Holidays: How many days do you take off?

[PsyDr]

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Due to no shows, the week before christmas, and week after seem like a waste of time.

How do you handle it?

 

[WisNeuro]

I have about 3 weeks off from clinical patients around the holidays, but I squeezed in a few IMEs. Pretty much just stuff I can mostly do flexibly from a time standpoint. Also to set up 2023 1Q to be a good revenue base for the rest of the year after that stuff and a work trip in January.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Usually a week, but I'm mostly research so it's prime writing time.

At risk of IDing myself...I am taking 3 weeks off this year and am growing increasingly stressed at the idea. Which I interpret as it being desperately needed.

 

[Shiori]

I'm not taking off any time this year, so I can build up my leave cushion. I have been catching up on my book backlog. I finished Diversity Inc. which was really good. I just started a book about Adaptive Disclosure. Overall, I'm enjoying the quiet.

 

[PsyDr]

Usually a week, but I'm mostly research so it's prime writing time.

At risk of IDing myself...I am taking 3 weeks off this year and am growing increasingly stressed at the idea. Which I interpret as it being desperately needed.

Over an entire year, I typically take off ~2 months.

However, I put in way more than 40hrs per week, and my version of "time off" is "still generating 20+hrs of billables per week".

 

[cara susanna]

I took off between Christmas and NY. This week has been a total waste, definitely, but since I'm VA I still get paid for it.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Over an entire year, I typically take off ~2 months.

However, I put in way more than 40hrs per week, and my version of "time off" is "still generating 20+hrs of billables per week".

That makes sense. I have taken off...less than 3 weeks all year up until now.

I am working on this. It is helpful to see other people take time off.

 

[WisNeuro]

Over an entire year, I typically take off ~2 months.

However, I put in way more than 40hrs per week, and my version of "time off" is "still generating 20+hrs of billables per week".

This year was probably closer to a .75 FTE year, had a new baby and some other things. Hard to gauge "time off" as it's more just more busy or less busy weeks. Clinical evals are easy as I can churn those out pretty quickly. Different when there's an IME with 3000+pages to review as I don't generally knock all of that out in 1 go. But I would agree, there's usually not a week where I am not doing at least something on the billable end aside from a couple weeks. More do a rush of work and then long weekends.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

At this point, I generally don't schedule any appointments between Christmas and New Year's, and often not for the week before Christmas, either. I use the time to relax and work on reports.

 

[SomeGreatNotion]

As long as I'm not traveling anywhere, I work one or two days the week of Christmas and the week of New Years. Some clients go away or take off for the holiday, and those slots are filled by my more acute cases or with clients who would prefer to be seen and are able to adjust their regular therapy appointment day. I find that this helps prevent those days with half cancellations and no shows.

This is a general outpatient clinic btw.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I slow down to about half-speed this two week period each year. That looks a bit different each year but feels great.

 

[Doctor Eliza]

I love working for myself and taking off when I want to without worrying about PTO or anything like that. I’m off starting today. Going to work two half days next week just to see some folks who are struggling at this time of year. Then going back on the 4th. Of course I need to deal with some billing and such, but that isn’t too bad.

Happy holidays, everyone!

 

[Sanman]

I usually work if I am not traveling as I rotate emergency call/student supervision with a few other psychologists and try to let them have a little time off. However, I do book a few personal medical appts during this time because it is quiet. Back when I did PP, I learned to just take off. My first year practicing, I actually went in around this time of year during a snow storm...and spent 7 hours surfing the web because no one showed up. Nursing home was great on holidays. Much like any Saturday, there are lots of folks sitting around with nothing to do ready to see you.

 

[ClinicalABA]

Usually take the week between Xmas and New Years off. I've been out past two weeks with COVID, and still taking next week off. It's going to be VERY busy January with all the rescheduling.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Since this is my first year with the new practice, I didn‘t take any extra time off during this holiday period. Next year will likely be different as it has been relatively unproductive. Although I did bill 525 today and when I’m just barely turning a profit and paying full time wages, gotta keep chugging away. Like someone else posted above am really looking forward to turning the corner and upping the profitability after the first of the year.

 

[ClinicalABA]

Since this is my first year with the new practice, I didn‘t take any extra time off during this holiday period. Next year will likely be different as it has been relatively unproductive. Although I did bill 525 today and when I’m just barely turning a profit and paying full time wages, gotta keep chugging away. Like someone else posted above am really looking forward to turning the corner and upping the profitability after the first of the year.

Best of luck!

 

[borne_before]

I'm dipping out early today and not coming back until after NY. I get PTO.

 

[medium rare]

I always take the week between Christmas and New Year's off. Definitely needed after this year and a very packed week with 60-some patients scheduled and EVERYONE kept their appointment. I’m not done until 7 PM tonight - 9 more patients to go.

January and February are already just as busy as I’m sure the rest of the year will be. Planning on taking some more time off in 2023 and finally getting back to Sicily for two weeks after postponing that the last two years.

 

[deleted1129370]

This year I worked Thanksgiving and Christmas...didn't take time off since I just went on a cruise in November. Typically, I will take a mental health day (via SL) once a month, and then try to plan a couple of small 3-4 day vacations throughout the year.

 

[singasongofjoy]

I take 2 weeks - the week before/of Christmas (depending on what day it falls) is always pretty quiet in my clinic so I enjoy working on reports etc. - things I do best with uninterrupted time - and those "If I took time to do this, it would probably make me more efficient at x in the long run" projects. Take off the week between Christmas/New year (4 of those days are already holidays for us) for family stuff, and then the first week in January to send my kid back to school and recover from the previous week... one of the smarter things I've ever started doing for myself. That second week is magical.