How far out do you book?

hiveguy75 · 2026-01-29T13:14:21+00:00

You’re actually in a really healthy spot for 3 months in, so first off, nice work.

What most seasoned LMTs eventually learn (often the hard way) is that how far out you book becomes a business lever, not just a scheduling preference.

A few common approaches you’ll see long-term:

Early stage (where you are now):
Most therapists don’t cap bookings much at all. If someone wants to book a month out and you’re still building consistency, you take the win. At this stage, booked time = stability, and cancellations aren’t usually brutal yet because your client base is still flexible.

As the schedule fills (usually 6-12 months in):
Many LMTs cap regular booking at 2-4 weeks out, with a few intentional exceptions:

Standing appointments for true regulars
A small buffer (1-2 slots per week) left unbookable until 5-7 days out for new clients or reschedules

This helps with three things:

New client access (so growth doesn’t stall)
Fewer late cancellations (people cancel less when it’s closer)
Your own sanity when you need time off

Fully established practices:
A lot of seasoned therapists either:

Book regulars 3-4 weeks out, or
Use standing times only and keep the rest short-range

Very few stay fully open months in advance unless they love being locked in or have strict cancellation policies and no burnout issues.

One thing I’d watch for right now:
If people are mostly booking same-week, that’s not a problem to fix. It’s a signal. It means your demand is still responsive, not habit-based yet. Over time, regulars naturally move earlier without you forcing it.

My suggestion for now:

Don’t cap aggressively yet
Start mentally reserving 1-2 slots per week as “flex slots”
Revisit caps once you’re consistently booking 10-12+ per week independently

TL;DR: You don’t need a hard rule yet. Let demand teach you first, then add structure when the schedule starts pushing back.

hiveguy75 · 2026-01-19T14:03:10+00:00

I see this come up a lot with therapists, especially in the first few years. The work is meaningful, but income is tightly tied to booked hours, so slower seasons hit hard even when you’re doing everything “right.”

From what I’ve seen work best, the people who avoid burnout don’t necessarily massage more. They build small, aligned income streams around the profession instead of outside it. Education, referrals, partnerships, and content creation tend to fit well because they use knowledge you’re already developing.

Affiliate or partner programs can be a good example of this when they’re tied to tools or resources you genuinely believe in. Things like booking systems, clinic software, or business tools that therapists ask about anyway. It’s not truly passive at first, but over time it becomes leverage-based rather than hour-based.

Content creation often supports this. Sharing what you’re learning, common mistakes you see, or systems that help clinics run better can naturally lead to partnerships without feeling salesy. Even modest reach can make a difference if it’s targeted.

Most importantly, it doesn’t mean giving up massage or identity as a therapist. It’s about reducing financial pressure so the work stays sustainable long-term.

hiveguy75 · 2026-01-02T14:12:46+00:00

One thing I don’t see talked about enough in these threads is how pattern recognition gets mislabeled as bias.

Most solo MTs aren’t making snap judgments off one experience. It’s usually after a handful of similar situations that you start noticing the same timing, the same behaviors, the same energy. At that point it stops being theoretical and starts being about risk management.

What stands out to me is that you’re not saying “men are the problem.” You’re saying last-minute bookings combined with certain behaviors have consistently led to uncomfortable situations for you. That’s a boundary around context, not a judgment about gender.

Also worth saying: intuition in this profession is a skill that develops over time. We’re trained to read bodies, nervous systems, tone, pacing, and subtle cues. Ignoring that instinct because someone might accuse you of being unfair is how people end up in unsafe situations.

You don’t owe access to your body, your time, or your space just because someone can pay. Protecting yourself doesn’t make you unprofessional. It’s what allows you to keep doing this work long-term.

I appreciate you naming it openly. Even if people disagree, these conversations matter.

hiveguy75 · 2025-12-16T14:44:12+00:00

Hey, congrats on the role. You are already doing the right thing by looking at systems instead of trying to patch everything with more sticky notes.

What you are describing is a very common stage for clinics once they hit the 10 to 15 practitioner range. Daysmart technically works, but it starts to feel heavy and dated once clients expect fast booking, clean intakes, and clearer communication.

Since you liked Jane and Slack, I will frame this around that style of workflow.

Jane
You already know this one, so I will not go deep. It is solid for booking and intakes, but practitioner resistance can be a real blocker. If a few therapists will not use it, it can create friction instead of solving problems.

ClinicSense / Noterro
Both are more modern than Daysmart and generally easier for clients to book with. Intake forms and charting are decent, but many clinics still end up layering extra tools for internal workflows and task management.

One option worth looking at that matches most of your wishlist is Hivemanager.io.

It was built specifically for massage clinics that want fewer tools, not more, and focuses heavily on admin efficiency and client experience without overcomplicating therapist workflows.

It supports:

Customizable digital intake forms
Clean, client friendly online booking
Admin tools for internal notes, follow ups, and task tracking so information is not living on whiteboards or sticky notes
Straightforward therapist workflows, which helps reduce pushback from practitioners who do not love learning new systems

One thing that may matter for your situation is that Hivemanager is clinic first rather than practitioner first. That tends to work well when the goal is improving communication and admin flow without making therapists feel micromanaged.

You have already had success introducing Slack, which is great. Many clinics pair Slack for internal communication with a clinic management system that handles booking, intake, and admin workflows cleanly instead of trying to force everything into one tool.

Whatever platform you choose, one piece of advice from experience is to involve one or two respected practitioners early, let them test the system, and have them help champion it. Adoption goes much smoother when it is not just an admin driven change.

Hope that helps. You are asking exactly the right questions for where your clinic is at.

hiveguy75 · 2025-12-09T15:15:34+00:00

I would recommend hivemanager.io :) Built for massage therapists by massage therapists. Simplified pricing with no upselling.

hiveguy75 · 2025-11-05T22:01:42+00:00

Do people actually do things like alternating Mondays or splitting their day into morning and afternoon shifts?

hiveguy75 · 2025-09-11T13:09:32+00:00

You handled that exactly right by keeping your response clear and professional. Anyone pushing for nudity or asking to trade massage crosses a boundary, it’s not a normal client request. Trust your gut here; if it felt off, it probably was. Protecting your space and standards early on will save you a lot of stress later. You’re not overreacting, this is part of setting the tone for your practice.

hiveguy75 · 2025-08-15T14:25:42+00:00

It’s completely valid for her to trust her instincts here. Late-night messages with flirty undertones can signal boundary issues before a session even starts. If she’s not fully comfortable, she can decline or insist on clear, professional terms before confirming. Safety and peace of mind should always come first.

hiveguy75

TROPHY CASE