One of the best ways to kickstart your physical therapy practice on the right foot is by thinking about some simple goals you’d like to set for the new year. It’s an effective way to “move the needle” and get your business running at full speed with clear intention and focus.
We live in a world with constant distractions and interruptions, so it’s easy to see why a practice owner can sometimes feel overwhelmed. They may not know what tasks to tackle first, or they may feel like they don’t have enough time to dedicate their full attention and energy to their business. This nearsighted, reactionary focus – while understandable – can be a difficult mindset to change, however it requires only some lightweight discipline and conscious effort in order to achieve.
Here’s a few suggestions on what to keep in mind when developing your 2021 goals:
Limit Your Goals To No More Than Five
You don’t want to aim for a list of goals that are all over the place. By selecting up to five goals for the new year, you can focus on the things that are important to your happiness and success. This can help eliminate any objectives that are currently not a priority.
Make Your Goals Aligned With Your Personal Objectives
See how some of your goals can go hand-in-hand with other intentions you may have in mind. For example, if financial security is required in order for you to be happy and at ease, then look at how you can create business goals that will get you one step closer to financial freedom.
Be Specific and Measurable
Outline the specific numbers you’d like to achieve as they relate to your business goals. Think of it this way: A volume of objective of 2,000 patient visits this year is specific and can be measured whereas a goal of “doing better than last year” cannot.
Create Goals for Different Aspects of Your Private Practice
When working on your goals for the new year, there are specific objectives you can consider across the board: volume, revenue, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcome goals, just to name a few. Making sure to cover goals that touch on various areas of your business is better than focusing on goals that solely touch on say revenue or profitability.
Vary the Time Commitments and Deadlines of Your Goals
You can also adjust your goals according to different timelines. Creating a mix of monthly, quarterly, and/or annual goals gives you the opportunity to not only have some flexibility, but to also make any tweaks along the way as they are deemed necessary.
Start the new year with your business goals in mind. With the right attitude and the right focus, you and your team will be able to meet several 2021 objectives and keep your workflow running smoothly.
