Speed Reader: How to Maximise Your Time When Doing an Email Tarot Reading

Imagine this.

The Tarot reading requests are flowing in, whether they're from paying clients, people asking for a free Tarot reading in exchange for feedback or from friends and family. You're thrilled because you get to practice your Tarot reading skills or grow your income by helping others, all via email.

But then you start to panic.

Oh my.

4 Tarot reading requests turns into 8 requests and then 15 requests! How on earth will you get through them all in a reasonable amount of time?

You've only got 3 hours and yet each email Tarot reading seems to take you at least an hour to prepare. Sometimes even 2 or 3 hours, depending on how inspired you're feeling.

Your time is valuable, but you also want to give your best to the Tarot reading.

What do you do?

Well, rest assured, you're not the only Tarot reader who has faced this challenge. I know a number of readers – both professional and aspiring (i.e. not charging for readings) – who struggle with the amount of time it takes to prepare an email Tarot reading. Some readers literally spend hours on the one Tarot reading, drafting and re-drafting, and processing new insights as the day passes. But often, it's these readers who burn out and become totally exhausted from reading Tarot. Not good.

So today, I am going to share with you 5 strategies that you can use from today to maximise your time when preparing email Tarot readings.

1. Set Yourself a Time Limit… And Stick To It

This is Captain Obvious speaking here. If you're taking 2 hours for a reading and that's WAY over the amount of time you want to spend on it, then set yourself a time limit and stick to it.

I'm serious.

Think of the different types of Tarot readings you do. Now, for each reading, think about how much time you need to invest in order to prepare a high quality reading that also honours the value of your own time.

For example, if you're a professional Tarot reader, and you're charging $50 for a Tarot reading and you want to earn $100 per hour, then set your time limit at 30 minutes (or even less if you want to take into account any back-and-forth emails with the client before and after the reading).

And if you're reading for free (and for experience), then consider how much time you can realistically invest without getting burned out. When I used to read Tarot for free, I set my limit at 20 minutes, unless I had a more complex spread or technique that I wanted to practice.

Now write down those time limits and stick them up on your wall, close to where you read. Every time you do a reading, set the timer and stick to your limits. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve in a more restricted amount of time.

2. Be Succinct

Are you guilty of this? You write lines and lines, paragraphs and paragraphs, explaining the intricacies of each Tarot card and exactly what it means in all kinds of situations. You share every insight, every thought that comes to mind that could help your client. You want to make sure your client has all the information possible about the cards in the reading and you also want to make a good impression that you know your stuff?

But guess what? You probably could have said it in about 3 sentences. In fact, your client probably wants you to say it in 3 sentences.

You see, when we write copious amounts of information, it can be overwhelming. Not just to the client but also to you as the reader because you're investing more time and more energy in the reading than you might actually need to.

So, if time is an issue, think about how you can be more succinct and to-the-point in your Tarot readings. Be mindful of when you go off on a tangent, too, and don't be afraid to use the delete button if what you've written is not 100% relevant. And keep going back to the original question and ask, “How does this Tarot card answer the client's question?”

By the way, I'm not discrediting in-depth and comprehensive Tarot readings. There is certainly value in these types of readings. Just make sure that you're prepared for the energy exchange that is needed – i.e. you're charging enough for the Tarot reading or you're personally getting something out of the reading.

3. Use a Voice Recognition Software

A number of the Biddy Tarot Network readers use voice recognition software as a way to quickly and easily record their email Tarot reading. As a first step, you ‘train' your software to recognise your voice and common words that you use (e.g. Knight vs. night). Then, when you go to do a Tarot reading, you simply speak into a microphone as the software types it out for you.

If you love talking much more than you love typing, then this is a great option for you! And even if you don't mind typing, it's usually a lot faster to verbalise a reading than it is to type it.

4. Avoid the Perfection Trap

It is a good thing to give your best effort, to go the extra mile, and to take pride in your Tarot readings, but when you spend hours upon hours perfecting a reading and worrying about what your client might think of you as a Tarot reader, then you end up in the ‘perfection trap'.

I am a HUGE advocate of setting high standards for yourself as a Tarot reader – that's what makes you a true professional – but there comes a point where your high standards are actually getting in the way of your best performance.

I know readers who will hang on to a Tarot reading for several days before sending it to the client, so that they can continue to add more and more insight to the reading. And readers who will go over the readings not just once with the spell checker, but who will continually read and re-read the text making sure everything is 100% perfect. I love their commitment to quality, but I have also noticed that the very same readers come up against issues around exhaustion and burn-out because they have simply over-invested themselves.

To avoid the ‘perfection trap', set yourself some guidelines about when it's time to hit the Send button. For me, I type out the Tarot reading, I run the spell check, and then I send the reading. Sure, I might get a few more insights later that day, and if it's something really meaty, I'll just email a quick note to my client to let them know. But otherwise, I'll just let it go. It's more important to me that I can deliver my best effort quickly whilst also giving myself some time to restore my energy and prepare for the next reading.

5. Use Templates

A practical tip, but a super time-saving tip all the same – use templates!

I'm not talking about cut and pasting Tarot card meanings and constructing a dodgy Tarot reading. I'm talking about having a template for each reading that includes a welcome note, my philosophies on how the Tarot works, a recap of the question asked, and a thank-you at the end with an invitation to ask questions to clarify the reading. All saved into a Word template.

That way, when I go to do an email Tarot reading, all I need to focus on is the reading itself. This means all my energy and attention goes to the heart of the matter, rather than worrying about how to start my email and remembering to say thanks at the end.

There you have it! 5 easy techniques to help you maximise your time when reading Tarot. Which one are you going to start today? Leave your comments below.

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