Burnout
Posted By: Glory1863 on 2007-08-05
In Reply to: Can relate to burn-out - I'm there, too
Would it be possible for you to take a part-time job doing something -anything - else to get out of the house and be with people and cut down a bit on your transcription hours? I know you have to make your bills, but if you're not producing would you be losing a lot by trying something else? Or maybe at least ask for a different account? Or maybe find a different service for whom to work? I know this is scary to think about, much less do, particularly as we age. My guess is I'm a bit older than you, having been in transcription for 31 years, but perhaps not. Perhaps you are a late bloomer (she smiles). I've been where you are, and sadly, the road I'm traveling down at the moment is starting to look familiar, like I'm headed back to that same spot. In my case, the first time around, I took a temporary part-time job in Geographic Information Systems for a local municipality. I'd taken the classes for fun at the junior college but had no experience. I was given very low-level work, but it was different from transcription, I was learning more about GIS than I had at school, I loved it and the people were super! When I came home to start transcribing, I was in a much better mood and production increased. I hope you can find something, because your pain is coming through loud and clear.
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Three-job burnout
A co-worker took on a second and now a third job. I can see where in trying to get a "balance" her work is suffering especially in turnaround time and also some quality issues. I believe that if you take on additional work, your first obligation is to your first job, second obligation to your second job, and so on. If the second and/or third jobs pay more, that matters not. I think it is called honoring your committment. Anyhow, too much work will eventually leave you burned out and you may end up sick and/or running as far as you can from this work. Would think very carefully about divying yourself up into too many pieces. Best regards.
BURNOUT?
So, if your post is correct it seems you probably need a vacation, at least. I have done what you say you do and, believe me, it can suck you dry. It is hard to do so many things 24/7/365, used to find myself sitting in my chair at home in the same pajamas I had on 14 hours before. I found I needed a better quality of life. My best advice to you is to take a break and post us when you get back and feel better and not so offensive/defensive. Good luck.
burnout
WOW - I couldn't have said anything better than these posters. Have been there several times over the past 25 years - the last after my son died, and am so thankful I didn't get fired the several years it took me to get back up to speed afterward. Truly, maybe working inhouse would be a good thing for a while for you.
Love, blessings, hugs, understanding.
ahh, burnout
After about 12 years of being an MT, I found myself suffering from burnout. Right about that time, I was offered the job of 1st & 2nd grade teacher at the tiny Christian school my kids attended. I was really looking forward to something new. After only 2 months, I was over my burnout but I was committed to finish out the rest of the school year. It was the longest 7 months of my life.
I think the burnout came from having had the same account for so long (nearly 10 years). Every day was the same. Maybe just learning a new account or a new specialty would help you get over the burnout. Although I hate the pay cut that invariably comes with any new account, I always feel proud of myself for rising to the challenge and learning new things. It keeps things interesting.
This may sound silly, but do you have any scenery where you transcribe? I sit in front of a picture window in my office and watch the birds and squirrels. I have become quite an avid birdwatcher while I work. It doesn't take a lot of time out of the day, but it gives me something else to look at besides the computer screen. 
on the edge of burnout
It sounds like you're on the edge of burnout. I was there a few years ago. You just have to force yourself to stop working at 5 (or whenever your shift is done) and close the door and not look back at that computer.
Dealing with burnout
Hi:
Is anyone out there dealing with burnout due to their transcription job? I have been doing this for 7 years as an Independent with only 1 vacation in that time. I work weekends and holidays and feel like I am about ready to yank my freaking hair out  from the responsibility!!!
Lynn
How do you handle burnout as MT? Any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've only been doing this for 7-1/2 years and I've about had it with all the junk. 
severe burnout
I just can't do MT anymore. I've been doing it for 30 years, the last 6 with a national that begins and ends with an S. I so tired of their lies and garbage. I also edit as an IC which I enjoy but can't get steady hours. I'm presently on intermittent FMLA from "S" for my mom who is a paraplegic and they're giving me all kinds of grief over it. My supervisor is doing everything she can to put roadblocks in front of me. She won't me change accounts permanently. I get put on an account I'm good at and can get good line counts on for awhile and then I'm put back on the account I told her I hate and can't make money on. This happens over and over again. She also won't let me taking an editing job or change my hours. I received their "certificates" for quality and attendance, but not for production which is the only thing they care about since only 62% of the company made 98% or more quality. Some days I just can't sit and work. I'm totally burned out and the above doesn't help.
I'd leave in a minute if I thought another place would be better, but I'm not convinced it would be. Add to that the fact that I only have dial-up, need health insurance as I am single and can't afford a good computer at this time.
Sorry for the long post. Just needed to vent. Has anyone been in this situation? What can I do?  I'm working 50-60 hours a week and still can't make a living. I'm really ready to go on welfare rather than keep working.
So your answer to the the OP's burnout
the boss and I am a child. If that is what you got out of the post, then I AM SO RIGHT ALL ALONG!!!! 
burnout/changing companies
Hi everyone - I post here frequently but I need to remain anonymous for this one; hope you understand.
I'm looking for thoughts from MTs about whether switching to a different company alleviated burnout. I am trying to figure out if it's MT itself, or just the service I work for, that is causing my severe burnout.
I'm on the verge of hauling myself to a doctor for antidepressants (paying out of pocket, of course... no psych insurance coverage as an IC!) and my line counts have dropped drastically. I have bilateral CTS to boot. I'm struggling pretty badly with all the "classic" burnout signs.
Thanks all!
Taking a vacation due to burnout
MTs to boost production. Having contests to see who can do the most is more like something a 12-year-old would do in my opinion. Furthermore, this is not a game people play. This is a job. The doctors are relying on transcriptionists to do a good job. We cry we want more money, we have to work for it, and then we cry that we're burned out????  Get a life! 
Plain and simple burnout.
I used to carry two pagers for two hospitals all by myself, 24/7. They went off maybe a couple of times a month. The chore of being on-call is now shared with a few other people but now the after-hour pages come in nonstop and I don't know why. Me thinks some deal was made to keep an account or something but I really am just pulling that answer out of my tuckas. It's gotta be costing the hospitals a mint to have us at their beck and call like that....either that or they got a really sweet deal.
The other issue is it used to be a much more laid back environment. You logged on, did your work, and you were left alone. You kept an eye out for stats yourself and took care of them, because you are there because you are responsible.
Now you log on, strike up this thing called Instant Messenger, and sit there at your desk working your alloted shift but can't get up because you must be present if you get an IM for a stat...even though you are already on it because it's your job to be. Want to take a break? Yeah, sure, once you finish up this stat. Oh wait, I've got another one here that needs to be done super duper stat....you know what I'm talkin' about too, lurkers.
Ya know the movie, Office Space? I'm always referring to it with this company. You know the scene with the TPS reports, where the fella has 4 bosses telling him the same darned thing even though you already know your job? That's what I'm dealing with and, yeah, I've been reduced to the mumbling dude who worries about his stapler.
I don't blame my bosses at all, but the micromanaging thing is out of control and I have no idea why it has come to be, because it wasn't like this before. The days of a happier Hayseed with high line counts and company pride are long gone. I don't know who works there anymore as the folks I knew have all left, and that's made an impact as well. Ask for new scenery because of burnout, and all you get is a strokin', nothing more.
Contracts....burnout.......etc....open and read
Hello--
I was just reading your post and I do understand where you are coming from. First of all, let me start by saying I will never do a non-contracted job again and every job that I have is contracted. :)
Secondly, I know how you feel about being "stuck inside"--Yep, been there, done that....burnout. I was so ready to go to work in the big world again. So, I left transcription at home, hired a babysitter and went to work in my secondary field as a medical assistant. After three months of it, I was so ready to come back home, and I missed my transcription so badly...AND MY KIDS.
I came back home, been here again for over a year. I can say it is better this time around, I appreciate MT more and I am absolutely taking in every moment I can with my kids. At least I know when my babies get sick, I will be the one nurturing them..and bringing home a paycheck at the same time. :)
Sometimes it is hard to balance everything at once, and the thought of going back outside the home to work seems like an easy answer, but believe me, it is better to be home. :)
I suffered from major burnout about 4 years ago. sm
Was at a major company that I liked for a year, then they made some changes and it was a nightmare for the second year. I went to a smaller company for awhile, they were great but I found it harder and harder to sit down and pull reports. I got to the point I was only doing about 300 lines a day. I made a change to a small company as IC, and chose one where so many minutes were dumped on me for the day. I knew I had to finish those minutes, and before I knew it I was back to about 800 lines a day, six days a week. That is all I can do without developing CT myself; I have learned this over the years. Now I'm starting some editing part time, so I can earn more without losing the use of my hands.
If you already have CT, you might have to get into something different, like editing. It doesn't seem realistic to keep working, knowing you're doing more damage and will shortly be unable to work anyway. I'd be looking for a change.
Whatever you do, try to find the motivation that works. I didn't find thinking about unpaid bills or setting a financial goal each month helped, it just made me depressed when I couldn't reach it. I focused on the positive, like being able to do 50 lines more daily this week than last, adding minutes each week until I reached my goal. I also make sure to take two weeks off at different times each year and go some place at least once, something I neglected for years. I come back refreshed.
Best of luck to you; it's a difficult situation.
I read a book once that burnout was caused by being out of balance. sm
Working too much and not giving time to other parts of your life is the culprit in the job arena. Variety is the spice of life, so focusing on balancing your job, your need for a good cash flow, with times to enjoy yourself is essential.
It takes work, and fortunately I have an S/O that demands that I take time for us to have fun and for "me" to have fun as an individual.
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