Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/121374
# 5 BaL a n ce Entrepreneurs can get into trouble when they don't maintain a healthy equilibrium between focusing on business and focusing on themselves. Your personal needs don't disappear because you have a business to run, Graham says, and your business won't thrive if you treat it like a hobby. Adopt work strategies that allow you to meet clients' needs and the needs of your family. That may require you to get family members more involved in your business or refer clients to another therapist when you just can't fit them in. Your sense of balance will be repeatedly tested, and the personal qualities that make you an amazing MT can make it difficult to set limits. "Many therapists are, by nature, very empathic," Hardy says. "It's important to realize that we cannot take care of the whole world." You may feel pressured to say "yes" to every wouldbe client who wants to book a last-minute appointment and every charitable request for service donations. There is no one right way to keep the balance. "For me, it's been an ongoing process of developing 68 massage & bodywork may/june 2013 Can You do It? stand up, lift your foot up, and move it in a clockwise circle. now, try to draw the number six in the air with your finger. what happens? do This Today! reestablish your sense confidence in my of balance. schedule decisions," Hardy says. your next massage, "I try to make sure I am and then plan your next making strong choices vacation, even if it's just for myself, not making a weekend to yourself. decisions based on fear." Your choices should enable you to give excellent service without sacrificing your own well-being. Strong business practices can help MTs maintain a healthy balance. Massage therapist and certified life coach Brianne Krupsaw of Concord, Massachusetts, says it's helpful to have a detailed fee structure, as well as clear policies about late arrivals and cancellations; that way you are not forced to make every decision on a case-by-case basis. "Setting boundaries affi rms your value," Krupsaw says, and there's less chance that one exception—such as an extended session at no charge— becomes the rule. Over time, you'll come to trust your own intuition without fear of losing your balance.