How to Build Your Practice In Part-Time Hours
Running a part-time private practice should give you flexibility, but too often, it feels like an endless juggling act. You’re seeing clients, keeping up with notes, and somewhere in between, you’re supposed to be marketing your services so your practice remains profitable. If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “How much time should I actually be spending on marketing?”—you’re not alone.
The All-Too-Common Cycle of Overwork and Under-Marketing
Many clinicians start their practice with part-time time hours, and spend the majority of that time in direct client work. But without consistent effort on the admin side, marketing, networking, and practice development, it will be hard to grow. The result? An unpredictable caseload, stress about client retention, and the dreaded feast-or-famine cycle.
Sound familiar? Here’s the thing: marketing is an essential part of your practice. But how much time do you really need to devote to it?
How Much Time Should You Spend on Marketing?
The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, but here’s a general rule: for every clinical hour, you should aim to spend at least 1-2 hours on practice management, at least in the beginning. This can include marketing and networking, billing and insurance and if you are running a group practice there would be staff needs in there too. If you’re self-pay or out-of-network, this is even more crucial since referrals won’t automatically come from insurance panels.
But let’s be real—many part-time therapists struggle to find this time. Between client work, parenting, and life responsibilities, marketing often gets pushed into the margins of the day—if it happens at all. Some therapists try to squeeze it in before bed, early in the morning, or during small windows between sessions. Others take a reactive approach, ramping up marketing only when their caseload drops. Neither of these strategies leads to long-term stability.
A Choppy Schedule Creates Choppy Results
If your week is full of short, scattered time blocks, it’s nearly impossible to be strategic with your marketing. You might start something—a social media post, a networking email, a website update—but then get interrupted, losing momentum before you see real results. The inconsistency makes marketing feel ineffective, which makes it even easier to put off.
So how do you break the cycle?
A Simple Solution: The Profitable Practice 7-Minute Check-Up
Before you decide to just work harder, take a step back. Instead of guessing how much time you should be spending on marketing, take a 7-minute check-up to assess where your practice actually needs attention TODAY.
The Profitable Practice 7-Minute Check-Up is a quick, structured way to identify gaps in your practice—whether it’s marketing, financial planning, client retention, or work-life balance. You’ll answer simple but eye-opening questions to:
✔️ Identify where your time is going (and where it should be going)
✔️ Pinpoint the areas of your practice that need the most attention
✔️ Get clear next steps so you can work smarter, not just longer
What Happens Next?
After taking the check-up, you’ll have a clear picture of what’s working—and what’s not. If you realize you need a better system for growing your practice without burnout, the next step is joining our next session of The Revenue Reset for Therapists Challenge. This 3-day challenge will help you simplify your strategy, focus on revenue-generating actions, and finally create a business that works for you—instead of the other way around.
You’re already working hard. Let’s make sure you’re working smart. Grab your free check-up now and take the first step toward a more profitable, sustainable practice.