What to Do About Job Burnout

When I studied education in college, I chose special education as my major. The ladies in my family, from my aunt to my mother, were special educators, and I had watched them teach for years. I was always interested in having my own classroom and working with children who had disabilities. I grew up imagining what my classroom would look like and what I would do as a teacher. During my coursework, I can recall one teacher telling the class of fifty or so special education majors that the majority of us would not be in the field in a … Continue reading

Flextime Just May Make Your Schedule Better

If you have a newborn or you are having difficulty juggling your children’s schedules with that of your job, perhaps it is time to discuss the possibility of flextime with your employee. Flextime allows an employee to work a set number of hours per week, such as 40, but to work them when it is best for the employee. So instead of the traditional 9 to 5 office hours, an employee may decide to go in early and get off early, or start her workday at 11 and work later into the evening. Flextime schedules work great for mothers who … Continue reading

Tips for Feeling More Comfortable at a New Job

I recently attended a NAWBO event with a girl for whom I am doing some writing work. The daughter of the owner of the company, she dresses well, speaks professionally, has a degree, but is still apprehensive about entering the workforce because this is her first job fresh out of college. These of you that are just stepping out of the college setting, even if you have a few children, a husband, and quite a few years under your belt already, know the feeling. You walk into work on that first day and feel as green as the grass, and … Continue reading

Cubicles Leave Little to Be Desired

One complaint I’ve heard from several friends recently revolves around the dreaded office cubicle. Between lack of privacy and the feeling that you do not have your own personal space at work, cubicles can create a cramped and uncomfortable workday. We all know that unless you have four walls that actually touch the ceiling and a door that you can shut, you really don’t have much privacy. I’ve heard people complain about overhearing conversations that they really shouldn’t have been privy to, such as heated domestic quarrels and calls made to a doctor to explain some weird symptom that just … Continue reading

Training Your Mind for Success

I have been training for my first marathon, which will be held February 3rd, and in the process am reading Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner by Dean Karnazes. The book has been very inspirational during this training time. Though I’m only up to six miles on my long runs since the birth of my second daughter eight months ago, picking up the mileage every few weeks can sometimes prove challenging. Even more so than that, pushing the two kids in a double stroller three days a week is grueling. I would imagine I’m pushing an extra fifty … Continue reading

Jobs in America

I hope y’all will indulge me today. I have been thinking a lot lately about America and the way our economy is set up (capitalism, of course) and I wanted to share those thoughts with my readers. In case you missed it, my husband is losing his job at the end of month, and apparently I just love to worry about whether or not he’s going to find a new one. 😉 So last night, as I watched the fireworks exploding overhead in amazing brilliance, my mind started to wander, and I started to think about how in America, you … Continue reading

How to Save Money on Your Commute to Work

As I just covered in The Question of the Week, gas prices are high and the forecast calls for nothing but rising rates. For the average family who is trying to make ends meet, and doesn’t have a compensatory raise in income to make up for the raise in outgo, this situation can be extremely tough. So if you, or your spouse, has been commuting to work five days a week, has any moves been made by you to save money on the gas bill? Some ideas that I’ve seen bandied about include: ~Work four 10 hour days instead of … Continue reading

Your Internet Connection as a Medical Transcriptionist – Does it Matter?

This blog is part of a series on transcription. If you haven’t read the other blogs in this series, make sure to check out the summary page for a listing of all transcription blogs. I already talked in the Common Denominator blog that all three types of transcription (medical, legal, and general) will want you to have high-speed Internet if at all possible, and that you may not get hired on at some transcription companies if all you have is dial-up. If you’re way out in the boonies, your only other choice for an Internet connection other than dial-up will … Continue reading

The Technical Aspect of Working at Home as a Medical Transcriptionist

This blog is part of a series on transcription. If you haven’t read the other blogs in this series, make sure to check out the summary page for a listing of all transcription blogs. I just discussed how medical transcription work is primarily done at home, and I wanted to focus on how you actually do the job at home, how everything works together, and what an MT company requires of you. The most common scenario is this: A doctor sees a patient and after the patient leaves, the doctor dictates into a handheld digital recorder everything that was said … Continue reading

Is my Typing Speed as a Medical Transcriptionist Important?

This blog is part of a series on transcription. If you haven’t read the other blogs in this series, make sure to check out the summary page for a listing of all transcription blogs. I have talked about medical transcription with people before where they respond, “Oh, I could never be an MT because I don’t type fast enough.” I always have to shake my head and laugh, because that is a very common misconception. Question: Is my typing speed as a medical transcriptionist important? Answer: No, because accuracy is the most important factor, and expanders will help you up … Continue reading