Time Management Tips for Busy Practice Owners and Managers
Ever feel like you were juggling ten different Great Dane dog leashes at one time?
That is definitely what practice ownership can feel like at times.
Your day starts early, ends late, and is packed with appointments, team check-ins, client follow-ups, inventory surprises, and the constant low hum of "Did I forget something?" It's no wonder so many veterinary practice owners and managers feel stretched thin.
But just because the veterinary industry is fast-paced doesn't mean your leadership has to run on chaos.
So if you're exhausted, overwhelmed, or one barking phone call away from a breakdown, breathe. We've got you. It's time to manage your time with intention, empower your team to step up, and lean on tools like GeniusVets to streamline the parts of your business that are draining your energy. Let's walk through exactly how.
Tip #1: Identify Your High-Value Work
Not all tasks are created equal. Some drive the business forward while others keep it afloat.
Start by asking:
- What are the 3–5 things that only I can do?
- What tasks drain my energy but could be done by someone else?
- Where do I spend time that doesn't drive impact?
If you're spending 2 hours a week building Instagram posts, writing blog posts, managing your Google Ads and staring blankly at your marketing analytics, you're in the weeds. Let GeniusVets help you get out.
Our platform streamlines the high-effort, low-return tasks that suck your time dry, so you can focus on the work only you can do, like guiding your team, serving your clients, and building a business you actually want to show up for.
Tip #2: Delegate with Clarity and Confidence
You didn't build a team to do everything yourself.
Delegation doesn't mean dumping tasks; it's about developing leadership at every level. Set clear expectations, provide the tools, and then let your team take it and run.
Use delegation to empower, not micromanage. Examples:
- Your receptionist can own review responses
- Your techs can run inventory audits
- Your practice manager can run weekly huddles and follow up on KPIs
If you're doing it all yourself, you're blocking their growth and burning yourself out in the process.
Genius Tip from Dr. Drake: "Train your team to be leaders. You shouldn't be the only one thinking about how to make things better."
Tip #3: Create Weekly & Monthly Check-Ins
You wouldn't tell a client to "just keep an eye on it" if their pet had chronic GI issues. The same goes for the rhythm flowing through your weeks and months. So stop "just winging it" with your time.
Dr. Drake recommends these two non-negotiables:
Weekly Team Huddle
First thing during the week, call the team for a 10–15 minute, standing up, one focus point huddle. This is your chance to set the tone, rally your team, and prevent molehills from becoming mountains.
What to cover:
- Quick updates or changes (schedules, promotions, reminders)
- A weekly clinic focus (follow-ups, client education, handoffs)
- Celebrate wins and shout out team members who live your values
Monthly Leadership Meeting
Monthly meetings are your strategic reset—block 1 hour. Invite your leadership team (DVMs, leads, managers).
What to cover:
- Review performance metrics
- Discuss friction points
- Set 1–3 clear priorities for the coming month
- Assign owners to each action
Genius Tip: Don't cancel your meetings when things get chaotic. That's exactly when they matter most. Have on the schedule the next 2 meetings, so your team knows well in advance and can make plans.
Tip #4: Time Block Your Calendar
You wouldn't let a surgery go unscheduled, so stop letting your most crucial work get lost in the shuffle of your disorganized calendar.
Instead, time block your calendar the same way you do appointments:
- Schedule CEO time weekly: No clients. No team questions. Just strategy.
- Block "No Meeting" zones so you can deep-dive into high-priority items your team brought to your attention, like marketing, hiring, or finances.
- Create "Admin Power Hours" to knock out payroll, ordering, and emails without distraction.
Protect your time the way you protect patient care.
Tip #5: Automate the Chaos (Because You Can't Be in Ten Exam Rooms at Once)
From back-to-back appointments to helping your newest tech learn the ropes to answering "just one quick question" calls from clients, you do not have time to do everything like manually requesting reviews or uploading every piece of social media content one at a time.
Automation allows you to carry your compassion through every touchpoint while giving your team the gift of time so they can focus on the moments that matter most, like calming a nervous pet parent or support
With GeniusVets, you can automate essential parts of your operations without losing the personal touch.
Here is what you can take off your plate when you partner with us:
- Auto-scheduled social media posts that keep your online presence active even when you are in surgery
- Email reminders and follow-ups that make sure no client slips through the cracks
- Review request workflows that go out reliably after appointments
- Reporting dashboards that give you clarity without spending hours digging through data
If you or your team are still doing all of these things manually, you are wasting time and draining energy you could be using to grow your practice.
Genius Tip: The more you automate the routine tasks, the more time you get back to lead with intention and clarity.
Tip #6: Protect Your Energy the Same Way You Protect Your Patients
You are not just the owner or the manager. You are the heartbeat of your practice. And just like every patient on your table deserves attentive, compassionate care, so do you.
You would never send a patient home without recovery instructions or skip their follow-up care. So do not skip your own. Start treating your time and energy as part of the treatment plan.
- Take breaks. Real ones. Not the kind where you check your inbox standing in the hallway.
- Wrap up your day with intention, not just exhaustion. Permit yourself to breathe before jumping into family mode, dinner duty, or late-night emails.
- Build in buffer time between appointments and meetings. Emergencies happen. You know better than anyone that no day runs exactly on schedule.
And most importantly, do not try to carry everything alone. Whether it is a mentor, a mastermind group, or a monthly check-in with a trusted colleague, surround yourself with people who remind you that leadership is not a solo sport.
Genius Reminder: Burnout is not a badge of honor. It is a warning sign. Protect your energy so you can keep showing up for your patients, your team, and yourself.
If you are struggling to handle everything, it's time to explore the future of your practice.
Take a quick read on our blog, Growing Smart: When to Expand Your Veterinary Practice, to understand if you need to explore the next chapter.
You're Not Failing. You're Just Doing Too Much Alone.
You didn't start your practice to feel overwhelmed 24/7. You started it because you love animals, want to serve your community, and believe you could build something better—and the best part is, you still can!
Time management isn't about being perfect. It's about being intentional. And with the right rhythms, the proper delegation, and the right support, you can lead with clarity, not chaos.
Ready to Take Back Your Time?
Book your complimentary Marketing Health Exam today and discover how GeniusVets can help you save hours every week, streamline operations, and bring your clinic back into balance.
You deserve a business that runs with you, not over you.