Enforcing time limits

moon_light

How do you enforce time limits when you are reading? I'm wondering about both when you are reading for one client and when you're doing events. I just feel like a timer is abrasive. I know that if I have a space ahead of time, I could put a clock up behind the querent, but that's not always going to be possible. Ideally, I'd like to see the time so I know if I need to speed up or slow down... But again, I just feel awkward putting something out to show the time.

Honestly, I feel more inclined to charge based on how many cards/how big the reading is. Have any of you tried doing that and tried using time? Which worked better for you and why?

I appreciate your ideas. :)
 

Apollonia

moon_light said:
How do you enforce time limits when you are reading? I'm wondering about both when you are reading for one client and when you're doing events. I just feel like a timer is abrasive. I know that if I have a space ahead of time, I could put a clock up behind the querent, but that's not always going to be possible. Ideally, I'd like to see the time so I know if I need to speed up or slow down... But again, I just feel awkward putting something out to show the time.

Honestly, I feel more inclined to charge based on how many cards/how big the reading is. Have any of you tried doing that and tried using time? Which worked better for you and why?

I appreciate your ideas. :)
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I have always used a small kitchen timer that is in the shape of an hourglass. When I was doing FTF readings, I placed it so that I could see it but the client could not. I used the "count up" feature so that I could see when the end of the session was approaching, but there was no annoying beep as happens when it counts down, and if I felt I wanted to give the client a few extra minutes, I could do so without a fuss.

Personally, I would never pay for a reading based on the number of cards. What do I care how many cards the reader does or doesn't need to put out? That is not for me an accurate way of assessing how good a reading is or how much it is worth. I mean, if I throw a single card and can give my querent a useful/meaningful answer in five minutes, does that make my reading worth less than a newbie who needs 10 cards and an hour to come up with the same information? Just the opposite, IMO.
 

moon_light

Apollonia said:
I have always used a small kitchen timer that is in the shape of an hourglass. When I was doing FTF readings, I placed it so that I could see it but the client could not. I used the "count up" feature so that I could see when the end of the session was approaching, but there was no annoying beep as happens when it counts down, and if I felt I wanted to give the client a few extra minutes, I could do so without a fuss.
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I'm a little confused about what your timer was. It sounds interesting, though. Do you remember where you got it or do you know what it's called so I can google it?

Apollonia said:
Personally, I would never pay for a reading based on the number of cards. What do I care how many cards the reader does or doesn't need to put out? That is not for me an accurate way of assessing how good a reading is or how much it is worth. I mean, if I throw a single card and can give my querent a useful/meaningful answer in five minutes, does that make my reading worth less than a newbie who needs 10 cards and an hour to come up with the same information? Just the opposite, IMO.
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The pay-by-card thing was mostly an idea for working at events – single-card readings, 3-card readings, whatever. I'm considering doing a farmers' market. It just seemed like in that environment, people would feel more inclined to stop by if they weren't worrying about how long they are going to be there. Just an idea, though, and I'm asking to get answers. Thanks for your thoughts!
 

danieljuk

I don't read professionally but I have had to start allocating time limits now for my readings for others and circle reading. I just spend too much time on them, I have to have a limit which makes me focus. When that is time is up the reading is posted. It's not exact and sometimes I think over a few days but I have to focus better (I am long and rambling at the best of times ;) )

I do have alternative health therapies and they have a clock in the room which is quite visible. Both the therapist and me glance at it and she is quite strict, when the time is up, that is the end!

I have seen the egg timer on tables of tarot readers!
 

moon_light

danieljuk said:
I don't read professionally but I have had to start allocating time limits now for my readings for others and circle reading. I just spend too much time on them, I have to have a limit which makes me focus. When that is time is up the reading is posted. It's not exact and sometimes I think over a few days but I have to focus better (I am long and rambling at the best of times ;) )

I do have alternative health therapies and they have a clock in the room which is quite visible. Both the therapist and me glance at it and she is quite strict, when the time is up, that is the end!

I have seen the egg timer on tables of tarot readers!
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With written readings, they just happen however fast they happen for me. I have a really hard time imagining what setting a limit would look like. I don't know that I could do it. But good on you that you can!

If I had a room to read in, I would probably have a clock behind the querent... But I don't at this point, so something portable it must be. I am liking the hourglass egg timers, though, but I'd have to get some with different times!
 

tarotbear

A sandglass/hourglass is a far more 'cool' thing to have on your table than a cold, electronic beeping gizmo. Would you rather have fun watching the sands run out, or have someone's cell phone going off to signal the end of the session? There are some great egg timers out there if you go looking - get one with a dragon or a wizard holding it, something gothic or very funky!

Sadly, the point of the timer is for FAIRNESS - to both the Reader and the Querent. If you are at an event with a new Querent 3 times an hour you need to be sure the 'time vampires' don't suck your other Querent's time away from them - or suck you into a double session paying only for a single. TIME IS MONEY but Money is not Time in these situations. Even with 1-card or 3-card readings a clever-if-demonic Querent can try to stretch your time and patience to the snapping point.

At the '5 minutes left to go' mark it is time for you as the Reader to say something like 'We still have some time left but is there something you need to focus on while we still have some time?' - a little tacky, I admit - but if you are in a cattle-call event - you do not have the luxury of Time.
 

moon_light

tarotbear said:
A sandglass/hourglass is a far more 'cool' thing to have on your table than a cold, electronic beeping gizmo. Would you rather have fun watching the sands run out, or have someone's cell phone going off to signal the end of the session? There are some great egg timers out there if you go looking - get one with a dragon or a wizard holding it, something gothic or very funky!

Sadly, the point of the timer is for FAIRNESS - to both the Reader and the Querent. If you are at an event with a new Querent 3 times an hour you need to be sure the 'time vampires' don't suck your other Querent's time away from them - or suck you into a double session paying only for a single. TIME IS MONEY but Money is not Time in these situations. Even with 1-card or 3-card readings a clever-if-demonic Querent can try to stretch your time and patience to the snapping point.

At the '5 minutes left to go' mark it is time for you as the Reader to say something like 'We still have some time left but is there something you need to focus on while we still have some time?' - a little tacky, I admit - but if you are in a cattle-call event - you do not have the luxury of Time.
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Yeah, I'm strongly leaning towards an hourglass. I just found a timer that you can put in your pocket and it will vibrate. That is smart, but I'd like to know where I'm at while reading. So hourglasses it probably is. I'll probably get a 5-minute, a 10- or 15-minute and a 30-minute to start with. If I decide to do longer readings later, I'll get a 60-minute one.

The 5-minute warning is a good idea. I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!
 

tarotbear

moon_light said:
So hourglasses it probably is. I'll probably get a 5-minute, a 10- or 15-minute and a 30-minute to start with. If I decide to do longer readings later, I'll get a 60-minute one.

The 5-minute warning is a good idea. I'll have to keep that in mind. Thanks!
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Remember, too - many hourglasses are purely decorative (except 3-minute egg timers) so their time may vary if they don't indicate 'how long' a bulb of sand lasts.

Actually - if you get a 15-minute hourglass you can use that for 30-minute readings - the act of turning it over visually signifies that the session is 'half-over' ... :cool3:
 
Can a Death or the World Outcome ever be Reversed ? Timing with Tarot