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How many actual hours of massage do you do a week?
I was thinking yesterday about how many massages most massage therapists do a week. Most people I do don't do more than 15-20 a week. One person does 25 a week but she is always getting injured.
After a week of many clients with RSI pain, stress and generally too much work it made me start thinking about why massage therapists don't actually work more so that they can make more . I know the demands of the work physically and mentally but heck I feel worse after sitting at the computer for 3 hours than I do doing massage for the same amount of time. I was starting to think that it is just part of the struggling massage therapists image (after reading the book "Making the Switch to Being Rich" by Steve Capellini.
How many hours do you work? What would you have to do in the way of self care to work 30 or more hours a week?
After a week of many clients with RSI pain, stress and generally too much work it made me start thinking about why massage therapists don't actually work more so that they can make more . I know the demands of the work physically and mentally but heck I feel worse after sitting at the computer for 3 hours than I do doing massage for the same amount of time. I was starting to think that it is just part of the struggling massage therapists image (after reading the book "Making the Switch to Being Rich" by Steve Capellini.
How many hours do you work? What would you have to do in the way of self care to work 30 or more hours a week?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gerry Bunnell on
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At this point in my business I average 11 hours of massage a week. I have set myself limits though. I will do no more than 5 hours of massage in any given day and no more than 20 hours of massage in any given week. Once business reaches my weekly limit I will encourage the owner of the clinic to bring on another therapist. Fortunately the owner is a Chiropractor and appreciates self preservation and the quest of remaining healthy.
Peace
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I once found on a website that gave salary averages that Massage Therapists made an average of 52k/year. I wondered to myself where they got their figures from. I can conceive of that kind of income frome clinic owners, but the majority of therapists I have encountered make less than that. It is possible that those who calculate salaries base it on an hourly rate and a 40 hour work week and don't take into account that full time for an MT ranges around 30 hours/wk with 20-25 hours being actual time spent massaging.
I personally love being an MT. Given the time I spend doing it and the income I make, I feel I am well compensated.
In regards to average longevity of a therapist, it is good to remember that it is an average. How many therapists actually make a career for themselves once they are out of school. I feel if one makes it past the 2 year mark, then they can be considered a career therapist. If an longevity average is taken from all therapists who have lasted beyond the 2 year mark, I feel the average would be very different. It is a statistic. Statistical information depends greatly on where you take the starting values from.
Peace
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Permalink Reply by rudy m smith on
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Hi Julie,
I think one of the most important elements to this # of massages a week is that it is NOT a contest. There are so many factors involved. One of the most important factors is: How many massages does the therapist WANT to do. Just because someone can do 40 massages a week doesn't mean they should or shouldn't. We have to have balance. Now if a therapist WANTS MORE clients but can't seem to get them in the door or keep them coming back this is an entirely different story and topic line.
Julie Onofrio said:Thanks for everyones replies - this gets more interesting as it goes. While I do understand that taking care of our self physically is important - image if people working 40 hour work weeks at jobs just started saying - I don't want to sit here anymore or if the road worker just said I have to limit my shoveling to 5 hours a day because of the physical demands.
I think I have a new theory that the idea that only working 25 hours a week doing massage keeps massage therapists from making a lot of money and from having to do the marketing they need to do to get that many clients and more!
Now I am not saying people are wrong or bad for only doing like 10-15 a week - heck I have 15 this week for the first time in over 10 years really but I also have other income streams. I usually only see 8-12 a week and I do go to the spa or get massage regularly.
Julie
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Hi Gerry,
I've been in the business of massage a long time. I make 140K per year with just my hands, less expenses. Proud to admit it. Some therapists actually think this is wrong, that I make too much. BUT I do work my butt off. Always have. A massage therapist stops making money the moment their fingers stop. So it is important for a therapist to have a plan B. I re-invest all my money xtra income into real estate and rent rooms to other therapists to help them get started... I have more clients than I can handle. My wait list is 25 people deep on any given week. I try to send these xtra bods to my other lmt renters to help them out. Anyway there are some of us who realy do make a great income. It is possible for anyone with the right skills and temperment.
Gerry Bunnell said:I once found on a website that gave salary averages that Massage Therapists made an average of 52k/year. I wondered to myself where they got their figures from. I can conceive of that kind of income frome clinic owners, but the majority of therapists I have encountered make less than that. It is possible that those who calculate salaries base it on an hourly rate and a 40 hour work week and don't take into account that full time for an MT ranges around 30 hours/wk with 20-25 hours being actual time spent massaging.
I personally love being an MT. Given the time I spend doing it and the income I make, I feel I am well compensated.
In regards to average longevity of a therapist, it is good to remember that it is an average. How many therapists actually make a career for themselves once they are out of school. I feel if one makes it past the 2 year mark, then they can be considered a career therapist. If an longevity average is taken from all therapists who have lasted beyond the 2 year mark, I feel the average would be very different. It is a statistic. Statistical information depends greatly on where you take the starting values from.
Peace
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Permalink Reply by Sharity C. Nesnick on
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I work 10-15 hours a week with full massage sessions (30-90 min sessions) But I work with a chiropractor also, where I go in with his patients on the chiro table periodically through the day, 3 days a week. Not quite sure the break down of that.
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Hey Julie,
When I was doing massage at a chiropractor office i was doing about 20 a week. It really depends on what type of massages you are doing. for me they were all deep. so what i did to keep myself from getting injured and continue my number of massages up was to spread them out and use hydrotherapy. when washing my hands i would do my own quick treatment by using hot and cold water. seemed to help keep my wrist and forearms loose.
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Permalink Reply by Ann Dunlap on
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Hi Julie,
I think the amount of massages a person can do may have a lot to do with how a person strenthens their body, mind, spirit.
I am a firm believer that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance determine a therapist's strength and stamina. If you are fit and have a certain amount of "cross training" in your physical routine and self care, you will be able to do more. Also, enjoying your job goes a long way too. If you have obstacles to enjoying your job, your body will start to complain one way or another no matter what you are doing.
I think massage can hard on your body if:
doing massage is your primary source of physical excersise, and income; you don't receive regular massage or bodywork; you don't let yourself play and recharge yourself mentally and physically; you don't have friends to hang out with on a regular basis; you view your massage career as 'just a job to pay the bills".
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Permalink Reply by Harry Banek on
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I schedule up to 23 sessions each week and am available for sessions Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday between 8 AM - 9 PM and Friday and Saturday between 8 AM - 6 PM. Each session accommodates either a 60- or 90-minute session as I have had clients come in and want additional time. I also provide 120-minute sessions. Average time spent each week providing bodywork and reflexology is about 28 hours (about 1/3 of sessions are reflexology).
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Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on
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Hi Julie!
I think this depends on many factors!
When I first started out in my 30's, I could do 30 or more a week and feel great. It was my main focus. I made awesome money and supported two children as a single mom.
Soon I was employing MT's and that became another business and quite honestly, the additional hours to focus on what they needed was more tiring than the massages. ;)
I did eventually cut back to 15-20 (which by the way seems to be the average according to the massage survey)
I also had to cut back more once I had a back injury. This was challenging to say the least.
It depends on the type of modalities one is offering, the length of their sessions etc.
I remember an instructor of mine over 20 years ago saying "I only do 4-5 a week". We all chuckled. Well, now I understand and that is all I do too. It is my choice and my sessions are typically 90mins to 2 hrs however. THe sessions aren't just physical and take on a deeper energetic and spiritual component as well.
I also teach more now.
I definitely feel that if one is to do 30+ hours a week they need to be receiving massage weekly too so they take care of their own bodies and don't burn out. I hear many tell me that they hurt themselves when doing deep tissue techniques. Body Mechanics is VERY important, proper table height, proper nutrition and stretching. My hands NEVER have hurt ,thank goodness. Massage has always rejuvenated me. I feel that was because I took my own advice. :)
I agree, computer work is way more taxing than massage! Totally drains me. lol
I have a colleague who was a former LMT , now a yoga instructor who created an awesome program for MT's. It's call Yoga for Bodyworkers and teaches them body mechanics and self care techniques. Lillah, the creator shared it saved her back! www.LightenupYoga.com (NC).
Good Luck with the Switch!
Happy Thanksgiving too.
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Permalink Reply by Ruth M. Schopper-Hughes on
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On a good week, 25. Yes, I am tired by the end of the week, but love the paycheck!
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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on
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I do 10 -15 a week and am okay with that number.
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For years I did 27 hours of massage a week, mostly deep work (plus laundry, paperwork, cleaning the clinic etc.).I was tired by the end of the week, but I never had an injury and I have been in practice for 25 years.Now I am taking life easy. At present I do about 15 hours of massage a week, and consider myself semi-retired (I just turned 69). It is all about correct body mechanics and staying in good physical shape.
Julie Onofrio said:Thanks everyone. I guess why I am asking is that I am gearing up my practice to do more massages. I have only been doing about 8-10 a week and already have 14 scheduled for next week -mostly all cash client which I have been working to build up but I haven't been working out due to a knee injury.
I also was thinking that we might be using the fact that massage is hard on your body (It may or may not be really. I feel worse after 4 hours on the computer than a day at the office!) to limit our success. Who ever started this thing not to do many massages? Is it all part of the mentality to keep people from being successful? Yes I know the more you do the more self care is involved- more massage sessions and more trips to the spa for me.
I was just thinking about all of my clients who work 40 hours at a desk. I know I became a massage therapist to get out of the rat race type of job but by doing only 15-20 massages a week makes massage a part time career and also makes it harder to make a really great living.
Just thinking out loud here sort of...
Julie
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