Why I Don't Work More (Even When I "Could")

(And how I STILL meet my needs nonetheless!)

Photo by Elsa Noblet on Unsplash

When folks find out that I see clients four days a week, or how many I see in a day, they sometimes look at me confused. I’ve been asked more than once why I don’t see more clients than I do. You could make even more money, people insist. Couldn’t you just buckle down for awhile and do it? My answer is, I totally could - but that does not mean that I SHOULD.

In my opinion, therapy isn’t the kind of job where you can just “hustle and grind” your way to success. It’s not the same as a sales job, or a typical desk job where you can crank out long hours for a bonus or some other benefit. I mean, you could… but you and your clients would likely both suffer. The more we push our limits, the less energy we have to give. The quality of our therapy starts to deteriorate after a certain number of clients, and often at a certain point in the day/week. Where this limit lies is different for everyone. And like it or not, other peoples’ wellbeing is impacted by our limits.

That’s why I’m so protective of my boundaries. Not just for myself, but for my clients and the longevity of my career. So if you find yourself stuck in between the two, here’s how I think about why I shouldn’t work more, even though I technically could.