S8E03 - Building a Calmer OT Practice: Delegation, Hiring and Reducing Cognitive Load

When the work piles up, your brain does the weirdest things

There’s a particular kind of overload that shows up after a big push. You sit down, finally pause, and realise your brain hasn’t caught up with your body. You misplace simple things. You forget obvious tasks. You feel scattered, even though you’re technically “on top” of everything. For many OTs, this isn’t about poor organisation. It’s about cumulative cognitive load. Between clinical work, leadership responsibilities and life outside work, the mental tabs just keep multiplying. Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is create breathing space – not as avoidance, but as reset.

The real cost of cognitive load in OT practice

Occupational therapy is layered work. You’re not just delivering intervention. You’re holding risk, documentation, supervision, service agreements, scheduling and often team leadership as well. Add in constant role-switching – clinician to manager to parent to administrator – and the load compounds quickly. It’s rarely one big task that tips things over. It’s the dozens of “floating” tasks that live in your head because no one else owns them. When your brain becomes the primary storage system for your business, fatigue is inevitable. This is where systems matter. Not complex, perfect systems. Simple ones that reduce how much you personally have to remember, track and finish.

Delegation only works when you hand over ownership

Many OTs delegate tasks. Fewer delegate outcomes. Partial delegation sounds like progress, but it often increases coordination. You’re still tracking the task, clarifying expectations and holding the final responsibility. The cognitive load doesn’t disappear – it just changes shape. Delegating ownership is different. Instead of assigning a step, you assign the outcome. Travel planning, inbox management or follow-ups become someone else’s responsibility, not just something they help with. Your role shifts to answering key questions and approving decisions. Often, when you try this properly, you discover something important. You don’t just need to delegate better. You may need structural support.

Hiring admin isn’t about volume. It’s about ownership

Admin roles often attract high numbers of applicants. The challenge is that volume doesn’t equal suitability, and screening takes time. The strongest candidates we seek out tend to have experience in medical reception or allied health settings, where attention to detail, privacy and workflow complexity are everyday requirements. Software knowledge helps, but mindset matters more. The bigger question, though, is what are you really hiring for? If you’re still holding bookings, follow-ups, agreements and inbox triage in your head, you don’t just need “more hours”. You need someone to take ownership of specific systems. Good admin support reduces floating tasks. That’s what protects your energy long term.

What OTs are looking for in roles right now

Money still matters, especially as salaries have shifted across the sector. But it’s rarely the only deciding factor. Flexibility remains high on the list. Not just part-time work, but genuine control over hours and the ability to shape a week around life demands. For many therapists, flexibility determines whether they stay in a role at all. Support and structure are also critical. Therapists who’ve been given “anything and everything” without clear frameworks are increasingly seeking services with defined expectations, strong internal supervision and accessible senior input. OT-led practice still carries weight when it includes real clinical leadership rather than a title alone. There’s also ongoing tension around stability. Some clinicians are reconsidering public health roles for security. Others still prefer private practice autonomy, but with better systems and clearer progression pathways.

Recruitment realities in today’s OT market

Strong candidates don’t wait. If your recruitment process is slow or unclear, you can lose someone excellent simply because another service moved faster. Screening calls can confirm practical fit early, including hours and work-from-home expectations. Clear salary bands tied to skills and support needs protect your team culture and reduce the risk of inequity. Recruiters can broaden your reach and connect you with candidates you might never find directly. The trade-off is cost, often calculated as a percentage of the first year’s package, along with specific conditions around introductions and time frames. For some practices, that investment makes sense. For others, direct approaches remain viable, especially when aligned with strong culture and reputation.

A calmer practice needs fewer floating tasks

Breathing space isn’t just about taking a week off sector noise. It’s about noticing what’s creating pressure and redesigning accordingly. Sometimes the answer is hiring. Sometimes it’s clearer delegation. Often it’s recognising that your current systems no longer match the size or complexity of your service. The goal isn’t perfect organisation. It’s building a practice where your brain isn’t the only place important work can live. If you’re refining your hiring process or building more sustainable systems in your OT practice, explore the training and resources available through Verve OT Learning. Strengthening supervision, onboarding and internal frameworks can reduce cognitive load and improve retention at the same time.

Key takeaways for OTs

• Cognitive overload often comes from floating tasks, not just workload
• Delegation reduces load only when ownership is clearly transferred
• Admin recruitment should focus on mindset and systems ownership, not applicant volume
• Many OTs prioritise flexibility, structure and genuine clinical leadership
• Recruitment processes need to move efficiently in an employee-led market
• Sustainable practice design protects both leaders and clinicians from burnout

Additional links

Free online webinar by Nikki and Alyce on how to choose your next OT role: https://payhip.com/b/3psKG

Self-paced workshop with Alyce via Verve OT Learning: https://www.verveotlearning.com.au/getting-the-admin-support