No PTO? No Problem!
I’m sure you didn’t start your private practice with the intention of never being able to take a day off, but not only do many private practice owners worry about any time they need to be off, they absolutely never considering taking time off for fun.
As helper and healers, we are champions of wellbeing, yet balancing the care we give with the financial and emotional pressures of business ownership can do a number on us. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, you're the heart and soul of your business, but no, running yourself into the ground doesn’t just cost you energy—it costs you income, impact, and integrity.
The good news? Time off is possible, even without a traditional paid time off (PTO) that your old agency job had. In fact, many high-earning private practice owners are already doing it—without crashing their business or draining their bank accounts.
In a recent Facebook thread filled with six-figure clinicians, we asked: “How are you building in PTO without a formal plan?” The responses were gold. We’ve organized the strategies from easiest to most involved—so whether you’re ready to take your first long weekend or finally book that two-week trip abroad, there’s a starting place for you.
Simple Schedule Tweaks (Least Resistance)
These are the easiest changes to implement and don’t require financial restructuring—just a little calendar courage.
✅ Shift to a 3-day client schedule:
Patty works only Tuesday through Thursday, with no sessions before 10 a.m., seeing 5–8 clients per day. She still takes 10+ weeks off each year. “The long weekends are top tier,” she says.
✅ Add a half day or travel buffer:
Keisha shared that she designed her schedule to allow Friday afternoons and early Saturdays to accommodate travel without needing to miss full days.
✅ Alternate your Mondays or Fridays:
A 4-day workweek with rotating off-days gives you a mental break and creates PTO without needing to formally request it.
📝 Try This: Block off recurring “off” days each quarter and see how clients adjust. You’ll likely be surprised by their flexibility—and your own.
Budget-Based PTO (Some Planning Required)
This group of practice owners isn’t necessarily changing their work hours, but they are using financial strategy to build breathing room.
✅ Set up a separate PTO savings account:
Chanel, Shenay, and Alana all recommend this. Using the Profit First model, you can allocate a percentage of your income into a PTO fund—just like you would for taxes or operating expenses. Then, when it’s time for a break, you can pay yourself from that account.
✅ Live below your means on purpose:
As Patricia and Cheryl pointed out, a modest lifestyle makes space for more freedom. They save intentionally throughout the year, which allows for guilt-free downtime.
✅ Sacrifice short-term luxuries for long-term rest:
Shay shared how she saved for a Dubai trip by cutting out eating out and impulse buys from January to May. “You absolutely should take time off—you just have to reframe your spending.”
📝 Try This: Review your last 60 days of spending. What can you reallocate toward rest?
System-Level Changes (More Effort, More Reward)
These methods require more planning, but they create sustainable PTO that won’t tank your revenue.
✅ Don’t base your income on working every single day:
Lysa encouraged providers to build time off into their financial projections. Your monthly revenue goal shouldn’t assume you're available 52 weeks a year.
✅ Bring in part-time help or diversify income:
Latasha suggested hiring part-time admin support or creating products to generate income even when you’re not in the chair. Shay echoed the need for multiple income streams so time off doesn’t equal zero dollars.
✅ Pre-plan client communication and boundaries:
Tasha summed it up best: “Plan a vacation, tell your clients at least 2 weeks in advance, give them homework, and head to the airport… they’ll survive, and so will your bank account.”
📝 Try This: Start with a mini-break. Block off 3 consecutive weekdays, prep clients, and practice logging off. You can always scale up from there.
Bonus Ideas to Round It Out
🧠 Mindset Shift:
You’re not a bad therapist because you need rest. In fact, rest is a radical act of integrity in a service-based business.
📆 Quarterly Rest Weeks:
Shay takes one week off per quarter (if she feels like it)—just to recharge. Not every break has to be a full-blown vacation. Another CEO started by scheduling her clients only 4 weeks out of the month, so any month with a 5th week was naturally off.
💸 Build in income buffers with high ticket offers:
One of the most effective ways to build a cash buffer in your business is by adding high ticket or high profit services. Corporate partnerships, consulting and workshops are all perfectly aligned with private practices. Because these services can yield 4, 5 or even 6 figures for limited hours you don’t have to worry about affording the time off which is often the lions share of the battle. Check out the Beyond the Couch workshop to learn how we added nearly a quarter of a million dollars to our bottom line with ONE contract.
Let’s Make Time Off Easier (and Profitable)
The truth is, you can take time off without stress—but it takes intention. Whether you're adjusting your schedule, setting up a PTO savings account, or finally launching that course you've been dreaming of, you're not just planning rest… you're designing a life you don’t need a break from.
If you’re ready to make time off feel easy and paid, my on-demand Revenue Reset Challenge walks you through practical ways to increase income without increasing hours.