Clearing Out the Question Clutter

As leaders, much of your day is spent answering questions. Questions from clinicians, admin staff, patients, contractors – after all, it’s part of the job! But even the most dedicated practice manager has a limit

You know those days when you walk through the door, someone asks what’s for tea, and all you can do is shrug? You spend the evening nodding along to every question, not because you’re not listening, but because there’s nothing left in the tank. Your decision-making battery is down to five percent – and it needs a recharge. Yet, as hard as it is to admit, many of the questions that wore you out over the course of the day probably didn’t need an answer from you.

Just Because You Can Answer It…

That’s not to say the questions weren’t valid. But they may not have needed your input – and certainly not immediately. Sometimes, we can feel guilty for redirecting a question or assume that it will be quicker to just do whatever needs doing ourselves. But this creates an assumption that you’ll always be the one with the answer – and it can quietly set a precedent where you become the default for every decision – from rota swaps to printer ink.

A Gentle Nudge Works Wonders

Being clear about which queries do and don’t sit within your remit isn’t fobbing people off – it’s about protecting your time and giving others the chance to work things out for themselves. It doesn’t have to come across as dismissive. A simple, “I’m not going to be able to look into this right now – why don’t you come up with a few ideas, and we’ll talk it through this afternoon if you still need me?” is often enough. More often than not, the answer is right there in front of them – and with a little nudge to think it through independently, they’ll get there on their own.

Hide and Seek: The Practice Manager Edition

You know the old saying – run away, live to fight another day? Sometimes, the best thing you can do is step away for a few minutes. Finding a quiet spot where you can have ten minutes to yourself without interruption can do wonders for your headspace. We’re not suggesting you hide in a cupboard (tempting as it may be), but the reality is, telling people you’re unavailable while still sitting at your desk rarely works. You can put up all the ‘do not disturb’ signs you like – someone will still barge in to ask if you’ve approved next week’s printer paper delivery.

Redefining Urgency

Finally, when someone comes to you flustered and breathless with a question, take a moment to slow things down. Ask them to pause and consider whether the issue genuinely needs immediate attention, or if it could wait to be brought up in a team meeting or sent over in an email later in the week. Not everything needs an immediate response. There’s a difference between needing to know immediately if the phones are down and needing to know whether the new posters have been laminated. If everything feels like a crisis, you’ll burn out fast – and when a genuine emergency arises, you won’t have the clarity you need to respond effectively.

Remember, you’re not expected to have the right answer every time. It’s more than okay to say, “I’m really sorry, but I just don’t have the capacity for this right now.” That’s not you being difficult – it’s you being realistic. You need to be able to make quick decisions when it really matters and you can’t do that if your brain is constantly being cluttered with questions!