Why Every Podiatrist Needs Think Time Each Week

Dec 24, 2025

Most podiatrists I speak to are running flat out.

They’re seeing patients all day, squeezing admin into the margins, and hoping ideas for marketing or business growth will magically appear while they’re driving between home and the clinic.

But here’s the truth: if you don’t give yourself time to think, your business will always stay reactive.

One of the biggest changes I made in my own clinic, and now encourage every coaching client to implement, is to schedule one hour of Think Time per week.

This is not admin time. It’s not report time. It’s not catching up on emails.

This is dedicated to:

  • Brainstorm ideas

  • Reflect on what’s working

  • Sketch out future plans

  • Solve lingering problems

  • Ask yourself: “Where is my business heading?”

I use a tool I call my brain book. It’s a hardcover journal I’ve been using since 14th of April, 2000, to store all of my thoughts, sketches, insights, and business decisions.

Every year, I start a new one. And every week, I spend at least one uninterrupted hour writing in it.

Here’s what this Think Time has done for me:

  • Helped me plan and write books.

  • Sparked marketing ideas that turned into revenue.

  • Created frameworks that I now teach in workshops. 

  • Replaced stress and uncertainty with focus and clarity. 

You can use an iPad if you prefer, but I still recommend a physical notebook. The key isn’t what you use, it’s that you protect the time to use it.

Try this for just four weeks

Block our one hour per week. Shut the door. Turn off all notifications on your phone and computer. And think.

You might be surprised what comes up when you finally stop reacting and start creating.

To learn more about this topic, you may enjoy this week’s Podiatry Legends Podcast, Ep 398 – Designing a Better Work Week, where I go much deeper into think time, energy mapping, and the power of strategic gaps. 

One-on-One Business Coaching that works

If you want help designing a better work week, I offer free 30-minute clarity coaching calls; no pressure, just some guidance.

Below is a link to my online calendar.

You can schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call with me to discuss any aspect of podiatry. You may have business questions or need career advice; regardless, I’m here to help where I can.

But if you’re still not sure about scheduling a time to talk with me, that’s okay. Keep browsing my website, take a look at my coaching page, and if you have any questions, please email me.