Buy Back Your Time: A Key to Sustainable Growth in Your Business

By Dr. Jeff Berard and Kristin | Seven Figure Chiro Podcast

As chiropractors and business owners, we wear a lot of hats, especially in the early stages. We’re not just adjusting patients; we’re also handling payroll, doing maintenance, answering emails, managing documentation, and everything in between. It’s expected. But at some point, that all becomes unsustainable.

In this episode, we talked about a powerful concept every growth-minded chiropractor should understand: the Buy Back Principle. It’s about reclaiming your time so you can focus on what truly matters, whether that’s seeing more patients, strategizing for your practice, or simply spending more time with your family.

Most businesses can push through the grind and hit their first million in revenue. But going beyond that? That’s where the pain point hits. Suddenly, the hours are longer, the stress is higher, and you’re drowning in tasks that don’t move the needle.

This is the moment when many business owners either plateau, burn out, or bail out completely. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The businesses that scale to the next level? They learn how to buy back their time.

The concept, detailed in the book Buy Back Your Time, is simple:

1. Audit your daily tasks
2. Transfer low-value or joyless tasks to someone else
3. Fill your freed-up time with high-value work or meaningful personal time

Let’s break it down.

Start by listing everything you do in a typical day. Identify tasks that:

• Don’t bring you joy
• Don’t generate revenue
• Could be done by someone else at a lower hourly rate

Whether it's payroll, managing emails, documentation, or even changing a lightbulb, if it’s not a $200/hour task (your value as a provider), it’s costing your business money.

You don’t have to do everything yourself. In fact, you shouldn't. Hiring someone to handle documentation prep, upload imaging, respond to emails, or manage maintenance tasks can free up hours of your week.

Even if you’re not hiring externally, take a look around. Your existing team may have downtime that can be used more effectively. Delegating isn’t just about freeing up your time, it’s about leveraging the full potential of your team.

Once you've reclaimed those hours, be intentional about how you use them.

That could mean:

• Seeing more patients
• Planning the next phase of your business
• Investing in marketing or innovation
• Or simply spending more time with your spouse, kids, or personal passions

Remember, this isn’t just about productivity, it’s about balance and sustainability.

Trying to do it all leads to burnout. Reclaiming your time gives you mental clarity, joy, and the energy to grow. It also sets a strong example for your team: prioritize high-impact work and trust others to handle the rest.

And yes, there might be a cost upfront in training or hiring. But not buying back your time? That’s far more expensive in the long run.

Just last night, after a long day of patient care, I found myself repairing a decompression machine. That’s an hour I could’ve used to catch up on documentation or rest. Instead, it delayed my evening, added stress, and left me playing catch-up today.

That hour had a real cos and it’s one I could’ve avoided by delegating. Lesson learned.

Whether you’re running a solo practice or leading a team of 30, learning to buy back your time is a game-changer. Not only will your business grow, but so will your peace of mind.

So start now:

• Audit your daily responsibilities
• Transfer the ones that don’t need to be yours
• Fill your time with the things that truly matter

And if you haven’t already, grab a copy of Buy Back Your Time. It’s a must-read for any business owner who’s ready to scale sustainably.

Until next time, keep up the good fight.

– Dr. Jeff Berard & Kristin
Seven Figure Chiro Podcast