Why You Need 'Buffer Time' Between Appointments (And How to Automate It)

TL;DR

• The Problem: Back-to-back sessions = burnout + bad clinical notes.
• The Solution: Auto-add 10-15 minute buffers after each session.
• The Tech: Use your scheduler settings (don't manually block time).
• The Payoff: Better notes, calmness, and you actual get to eat lunch.

In the "productivity" world, gaps in a schedule are seen as waste. In therapy, gaps are essential.

Trying to switch instantly from a heavy trauma session to a new intake with zero seconds in between is a recipe for clinical burnout. You need a Buffer.

What is Buffer Time?

Buffer time is a setting in your scheduling software that automatically blocks off time after (or before) a booked event.

Example:

• Session: 50 minutes (10:00 - 10:50)
• Buffer: 10 minutes
• Next available slot: 11:00

Without a buffer, a 60-minute session ending at 11:00 would mean the next client starts exactly at 11:00. No bathroom break. No water. No notes.

The Benefits of a 10-15 Minute Buffer

1. SOAP Notes: Write your clinical notes immediately while the session is fresh. It takes 5 minutes now vs. 20 minutes on Friday night.
2. Biological Needs: Bathroom, water, stretch. Ground yourself physically.
3. Run-Over Protection: If a client is in crisis and you go 5 minutes over, you aren't late for the next person.
4. Mental Reset: A moment of mindfulness to "clear the mechanism" before bringing your full presence to the next human.

How to Set Buffers in OnlyCaly

You don't need to manually schedule "Break" blocks.

1. Go to Services in your OnlyCaly dashboard.
2. Edit your core service (e.g., "Psychotherapy 50m").
3. Find "Buffer After Appointment".
4. Set it to 10 minutes or 15 minutes.

Now, if someone books 2:00PM - 2:50PM, the system will secretly block 2:50PM - 3:00PM. No one can book a slot that would overlap with that recovery time.

Common Scheduling Mistakes

1. The "50-Minute Hour" Trap: Booking hour-long sessions back-to-back without the 10 min break.
2. Manual Buffers: Trying to "remember" to leave gaps. You will forget.
3. No Lunch Block: Forgetting to hard-schedule a recurrent 12-1pm non-bookable block.

Advanced Strategy: "Recovery Blocks"

Beyond per-session buffers, consider "Recovery Blocks".

• "I never do more than 3 sessions in a row."
• Create a recurring "Lunch/Walk" event in your main calendar from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM every day. OnlyCaly will respect this and never offer that slot.

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Protect Your Energy You can't pour from an empty cup. Use OnlyCaly's automated buffer settings to build self-care directly into your workflow.