Occupational Therapist Freedom Lifestyle: How OTs Can Create Choice, Nature, and Travel Through Online Business

As an occupational therapist, you are trained to help others live meaningful lives. Yet many OTs find themselves restricted by systems that limit their own freedom. From rigid annual leave policies to lack of flexibility in clinical roles, occupational therapists often feel drained, undervalued, and stuck.

I know this reality well. I was once caught in the same cycle of exhaustion and frustration, counting down holiday days and struggling to align my values with the demands of traditional OT work. When I built an online business and stepped outside the system, everything shifted. I gained freedom, choice, and the ability to design a lifestyle that reflected my deepest values.

In this article, I share how you, as an occupational therapist, can begin to design your own lifestyle of freedom. Whether through nature, travel, or simply having control over your time, the opportunities for OTs are greater than ever before.

Why Nature Matters for Occupational Therapists

Nature is not a luxury. It is a powerful regulator that brings balance, grounding, and clarity.

Since moving to North Wales, I have experienced first-hand how living close to nature changes your rhythm. The moon cycles, the changing seasons, and the panoramic views have supported my wellbeing in ways that a busy town never could.

For occupational therapists, spending time in nature is not just self-care. It is essential to creating resilience, creativity, and clarity in both life and business. By shifting to an online model, OTs can reclaim time outdoors and integrate it into their daily routines, instead of saving it for rare weekends or rushed holidays.

The Challenges of the Traditional OT Role

Many OTs feel the strain of working in clinical systems that limit flexibility and enforce rigid structures. These include:

• Annual leave restrictions, often around 35 days per year
• Holiday rules that prevent time off during peak periods
• Managers deciding where and when you work
• The exhaustion of long clinical weeks and paperwork

For occupational therapists who deeply value autonomy, balance, and wellbeing, these constraints create conflict and burnout. You may love the core values of occupational therapy, but find yourself unable to practise them fully in traditional environments.

Travel as a Teacher for Occupational Therapists

Travel is often seen as a treat or a luxury. I believe it is one of the greatest teachers.

Through worldschooling my children, we have immersed ourselves in cultures across Kenya, Morocco, Thailand, and Australia. These experiences have offered lessons in resilience, joy, and humanity that no textbook could ever replicate.

As an OT, travel expands your perspective and enriches the way you serve others. It provides insight into diverse communities, teaches adaptability, and strengthens empathy. Travel is not indulgence for OTs, it is professional and personal growth.

The Power of Choice in OT Careers

True freedom is not about working fewer hours. It is about having choice.

When you build your own business as an occupational therapist, you gain control over:

• What you do
• When you do it
• Where you do it
• Who you do it with

This level of autonomy is the foundation of wealth and wellbeing. For OTs, it means moving away from being dictated by a system and towards designing a career that aligns with your values.

Overcoming the Fear of Leaving the System

Many OTs believe they are trapped because of pensions, salaries, or the illusion of security. Yet this security often feels more like a cage.

When I left the NHS, I had no business experience, little confidence, and no background in sales. What I did have was a strong drive to create change. Piece by piece, I built my skills, grew my confidence, and designed a lifestyle that combined freedom with fulfilment.

If I can do it, so can you.

Creating a Freedom Lifestyle as an Occupational Therapist

The principles of occupational therapy emphasise environment, balance, and meaningful activity. As OTs, it is time we apply these principles to our own lives.

Nature, travel, and choice are not luxuries. They are vital components of resilience, wellbeing, and growth. By building an online OT business, you can align your professional skills with your lifestyle aspirations.

This is not about abandoning occupational therapy. It is about using your OT expertise in a way that creates more impact while giving you the freedom you deserve.

Take the First Step Towards Your Freedom

If you are an occupational therapist who feels stuck, burnt out, or undervalued, now is the time to explore what freedom could look like for you.

Book a 1:1 Call with me today and let us map out your personalised path to creating an online OT business that supports your lifestyle, values, and dreams.

Because freedom for occupational therapists is not a fantasy. It is a choice.