By Sharon Gorman, D.C.
Monday Morning Message
Organization
One of the keys to getting what you want out of life is effective planning. I have a monthly calendar I work off of. I know, low tech. Well it helps if I can see it all in front of me at the same time. I buy the kind that school teachers use. I can see the whole month AT-A-Glance. The busier my life gets the more time I spend in front of my book making sure that I want to do all the things that I have written down. I look at what I can delegate and I make sure that there is enough down time worked in so that I don’t feel deprived or neglected. My life doesn’t work real good when I feel like I am a martyr. It is like that old saying “When momma is not happy then nobody is happy.” I have tons of white out on the pages too. I occasionally use highlighters here and there and this month some of my office events are circled in red x-ray pencil. I told you I’m high tech. The point is – that it works. I can have it all. I can’t have it all at the same time but I can set it up any way I want and feel good knowing that I have choices that I can make and have made them in such a way that I am in the midst of living the perfect life – for me.
Some of the things that I have in my calendar each and every month are as follows. Maybe I can give you some ideas. Every week I have scheduled at least one date with my husband. Most weeks I include a night out with another couple. Most of the time this is local friends and sometimes I am challenged by hanging out with regular earthlings but it is important to have a social life as a couple. Don’t worry, I don’t forget the kids. Most of the weekend is devoted to them and their activities. I usually have got 1 or 2 chiropractic weekends each month in my schedule. It is important to me to be around other Chiropractors and to have the opportunity to teach, serve and also to learn from others.
Now as far as my office, each week I do a Doctors Report. I used to call it a new patient Orientation. Doesn’t matter much what you call it, it just matters that I do it. Helps the practice a lot but I do it because I feel like I have a moral obligation to tell the story. Two times a month I do a referral dinner. I plan these out months ahead. I get most of my new patients from these dinners and I got the idea from my friend John Madeira who sells a CD set on them and I highly recommend them. It works for me. These events are worked into my schedule so I don’t have to sit and think about them every month. Each month I do 1 advanced lecture. I always have a blast with these and they have developed their own following inside my practice. If you want to have patients stick around for a life time you need to cater to those who choose to. I have an Open House Party each month. There is always a reason for a party, the patients look forward to the parties and they bring friends. Last month we had corn beef hoagies and one of my patients played the bagpipes.. Pizza is always a big hit too. Every month I host a Philosophy Night as most of you know. My whole staff comes and is involved and I get to have a chiropractic party in my own back yard. Lets see, I have two staff meetings a month. This time of year we do a few screenings a month too. Again, all this happens each month without me having to decide what I am going to do to build my practice. All of this work is not done by me alone – I have the most awesome Chiropractic Team on the planet.
On a personal note, I work out with a personal trainer three hours a week. I also pray and meditate several times a day. Some days God and I actually talk all day and on a good day I shut up and listen and live God’s will for me.
Remember what they say, if you want something done then give it to a busy person. I love having a full calendar. It makes me feel alive and like I am in the game. Helps prevent me from being bored. Nothing feels better than serving others and I can keep doing that for a real long time if I keep my calendar straight and make sure I put God and my family first and stay in gratefulness. — Sharon
Focus Philosophy Night
April 14th, 2007 7:00pm
Join us for dinner at the hotel at 6:00pm
Anita Morganstern & Michael O’Halleran
Howard Johnson Hotel — Route 611 Bartonsville, PA (exit 302 off I-80)
Comments are closed for this article!