Avoiding burnout as a Tarot pro.

As I nurse a cranky throat, following an eye infection I thought this might be a useful blog to write for myself!

There are so many variants of Tarot pro’s- those that squeeze it in a round a full time job, those that are trying to make a little extra, those that don’t really need the income but enjoy the work…

I am none of those. I am a single Mum, living in rented accommodation (which in the Southeast of England is not a cheap option), and my holistic business supports me and my four teenagers.

I love my job. Really love it- the clients, the buzz of shuffling the cards, the pleasure of supporting someone through difficult times, the chill when the cards are spookily accurate, teaching via Zoom- I love it. But the financial pressure of running a busy family home only on this income is intense.

So- to remind myself, here are some of my top tips to avoid Holistic Business Burn out.

#1 You don’t have to answer the call/message/email now.

I’ve got pulled into this a fair number of times. It is so easy with mobile phones. A message comes in- enquiring about a price, or date, or service. I’m meant to be having a break- but well, I’ll just quickly read it…might as well answer it… and suddenly any moment of calm is gone, and my business head is on.

Have business times and stick to them. Your client will wait until tomorrow- and you will feel far better for having proper rest and leisure time without the “drip, drip” of business to bother you.

#2 It is not your job to fix anyone.

I still struggle with this at times.

I do my job because I care, so I want to improve people’s lives. But one Tarot reading will not fix anything. The client needs to make lifestyle or mindset changes because of the reading- and that is out of my hands.

I aim to be the best reader I can within our appointment time, but then let the reading go.

#3 Know your limits, you are only human.

Again- I struggle with this. It’s easy to worry that if you don’t book someone in this week, they won’t wait until next week- and then it’s a missed client opportunity.

Clients will come back. The best business decision is to work within your capacity limits (different for all of us) to ensure each reading is to the very best of your ability.

Nothing builds a Tarot business better than great readings- and an exhausted reader will struggle to do that.

#4 Build self-care into your work-life balance.

Tarot reading can be emotionally draining (depending on your style). I know I need some time alone, reading, journaling, or even watching 20 minutes of a favourite show to just decompress after a busy working session.

We all decompress in different ways- through exercise, craft, music, or just being alone.

Learning how to meet your needs is an important part of being able to meet other’s needs.

#5. Automate whatever you can on the business side.

One of the best decisions I ever made was to have a booking calendar. Without any engagement from me a client can find the best appointment for them, book it, pay for it, reschedule it if needed- and my phone pings 15 minutes before a session with the client’s name.

I can not even begin to express how many hours a week this saves me!

It means that I can block out time that I need for family time and keep my prices that little bit lower to reflect how streamlined my bookings are!

#6 Get your prices right.

There is no universal formula for pricing.

If this is squeezed in around your main job, or you don’t really need the money then you can choose to offer a premium price and enjoy the bookings as and when they come.

If – like me- you have a family dependant on your earnings, then price needs to be a gentle balance. High enough to be worth your while, affordable enough to attract clients.

If you are busy and risk being burnt out- raising your prices a tad is the right strategy.

If your prices are premium, but you ae burnt out trying to advertise for clients -then lowering your prices is a good call.

We each have a unique blend of time, clients and price. Finding the right balance for you, and adjusting as life needs it, is the best way to handle pricing.