Why your practice can't run on an empty owner

By George Vernon, Health and Performance Coach to dental practice owners

Every winter I hear the same thing from practice owners. "I'll sort my health out in January."

I understand why. From October the evenings close in. By November it's dark when the practice opens and when it closes. The diary is full because everyone wants their treatment done before Christmas. The team is tired, patients are stressed, and there's always a tin of biscuits and a box of Celebrations on reception.

As the owner, you're carrying all of it. The rota, the targets, the Christmas party and the decisions nobody else can make. Every one of those runs on the same fuel, and that fuel is your state of physical and mental health.

Then you get home to a family who need just as much from you, with the school runs, the clubs and Christmas to organise. Whatever energy you had left goes there. Exercise feels hard and there's food and drink at every event. The sensible thing seems to be to get through the next three months and start again in the new year.

Read the full November newsletter article in our newsletter HERE.