Home. Eat lunch, check emails, log class information/expenses.
2:30pm -4:00pm - Make any insurance-related calls before offices close. Call back voicemails (if any). Work on posts for FB & IG. Follow-up with clients for paperwork needed for appointments.
4:00pm - Gym
5:30pm - Make and eat dinner. Usually, I take this time to also clean the kitchen.
7:00pm - Follow-up on emails. Work on committee related minutes/events. Prep for the next day. Sometimes I will have a late-night appointment at 6pm. If so, I will bill and write the reports right after.
8:30pm - Continue working on business-related items (could be accounting, billing, lesson plans, blogs, handouts, etc) or watch Netflix or read a non-business book.
10:00pm - Bed
If there is one thing I have learned while being in private practice it is to not overbook yourself. Even the days where I don't see clients I try not to overbook. Something always comes up to rock the boat! Going along with this, I have learning to go with the flow a lot more. Appointments change. Classes get rescheduled. Things in life just happen. If I get all stressed out and worked up about something, it just makes my day chaotic and negative. I take things as they happen and simply move on.
A Day Without Appointments (My Monday or Friday)
8:30am - Get ready for the day, make coffee, check emails, make pancakes (because why not), make my to-do list (prioritize)
9:30am - 1:30pm - Followed-up on calls. Booked a new class so I had to submit an invoice + signed contract. Write lessons for the new class. Follow-up on unpaid insurance claims. Follow-up on missing paperwork for upcoming appointments. Chat with another RD about insurance issues. Plan blog and social media posts. Brainstorm ideas for business. Input any paid claims into my accounting software. Usually Fridays I do laundry and vacuum in the midst of all of this.
1:30pm - 2:00pm - Make and eat lunch. Some days, this ends up just being a smoothie for convenience.
2:00pm - 5:30pm - Follow-up on more insurance-related issues. Chat with other RDs about insurance. Send appointment reminders to clients. Prep for appointments/classes for next week. Answer emails. Follow-up on patient calls. Schedule appointments as they come + send initial emails with paperwork. Mondays are my food shopping day normally so I also hit the food store mid-day too.
5:30pm - May go to the gym or if not eat dinner a bit earlier. Usually, prepping dinner involves emptying the dishwasher, putting dishes/groceries away, cleaning, etc, all while cooking.
7:00pm - Follow-up on emails. Work on committee related minutes/events. Prep for the next day.
8:30pm - Continue working on business-related items or watch Netflix or read a non-business book.
10:00pm - Bed
My days where I don't see clients usually end up being the "busiest" since I push everything office-related off until then. Sometimes, checking my emails takes 2-minutes and other times I end up back and forth about something for 10-minutes. As I mentioned earlier, I never really know how a day is going to go. Some days, I get through everything I needed to and can relax by 3 or 4pm. Other days, I work until 7 or 8pm, eat a late dinner, and pretty much go to bed right after. There are some days that I need a mental break so I will go out for a mid-day walk or watch a show. Again, just going with the flow really helps my sanity and productivity.
If you are in private practice, what does your day look like? Anyone reading this surprised at what I do all day?
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Private Practice Tips: Organization & Prioritizing
I was recently approached by a fellow Dietitian and friend of mine about how I stay organized and prioritize my time. The organizational side of it seemed like a no brainer for me to comment on. I have always been "highly organized" (as some would say) since I carried my planner everywhere and when opened it was an array of colors, each meaning something different. Being in full-time private practice, I realized my method of keeping organized was still efficient, but, not as effective for managing my time properly and ultimately prioritizing things daily.
Now, I am definitely one for list making. I will go as far as adding "shower" or "eat", which some find hilarious that I even need to put those things on a list. Making a daily list is a great idea; however, I find it best to break down my priorities for business and personal health. When I would just write down everything I needed to do on a list, I would often not accomplish what I wanted (no surprise there). I also found that important tasks were getting pushed to later in the week. The unrealistic expectation I put on myself was actually making me feel less productive (see more on this from Week 1 of my Private Practice).
Honestly, if you still like the pen and paper method, which I love, getting yourself a good planner is the first place to start. The planner I have now allows space for you to set monthly and weekly goals/tasks. I usually put a bunch of ideas and goals on there sporadically and then take the time daily to break down my weekly tasks into daily priorities. I usually set 3-5 daily priorities for myself (as related to my business) and this widely varies based on what clients/classes I have scheduled. I also set personal/health goals for the day, which are always a priority. These personal/health goals usually involve things like exercise* and meal prep. Since my planner has space for me to write out weekly tasks, my daily goal is to take 1-3 items from that master list that isn't a priority for the day and get it done.
When thinking about prioritizing my daily tasks, I had to think to myself, "What am I doing out of habit?" Often, we do things without even realizing and they end up being a huge time sink. One thing I had to change when prioritizing, was checking my email every time my phone went off. I now limit this to about 3 times per day. Think to yourself what are you doing now that can be changed, eliminated, or simplified to allow more time for your priorities.
With making a priority list for the day, remember not to overbook yourself. If you are stretched to the max, the quality of your interactions can suffer. Also, don't continue adding to your list if you find yourself with more time to spare. Use that time to do something else you enjoy (hang with a friend, go for a walk, play an instrument, etc). I often felt like if I was done everything by 3pm, I still needed to do more after that. I mean, don't business owners work all hours of the day?! It was hard for me to get used to the idea that I didn't need to put in 10-12 hour days anymore and if I did, it was for a particular reason and not my status quo.
Last point I have for you with organization and prioritizing is to be okay with having to re-prioritize your list. I woke up one morning and realized that my Wordpress "about me" section was from 4-years ago. Turns out that when I updated my "about me" I only did it for the one page and not the other...oops. That instantly became my priority for the day. I ended up spending about 2 hours redoing my Wordpress layout. The next day, I ended up spending 3 hours updating my "services" page on my website. This replaced the time I was going to spend following up with potential partnerships. Was it a good choice? Definitely. A lot of businesses will go directly to my website to find out what I do, especially if I just reached out to them for a potential partnership proposal, so having a well polished website is crucial.
I hope this helps you to organize your business (or daily habits) to be more effective and efficient. Leave a comment about how this has helped you or let me know you tips for staying organized!
**Just a side note here. As a Dietitian, I talk about exercise with my clients for the various health benefits; however, I make it a priority for my daily business life because I find that it helps me to recharge, clear my mind, and just feel better overall. I usually aim for a short, 15-minute, workout daily and a 45-minute workout 4 times per week. I also try and get up every hour from my computer to walk around my apartment. Your workout schedule can be quite different from this and my routine is not an indicator of any "gold standard" approach.
Now, I am definitely one for list making. I will go as far as adding "shower" or "eat", which some find hilarious that I even need to put those things on a list. Making a daily list is a great idea; however, I find it best to break down my priorities for business and personal health. When I would just write down everything I needed to do on a list, I would often not accomplish what I wanted (no surprise there). I also found that important tasks were getting pushed to later in the week. The unrealistic expectation I put on myself was actually making me feel less productive (see more on this from Week 1 of my Private Practice).
Honestly, if you still like the pen and paper method, which I love, getting yourself a good planner is the first place to start. The planner I have now allows space for you to set monthly and weekly goals/tasks. I usually put a bunch of ideas and goals on there sporadically and then take the time daily to break down my weekly tasks into daily priorities. I usually set 3-5 daily priorities for myself (as related to my business) and this widely varies based on what clients/classes I have scheduled. I also set personal/health goals for the day, which are always a priority. These personal/health goals usually involve things like exercise* and meal prep. Since my planner has space for me to write out weekly tasks, my daily goal is to take 1-3 items from that master list that isn't a priority for the day and get it done.
When thinking about prioritizing my daily tasks, I had to think to myself, "What am I doing out of habit?" Often, we do things without even realizing and they end up being a huge time sink. One thing I had to change when prioritizing, was checking my email every time my phone went off. I now limit this to about 3 times per day. Think to yourself what are you doing now that can be changed, eliminated, or simplified to allow more time for your priorities.
With making a priority list for the day, remember not to overbook yourself. If you are stretched to the max, the quality of your interactions can suffer. Also, don't continue adding to your list if you find yourself with more time to spare. Use that time to do something else you enjoy (hang with a friend, go for a walk, play an instrument, etc). I often felt like if I was done everything by 3pm, I still needed to do more after that. I mean, don't business owners work all hours of the day?! It was hard for me to get used to the idea that I didn't need to put in 10-12 hour days anymore and if I did, it was for a particular reason and not my status quo.
Last point I have for you with organization and prioritizing is to be okay with having to re-prioritize your list. I woke up one morning and realized that my Wordpress "about me" section was from 4-years ago. Turns out that when I updated my "about me" I only did it for the one page and not the other...oops. That instantly became my priority for the day. I ended up spending about 2 hours redoing my Wordpress layout. The next day, I ended up spending 3 hours updating my "services" page on my website. This replaced the time I was going to spend following up with potential partnerships. Was it a good choice? Definitely. A lot of businesses will go directly to my website to find out what I do, especially if I just reached out to them for a potential partnership proposal, so having a well polished website is crucial.
I hope this helps you to organize your business (or daily habits) to be more effective and efficient. Leave a comment about how this has helped you or let me know you tips for staying organized!
**Just a side note here. As a Dietitian, I talk about exercise with my clients for the various health benefits; however, I make it a priority for my daily business life because I find that it helps me to recharge, clear my mind, and just feel better overall. I usually aim for a short, 15-minute, workout daily and a 45-minute workout 4 times per week. I also try and get up every hour from my computer to walk around my apartment. Your workout schedule can be quite different from this and my routine is not an indicator of any "gold standard" approach.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Why I Am Fed-up With Diet Pills/Supplements
Well, I am back from my blogging hiatus! I was looking at my last post, which was back in April, and wondering how I let so much time pass before writing! Just a quick recap before I move on to today's topic, I finished my Masters in Dietetics Administration from Utah State University in August (loved the program), finished PT for my knee post surgery, and have been steadily growing my business with some more contract gigs and clients! It has been a busy couple of months for me; however, I have finally found more of a happy balance :)
Which now brings me to today. One of the most frustrating things for me as a dietitian is trying to effectively give nutrition advice only to still have clients be bombarded and convinced that there is a miracle supplement out there for them. I have written on supplements/fat blasting pills before and how practically all of them have little to NO scientific evidence on their effectiveness. A lot can be harmful to your liver and kidneys and some have other unknown detrimental side effects. I have seen many clients waste hundreds of dollars on diet pills or products only to tell me later on that they either didn't see results and stopped taking them or that they lost a little weight but gained it right back after stopping (mainly due to the cost).
Look, I am not saying all products on the market for weight-loss don't work. I am sure some of them can produce the desired results my clients are looking for. So, what is wrong with that then? For starters they are beyond expensive, which is funny because I get a lot of the same people saying that eating healthy is "too expensive," yet, they will purchase a 30-day supplement for $90. Sounds about right? Secondly, these products are just a bandaid for deep-rooted food issues and habits. It is way easier to take a pill daily than to assess your habits and make a conscious effort to change them. This doesn't mean I am saying my clients are lazy; however, why not take the shiny, brightly lit pathway instead of wandering through a dimly lit tunnel?
So, you may be wondering why I even care then. I mean if my clients want to waste their money or have a quick-fix result, then why not let them? Well, I care because I invest my time and energy into counseling my clients. I don't just prescribe a diet and send them on their way. I get to know my clients and I work with them and their struggles. I strive to give them the best evidence-based information to help them to succeed. Honestly, a huge part of my role is helping to motivate my clients versus just purely giving education. These supplements/diet pills make me angry because I do CARE about my client's well-being. I work hard to give my clients the best nutrition counseling advice to help them on their journey. I don't blame them for wanting to take an easier route; however, it is frustrating that the time I invested is then rated as second best to this shiny new supplement/diet pill, which 99% of the time just leads to disappointment for my client.
My point to you here is that a well-balanced diet with exercise IS the BEST way to go long-term. Even if you feel like you are doing everything you can to lose weight without seeing any results, STOP and consult with a dietitian. I don't know how many times I have had a client at their wits end yet after reviewing their food diaries, I can almost always pinpoint a food trend that can contribute to hindering weight-loss. If not the food, it is another contributing factor like lack of exercise or sleep, low water intake, high stress levels, etc. Yes, these habits take time and effort to change; however, you will not only be saving yourself the endless pit of money on supplements/diet pills, but also saving your sanity. So, when staring at that shiny, brightly lit pathway stop and instead take the dimly lit tunnel because as a dietitian, I WILL be there to hold a flashlight and guide you through darkness to a bright nutrition success (cheesy, but true)!
Which now brings me to today. One of the most frustrating things for me as a dietitian is trying to effectively give nutrition advice only to still have clients be bombarded and convinced that there is a miracle supplement out there for them. I have written on supplements/fat blasting pills before and how practically all of them have little to NO scientific evidence on their effectiveness. A lot can be harmful to your liver and kidneys and some have other unknown detrimental side effects. I have seen many clients waste hundreds of dollars on diet pills or products only to tell me later on that they either didn't see results and stopped taking them or that they lost a little weight but gained it right back after stopping (mainly due to the cost).
Look, I am not saying all products on the market for weight-loss don't work. I am sure some of them can produce the desired results my clients are looking for. So, what is wrong with that then? For starters they are beyond expensive, which is funny because I get a lot of the same people saying that eating healthy is "too expensive," yet, they will purchase a 30-day supplement for $90. Sounds about right? Secondly, these products are just a bandaid for deep-rooted food issues and habits. It is way easier to take a pill daily than to assess your habits and make a conscious effort to change them. This doesn't mean I am saying my clients are lazy; however, why not take the shiny, brightly lit pathway instead of wandering through a dimly lit tunnel?
So, you may be wondering why I even care then. I mean if my clients want to waste their money or have a quick-fix result, then why not let them? Well, I care because I invest my time and energy into counseling my clients. I don't just prescribe a diet and send them on their way. I get to know my clients and I work with them and their struggles. I strive to give them the best evidence-based information to help them to succeed. Honestly, a huge part of my role is helping to motivate my clients versus just purely giving education. These supplements/diet pills make me angry because I do CARE about my client's well-being. I work hard to give my clients the best nutrition counseling advice to help them on their journey. I don't blame them for wanting to take an easier route; however, it is frustrating that the time I invested is then rated as second best to this shiny new supplement/diet pill, which 99% of the time just leads to disappointment for my client.
My point to you here is that a well-balanced diet with exercise IS the BEST way to go long-term. Even if you feel like you are doing everything you can to lose weight without seeing any results, STOP and consult with a dietitian. I don't know how many times I have had a client at their wits end yet after reviewing their food diaries, I can almost always pinpoint a food trend that can contribute to hindering weight-loss. If not the food, it is another contributing factor like lack of exercise or sleep, low water intake, high stress levels, etc. Yes, these habits take time and effort to change; however, you will not only be saving yourself the endless pit of money on supplements/diet pills, but also saving your sanity. So, when staring at that shiny, brightly lit pathway stop and instead take the dimly lit tunnel because as a dietitian, I WILL be there to hold a flashlight and guide you through darkness to a bright nutrition success (cheesy, but true)!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Gym Motivation
So the past few months I have been in such a gym rut! Anyone else ever feel that way?! Despite being a dietitian and usually the motivator of healthy food and regular exercise, I still get into gym and food ruts!
About 3 months ago, I had participated in a Goliathon obstacle course challenge. Really awesome and a ton of fun. Since then; however, my gym schedule has been totally out of whack! I used to go to the gym at least 3 days a week with no issues. When Goliathon came around, I took a few days off to make sure I was fresh for race day and took a few days off after to recover. After that, I ended up spending a lot of time prepping my garden and pulling out poison oak and ivy in my yard that I really didn't go to the gym steadily through June and mid-July. Come August, I was biking a few days, but not nearly at the activity level I was before.
I became really bummed with the fact that I was actively procrastinating gym time. It was rough motivating myself when I was working 10-12 hour days with 2 jobs. Just an excuse on my end. While I was staying moderately active in some ways, I really was getting "lazy."
I looked into getting a membership outside of my workplace (I am a part-time dietitian at a community center with a gym) in hopes that it would motivate me to go to the gym more. While that turned out to be a bust, I really thought to myself that I needed to get back on track. All those times that clients no showed or cancelled at work, I could have been clocking out and hitting the gym, versus going home and not being as active. I could have packed gym clothes and have been more prepared. Or I could have packed some extra snacks so I wouldn't be going home hungry instead of working out. Could have, should have, would have.
I thought about all the times I gave advice to clients about exercise. "Just pack your clothes the night before." "Remember to plan your workouts." "Make a commitment to yourself." I finally took my own advice and planned my gym day and clothes and made the promise to myself that I would be going.
Yesterday, I knew I was working both of my jobs so I went into my full-time job a half hour early so I could stop home before my part-time job. I grabbed a quick shake and changed into different pants + my uniform shirt and sneakers. I packed my change of shirt and an extra snack in case my shake didn't hold me over. I worked my second job and without giving it a second thought I changed and got ready to workout. Although a little part of me said "It's 7:15pm, go home," I knew I would be upset with myself had I not gone.
Honestly, I feel so much better (sore after working out but emotionally better :)) after yesterday. I even have my next workout day planned and ready to go. Despite all the advice I give others, I need to remember to give myself that same advice. If you are ever in a gym rut try my strategy: plan your gym day (write it on your calendar), pack your clothes, ready your snacks, make the commitment to yourself, and remember to think about how great you might feel after going (versus not going at all).
About 3 months ago, I had participated in a Goliathon obstacle course challenge. Really awesome and a ton of fun. Since then; however, my gym schedule has been totally out of whack! I used to go to the gym at least 3 days a week with no issues. When Goliathon came around, I took a few days off to make sure I was fresh for race day and took a few days off after to recover. After that, I ended up spending a lot of time prepping my garden and pulling out poison oak and ivy in my yard that I really didn't go to the gym steadily through June and mid-July. Come August, I was biking a few days, but not nearly at the activity level I was before.
I became really bummed with the fact that I was actively procrastinating gym time. It was rough motivating myself when I was working 10-12 hour days with 2 jobs. Just an excuse on my end. While I was staying moderately active in some ways, I really was getting "lazy."
I looked into getting a membership outside of my workplace (I am a part-time dietitian at a community center with a gym) in hopes that it would motivate me to go to the gym more. While that turned out to be a bust, I really thought to myself that I needed to get back on track. All those times that clients no showed or cancelled at work, I could have been clocking out and hitting the gym, versus going home and not being as active. I could have packed gym clothes and have been more prepared. Or I could have packed some extra snacks so I wouldn't be going home hungry instead of working out. Could have, should have, would have.
I thought about all the times I gave advice to clients about exercise. "Just pack your clothes the night before." "Remember to plan your workouts." "Make a commitment to yourself." I finally took my own advice and planned my gym day and clothes and made the promise to myself that I would be going.
Yesterday, I knew I was working both of my jobs so I went into my full-time job a half hour early so I could stop home before my part-time job. I grabbed a quick shake and changed into different pants + my uniform shirt and sneakers. I packed my change of shirt and an extra snack in case my shake didn't hold me over. I worked my second job and without giving it a second thought I changed and got ready to workout. Although a little part of me said "It's 7:15pm, go home," I knew I would be upset with myself had I not gone.
Honestly, I feel so much better (sore after working out but emotionally better :)) after yesterday. I even have my next workout day planned and ready to go. Despite all the advice I give others, I need to remember to give myself that same advice. If you are ever in a gym rut try my strategy: plan your gym day (write it on your calendar), pack your clothes, ready your snacks, make the commitment to yourself, and remember to think about how great you might feel after going (versus not going at all).
Happy exercising :)
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