Weekly CEO Routine for Cash Based PT Businesses

If you’ve ever reached Friday and thought, “What did I even get done this week?”— you’re not alone.

Running a cash based PT business means your time is pulled in multiple directions. One minute you're treating clients, the next you're writing Instagram captions, then trying to remember if you sent that invoice or finished your documentation. The mental chaos is real, especially if you're juggling multiple roles as an ADHD entrepreneur and solo practice owner.

I’ve been there too. That’s exactly why I created a weekly planning system that keeps me focused, productive, and on track to hit my goals, all while avoiding burning out.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through the five-part CEO routine for physical therapists that I follow every week to stay grounded, lead my business with clarity, and make consistent progress on the things that actually matter. Not to mention, this plan gives me ample opportunity to prioritize myself.

Choose Your “Big 3” Priorities

If I could choose one solo practice owner tip to share it would be this: Choose your Big 3 — the three most important things you want to get done. This could be a mix of personal, business, or family goals. 

For example:

• Record content for the week

• Work out three times

• Take a family day off

These are your non-negotiables. If you accomplish your Big 3, the week is a grand success and anything after that is a bonus.

This practice keeps you from feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list and gives you a realistic, measurable definition of progress. It’s one of the simplest and most effective strategies to use for weekly planning for PTs.

If structure doesn’t come naturally to you, you might find this post helpful: How to Create Structure as a Business Owner. In this post, I walk through simple ways to build routine without feeling boxed in.

Time Block Your Calendar

Once you’ve got your Big 3 lined out, schedule them immediately on your calendar. One practice I encourage you to implement is time blocking every major task in your business. This includes admin work, content creation, patient care, and even lunch breaks.

A pro tip for you is to block off more time that you think you’ll need when time blocking tasks on your calendar.

Why? Take it from an ADHD entrepreneur, I’ve learned the hard way that most things take longer than expected. Overestimating your time prevents you from overbooking and gives you space to handle interruptions without falling behind.

You can read more about how I manage my time, distractions, and a lengthy to-do list in this post: Running a Business with an ADHD Diagnosis. 

Another tip is to time block your calendar based on client-facing and non-client-facing days. This structure helps reduce mental fatigue and allows you to stay in a single workflow. For example, you might see clients on Mondays and Wednesdays, and keep Tuesdays and Thursdays for content, marketing, and business planning.

Trust me, time blocking is a go-to strategy for time management for physical therapists, especially as a solo practitioner wearing 15 different hats within your business.

Batch Similar Tasks Together

Let’s talk productivity for healthcare entrepreneurs.

Instead of jumping between patient notes, DMs, and website edits, I encourage you to batch similar tasks together. This strategy minimizes context switching and helps you get into a focused flow.

Here’s how to batch your week:

• Tuesdays: Creative work and marketing — writing emails, filming videos, making Reels

• Thursdays: Admin, systems, and backend tasks — reviewing finances, SOPs, and client onboarding

If you're building or trying to start a cash based practice, this kind of structure will change your life. You’ll waste less time, finish more projects, and reduce decision fatigue.

Batching also aligns with one of the most underrated physical therapy business tips: protect your energy. Less switching means less decision fatigue, more flow, and better outcomes in less time.

You can even experiment with “theme days” to give your brain even more consistency. The fewer transitions in your day, the more energy you’ll preserve.

Build in Recovery Time

One of the most overlooked pieces of running a business? Scheduled rest.

This part was hard for me. I love what I do and genuinely enjoy working. But I’ve learned that if I don’t build in recovery, I crash. And when I crash, my mental health suffers and I lose momentum in my business.

Here’s what you should do: block off recovery time the same way you schedule calls. Label your recovery time clearly. 

Even just a half day off per week can go a long way in helping you avoid burnout as a business owner. Give yourself time to recharge, disconnect, and just be a person. Your nervous system (and your future self) will thank you. Work life balance is key to a thriving business.

If taking time off still makes you feel anxious or behind, definitely read this: 5 Simple Steps to Stress-Free Time Off as a Small Business Owner. 

End with a Weekly Reset

To wrap up your week, test out what I call a weekly review and reset. Personally, I typically do this on Friday afternoons or Sunday evenings — but do whatever feels more natural to you depending on the week.

Here’s what your weekly reset can look like:

• Did I complete my Big 3?

• What worked well?

• What didn’t work?

• What needs to be adjusted?

If you’re more advanced in your cash based physical therapy business, this is also a good time to check your KPIs. Are your marketing efforts converting? Are you hitting your revenue targets? Are your clients rebooking?

From there, plan out the following week. Choose a new Big 3, block them into your calendar, and prep for upcoming client sessions.

You can also do a final inbox clean-up and check any open loops — things like messages you need to send, loose tasks from the week before, or ideas you jotted down that need to be scheduled or taken care of.

Lastly, log your weekly wins. Business wins, personal wins, workouts you’re proud of, family moments — anything that felt good to you throughout the week. This helps you end the week on a positive note and start the next one feeling clear and grounded.

Why This CEO Routine Works

If you’re growing a solo cash based PT business, the truth is, no one’s coming to organize your time for you.

By implementing routines like the Weekly CEO Routine, this helps you:

• Lead yourself with clarity

• Stay focused on high-impact tasks

• Protect your energy and your time

• Create structure that supports your brain

• Build momentum week after week

Whether you’re still figuring out how to start a cash based practice or you're trying to scale an existing one, structure is the foundation for consistent growth for any business. If you’re a solo practitioner, physical therapy entrepreneurship isn’t just about marketing and the number of clients you treat in the clinic. It’s also about how you manage yourself. You are the business, so taking care of yourself is top priority when building systems and routines within your business.

Ready to Build a Practice That Supports Your Life?

The difference between spinning your wheels and growing a thriving cash based PT business often comes down to your habits — especially how you plan and review each week.

A simple, consistent CEO routine for physical therapists gives you focus, clarity, and control. It helps you stop reacting to your schedule and start intentionally building a business that supports your life — not one that takes over your life leaving you feeling burnt out.

If you’re ready to take the next step in building or growing your cash based PT practice, we’d love to help. Book a free consultation with me or one of our coaches, and we’ll map out a personalized plan based on your goals, your schedule, and your lifestyle.

You’ve got the clinical skills. Now let’s help you build the business to match.

Listen to this episode on my podcast!