Ten
Steps to Improved Productivity
The old adage "Time is Money"
doesn't ring any truer than it does in the Medical Transcription
industry where minutes and seconds can add up over the course
of a month or a year to serious income - or lost income opportunities.
The following information is designed to help you chart a
course to higher levels of productivity and income as a Medical
Transcriptionist.
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1. Get on a schedule.
One of the most common mistakes
that independent transcriptionists make is to approach their
work in an unstructured, haphazard manner. It is important
to establish a clearly defined schedule early on to ensure
that you consistently devote enough focused time to production.
Don't underestimate the positive impact that a predictable
work routine can have on your overall productivity.
It is all too easy to allow productivity
to suffer because of a declining level of commitment and discipline
- particularly when you have no one looking over your shoulder.
It is not reasonable to expect to achieve a level of production
in a home based environment that is equivalent to what was
produced in an office setting without a similar degree of
discipline.
2. Create some space.
Most people find that in order to
achieve peak productivity they must have a dedicated space
that they can organize in a way to allow for optimum productivity.
Attempting to create a mobile office space will more often
than not be self-defeating.
It will be important to carve out
your own permanent space that will allow for a measure of
privacy and easy access to the equipment and resources that
will be needed throughout each production session.
3. Get the training and resources you
need.
Medical Transcription is a dynamic
and evolving discipline. In order to stay abreast of the most
recent trends and technological advances it will be important
to continually push yourself to learn new skills and increase
your technical vocabulary. Invest in yourself and in your
resources. Your productivity depends on it. Not only that,
as you develop the technical capacity to take on more complex
report types, your marketability will improve dramatically.
Transcriptionists capable of producing clinic notes are a
dime a dozen. Those capable of producing complex operative
or specialty reports at a high level of quality are much more
valued in the marketplace - and their income usually bears
this out. Set some stretch goals each year for training. Talk
to your employer about starting you on more challenging work
assignments that will allow you to break into the more lucrative,
higher-end segments of the industry. Also, surround yourself
with the right technology and terminology resources. Don't
be penny wise and pound foolish - understand the correlation
that exists between productivity and resource availability.
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4. Remove distractions.
The things that make the home-based
work option most attractive - freedom, time with family, personal
space, and convenience, are also the very things that will
become a drain on your productivity if you allow them to.
You know what I'm talking about: the nice background music
that is just a little too loud to allow full concentration
on your work; a favorite soap that is quietly beckoning in
the very next room; a continuous parade of kids in and out
of the work area; an unpoliced refrigerator that is just too
close - and too tempting for comfort; and the worst evil of
all - the telephone - yes, all of your friends have now discovered
that you are home and take advantage of the opportunity to
call and chat - or worse yet - drop their kids off to "play"
as they "run a few errands."
What initially seemed so attractive
and inviting has become stressful and frustrating. In a traditional
office setting these types of situations simply do not exist.
They don't exist because they are not allowed to. At home,
however, you are the queen of the castle, and the story can
be quite different, which is the primary reason too home based
workers settle for a reduction in their income when they begin
working from home. This is so unnecessary. With a little discipline
a home based worker should be earning much more than her office
based counterpart. Instilling discipline does not mean that
you completely ignore all of the fine perks we talked about
earlier. To the contrary. That is what staying home is all
about. You simply need to exercise some control and set some
very definite limits - lay down the law and then stick to
it. A lack of control over your life and activities leads
to depression and despondency. Who needs it? Caller ID or
a good answering machine can work wonders in helping you screen
calls. It is nice to chat with friends during the work day
as long as the calls are made on your schedule and have a
definite time limit. Drop-in visits (or worse yet, "drop-off"
visits) should be avoided like the plague. Simply let your
friends know that during working hours you are unavailable.
Remove yourself from other distractions like the Television
and refrigerator through physical separation. Then work hard
to maintain that separation while you are working. If the
kids are a distraction then you need to find ways to minimize
that distraction. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer
is to put them on a schedule of their own. Kids are at their
best when they have a structured routine. Map out a typical
day for them and then work to get them and keep them on that
routine. Try to orchestrate their play time, nap time, quiet
time, creative time, snack time, and other activities in a
way that maximizes your own productivity. For example, synchronize
their nap time and quiet time with your most productive work
sessions, their snack and play time with your breaks and so
forth. Of course one of the great (and often the most frustrating)
things about kids is that they can be quite unpredictable.
Be patient and realize that this is one of the reasons for
staying home in the first place - to experience these moments.
Learn to laugh at the situations that come up and use them
to reduce your stress level rather than increase it. For more
tips on creating a family-friendly work environment click
here.
5. Schedule your breaks.
Taking frequent breaks can make
an otherwise long day more pleasant. Everyone needs to get
away for a few minutes to clear the mind, get the blood circulating
again, and recharge the batteries. The important thing is
to establish a set break schedule and then stick to it. By
doing so, you will create a natural psychological incentive
to work diligently until break time - and then reward yourself
with a brief change of pace. When you take a break, remove
yourself physically from your immediate work area. Clear your
mind and focus on something else. Take a brief walk, sit and
relax, read the paper, play with the kids or the dog, make
a phone call to a friend, etc. Do something that you look
forward to doing so that it becomes a reward for productivity
- and more importantly - a break from your work.
6. Purchase good equipment.
Make sure that the action of your
keyboard is right for you and that your mouse tracks properly;
that your computer monitor is not hard on your eyes and that
your chair doesn't cause back pain. If your headset doesn't
fit properly or your footpedal is constantly getting stuck
fix them or replace them. There is nothing more demoralizing
than to have to fight all day with inadequate equipment or
furnishings. You do not have to spend a lot of money - just
make judicious purchases. A few extra dollars spent on the
these tools can add great value to your productivity and add
measurably to your positive attitude over time.
7. Get organized.
Keep a trash can close by and fill
it up with the junk that continually comes across your desk.
Be decisive in dealing with paperwork - either file it or
get rid of it. Don't let things continue to pile up until
you are so overwhelmed that you can't function properly. Clutter
is one of the great enemies of efficiency. For more ideas
on organizing your desk area and reducing the clutter, click
here.
8. Set goals.
Set a goal at the beginning of each
day to produce a certain amount of output - either lines typed,
minutes of dictation completed, etc. Then reward yourself
for meeting your goals. Set a weekly goal and then if you
meet it take an early quit on Friday to recognize the accomplishment.
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9. Create an inviting ambience.
Make sure that your work area has
adequate lighting. Dress up your work area. Decorate it with
plants, pictures and things that will make it warm and inviting
and ensure that your time spent there is pleasant. A bright
and cheery work space will be more conducive to a positive
work experience and will add tremendously to your productivity.
10. Schedule your non-work chores and
errands during non-working hours.
In a home based environment there
is a tendency to want to take care of chores and errands as
soon as they come to mind. This can be devastating to productivity.
The best thing to do is to make a list of these errands and
then schedule a definite time to deal with them. They should
not be allowed to interfere with your prime transcription
time. Also, it is important to set realistic expectations
about what you will be able to do as a home-based worker.
Don't assume (and don't let your family and friends assume)
that you will have a lot of extra time for errands just because
you are working from home. Remember, you still have a business
or career to manage.
Free Info on our recommended Medical Transcription Program leading to an exciting home based medical transcription career
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