What is your best at-home work routine?
Posted By: Older Gal on 2007-11-16
In Reply to:
I'm curious what hours you work, how long and often do you take breaks. What schedule allows you to be most productive? e.g., frequent short breaks, less frequent longer ones, split shifts, etc.
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my take is that she worked inhouse, not at home, and now wants to find out how to work at home. nm
x
Has anyone breast fed while trying to work at home, can you do this and still work full time?
It seems like the more literature I read on the subject, the longer it seems to take, especially in the beginning when you are breast feeding every two hours, or does it really just depend on the baby?
The key to doing this is you have to have a routine and follow it. (sm)
What might work for one person may not work for the next, but f you make it YOUR routine it will become a regular part of your day. For me (and I've been at this for a long, long time) my best hours are in the early morning. I get up, shower, get dressed, put the coffee on, take care of whatever needs taken care of so it won't interfere with your day (feed the cat, let the dog out, whatever you would normally do if you had to leave your house for the day and go out and work). Then sit and work for 2 hours, take a short break, work another 2 hours, break for lunch, and so on until your work day is finished. It also helps if you keep your work area clean so you can have a fresh desk to start off with. NO TV. Don't answer the phone while you're working to take personal calls. Do that on your break. These are just some ideas that work for me.
My exercise routine
Walk to the fridge, open door (works arms), lift food (good strength training, lifting weights), put in mouth, close door, walk back to desk while lifting cup of coffee to lips. I gave my legs and arms a good workout, also my mouth. Transcription is hard. But I know if I keep up my exercise routine, I will be buff.
That is pretty routine for them to want
I have had both office accounts and surgery center accounts that requested that I send them that information. I'd rather not have to do it, but sometimes you just have to do what comes with the territory.
I have them for routine procedures for
the same doc -- T&A, cholecystectomies, appy's, and a lot of my orthopedic doctors. I also have them for ROS and PE exams. I just leave jump markers for values, right/left, and things like that.
I think getting back into a structured routine
may be difficult and then there is the office politics. At least you can do your time and come home and leave work at work.
Oh honey, sounds like my daily routine.
You just gotta push through. I've noticed that as my kids get older, it has gotten somewhat better. I have a 9 and 11 year old and they have gotten to the point of seeing after themselves while I'm working. They were 3 and 5 when I started and it was really tough. Now If they make a mess, they clean it up themselves. Unless the house is on fire, someone is dying, etc. they are to leave me alone when the headset is on. I have had to really draw the line with them. It didn't happen overnight, it took quite a while for them to understand. Fortunately my husband understands all this and has really helped me work with them on this issue.
Friends and family on the other hand haven't been so easy to train. I screen my calls with caller ID and let the machine get the ones I don't have time to deal with. My machine has a message stating that "I am working at the moment and am unable to answer your call. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible." I have also had a put a sign on my front door stating "Please Do Not Disturb. I am currently working and unable to visit at this time. Please come back after 4:00 p.m., I will be available then." I had to do this because people just couldn't seem to get it. Just because I was at home, they thought they could just drop in. I even have some to still ring the doorbell because they think that sign isn't for them. But you know what...I feel that is very rude and disrespectful of them. They can sit out there all day for all I care because until I'm finished working, I won't answer.
Your not alone in all of this. I believe this is what most of us who work at home go through. Eventually it will get better but you must put some rules into place for everyone and enforce them. I know with very young children it is hard for them to understand this but if you begin now helping them understand, then it will get easier as they grow. Also, if you have older children that can help with the younger ones, give them an incentive to help you out. You've just got to be creative with it and find what works for you.
Hope this helps!
This would make a good Seinfeld routine.
Of course probably only MTs would understand the jokes. Somebody needs to write a book about MTs and what they go through. It really would be touching and funny, and a bit tragic, I think. It could be marketed in the Stedmen's line of books or something. It could have cartoons. This title where did QA come from? This makes me want to be all creative. Of course, this MT is full of talk, but not a whole lot of action. LOL.
Where I am, using Winscribe, the supervisor on duty routine gives updates (sm)
with who is working on a particular account, how many jobs there are, if any have been kicked back (she/he can tell as they are out of sequence, obviously taken into someones local queue and then returned to the pool. The name of those working at any given time is announced, this lets us know if someone comes on board during unscheduled hours without clocking in.
It is great for me as I follow the rules. We are not to take jobs into the local queue (cherrypicking) and we are not to work outside of scheduled hours unless it is granted and there is ample work for the person coming on board so they do not take away from the regularly scheduled MTs. I love my job!
Be cautious...great bait and switch routine, you can do much better...
they also outsource overseas (a percentage). you will do well if you have low self-esteem. everyone great until you get thrown to supervisor...hehe, you'll see.
my opinion, my experience.
that's my routine to a T, 'cept I walk the dog instead of doing catbox duty. :) nm
s
Does anyone do any other at-home work other than MT?
I need to get more work but don't want to go back to an office atmosphere. Any ideas would be appreciated.
at-home work
Hi there, I do web design, all self-taught through many, many hours on the "free website" places on the net over the years and help from my geek/techie friends ;) My sites are basic but luckily that is what my clients want. I really can't to all the fancy flash stuff yet! It pays very well by the hour but unless you have lots of clients, it only works out to an extra $100-200 a month once the basic site is designed and up and running. (I have only two clients at this time and its basically maintenance and small changes here and there to the coding). Its fun and interesting but if you really want to get away from a computer, this isn't a good choice! All day medical typing then a couple more hours web design can be hard on the eyeballs after a while! Another suggestion, my DH works full time and has a cleaning business (cleaning offices) on the side but that only can be done when the business is closed so that means weekends or nights. Best of luck!!
at-home work
In case you see this post twice - another person asked this question as well so I will repost my reply here too :)
I do web design, all self-taught through many, many hours on the "free website" places on the net over the years and help from my geek/techie friends ;) My sites are basic but luckily that is what my clients want. I really can't to all the fancy flash stuff yet! It pays very well by the hour but unless you have lots of clients, it only works out to an extra $100-200 a month once the basic site is designed and up and running. (I have only two clients at this time and its basically maintenance and small changes here and there to the coding). Its fun and interesting but if you really want to get away from a computer, this isn't a good choice! All day medical typing then a couple more hours web design can be hard on the eyeballs after a while! Another suggestion, my DH works full time and has a cleaning business (cleaning offices) on the side but that only can be done when the business is closed so that means weekends or nights. Best of luck!!
Thank you!. I am trying to help those who need to work from home, but cannot
due to financial constraints. I am also doing research for other work at home programs that are legit. If anyone has info they would like to share with me either MT related or not that I can use that would be awesome! This is about 1 year out as I have a lot to get together with that and some things I am doing with my house to get it "organized."
work from home!
 click on my link below for an incredible oppotunity! Only $49 start-up cost!
Definitely work at home is the way to go.
I began working at home after I had my son. I got see his first everything. I get to wake him up in the mornings (the best time to get all the kisses) and I get to tuck him in every night. I get to go to all the school functions. I get to drop him off at school and pick him up. I get to be with him all during his summer breaks. I get to go to all the sporting events. He is now 8 years old and I can say with great pride, I got to watch my child grow.
I have gotten very frustrated with the company I work for, but it all truth - I wouldn't have missed this for the world!
If you have a chance to work from home and be with your child, I would say go for it and never look back. They grow so fast and being a mother is such a privilege - take advantage of your opportunity.
work at home.
Do you really want an answer to that question about working in your bedroom???LOLOLOLOL
Looking for work at home
Sorry to be a little confusing, but I am actually looking for work at home. I know most home-based transcription companies (ie. cymed, spheris, medquist, accentus etc) are looking more of Radiology, OR, oncology, acute care experience but all I have right now is Pathology experience. I've been transcribing surgical reports for 6 years now and would like to do this at home as well, just to pick up some extra $$$.
Thx to Carrie for your suggestion. I appreciate it! M.
work at home??
Is it possible to do this from home as well or is this something that you must do from a courtroom or lawyers office or other??
For those who work from home..
Do you ever feel like you get away from transcription when working from home full-time? I work part-time at home, and it seems (especially on my Sunday shift) that I'm typing all day and half the night! Do you just completely shut down after a strict schedule and walk away from it? Even when I quit, I'm there in my bedroom which is where I also have my computer armoire and I feel as if it is staring at me! LOL...calling my name...pleading with me to come work. The co. I work for part time is always needing extra help and I feel so guilty just to lie around when I could be typing. It may sound silly, but it is really getting to me!
work from home
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!! That is THE MAIN REASON I am taking this course, and going to work from home so i can be home with my children. I also homeschool them, and know that it will go so much more smoother with mom being home all the time.
I would work from home.
I think you have to weigh the savings on gas, clothing, daycare (if that is an issue for you), eating lunch every day (unless you packed your lunch), and personally I hate dealing with office politics. I personally enjoy working from home because I can be here in the afternoons when my son gets home from school. If he is sick I don't have to worry about missing a day of work or leaving early to go and pick him up from school. If you don't have children to consider, then it really would be a toss up. I think you would really have to look at the monetary situation and figure out which job would be more beneficial for you to take.
MTs are not the only work-at-home
employees who have the "jammies" image. Get a clue. Don't worry your little self about MTs like Red and myself.....we are doing just fine. And, let me add that my employer is very happy with me -- jammies, kids and all!!!!!!!!!!!!
I work at home, too.
But I still get the dose of nastiness, rudeness, unprofessionalism. I can only imagine (shudder) what it must be like to actually work IN these doctors' offices. If they're rude and snipping on the phone, imagine what they must be like in person, and this goes for the doctors too. They all just seem totally ice cold with a take-you-or-leave-you attitude. It's just total unprofessionalism all the way around from everyone and from every doctor's office I've ever transcribed for, with the exception of one office.
Work at home
Dear interviewee MOM,
I am looking for work at home and have greater than 3 years experience of working in different files of medical transcription. I am outside of US.
Can you give me some advise or help.
Thanks
She said she will be doing the same work, but at home as an IC.
x
work at home
would greatly appreciate the name or names of companies that hire work from home positions as I have had no luck working as a MT from home. thank you
Work at home...
Have tried most of them around here - all are about the same. No singles, mostly young married with kids and elderly. That is rural Iowa for you!!
:-)
Lori
If you really want to work at home
all the time, you might need to find another job.
FOR THOSE WHO WORK AWAY FROM HOME
How do you connect to the internet? Thanks in advance for the help.
I take it you work at home..
just asking because I am not too far from Pittsburgh. Does the hospital ever hire anyone right out of the immediate area? I would be interested but I know with some hospitals you have to be local in order to work at home. TIA!
work at home
I am looking at M-Tec or Andrews right now.
I see/hear a lot about "acute care", what exactly is this?
As far as income goals, if I can make around $1000 to $1500 a month I will be happy. This would let my husband stay home more.
My grammar, spelling, and listening are pretty good. (My mother teaches high school english so I grew up with it in my blood) And learning vocabulary should not be too much of a challange as I have devoured books since I started reading and new words are fun to me.
I just do not want this to take so long that it feels like a waiste of time to both of us. Finding something to do from home is tough with all the scams out there.
Thanks for all your advice!
Is there anyone who just cannot work from home.
I have ADD. Actually a college friend of mine diagnosed me when I graduated HS. I went to college and I was explaining to a friend of mine why I had so many problems in school is because my mind won’t shut off from something that happened earlier, or something that I know is going to happen later and I just cannot keep focused on the task at hand at the moment. I do have good days and bad days, lately more bad than good. She said that she thought I had ADD because she had it and she had done the same thing. She said she went to her PCP and she got on Ritalin and her grades went from Ds and Cs to As and Bs. I did not go back then because I did not have insurance of money. I tried everything else I know of. I tried counseling, I tried the tips I have found on the internet, nothing seems to work. I went to my PCP, told her what I have been doing and she dx me with depression and ADD and put me on Ritalin and Celexa. I have been taking this for a little over a week now.
Well, my OM called me and told me that I needed to work in-house because my line count was so bad. I did and H threw such a fit and cussed me out royally. We cannot afford the drive and why the heck isn’t my line count like it should be, he shouted. I told him that she will probably just keep me up there a few weeks. Well, I talked to her today and she said that I was going to have to stay permanently. No going home again for me. I told her that I have been taking meds now to help my mind from wondering and could I have another chance. She mentioned that someone else in the office (no names) is doing that too and it helped her tremendously but she thinks I do a better job in-house than I do at home. I told H and he is so mad. I can understand why but I don’t know what else to do. OM won’t give me another chance to go home. I could try an MTSO but H doesn’t think there is no use. He mentioned to me moving in with my brother because he lives closer to the hospital then we do, then he said that I should quit my job and he will find a new one that pays more and looks at me like I am a complete useless failure. I know he is just mad but him doing this doesn’t help me with my depression.
I just started these meds. It maybe the answer for me and it may not. I don’t know if I should try an MTSO while taking the meds because if it does for me what my friend said it did for her, I should be more successful. H wants to give up on me.
But we'd still have to work at home?
That's what is driving me nutso.
If you work at home,
that can cause boredom, that's for certain.
If you are an IC, then I'd suggest you get a regular job of some sort to get out of the house, whether it involves MT or not.
But the truth is that people in every line of work have trouble with burnout, from what I read, so it's not just our type of work or anything.
Anybody out there work at home for
your local community hospital. If so, give specifics - paid by line, etc. and how that is working for you. I'm thinking about applying to local community hospital. They have recently sent all their transcriptionists to work at home and they are loving it!
Those of you who work at home for a
would you mind saying (anonymously of course) what your base pay is, how your incentive pay works, and how much you are realistically able to make?
I worked for a hospital for years, but before they had MTs working at home, and left to start my own service and get my own clients.
I am trying to decide if I want to keep my own accounts or possibly work from home for a hospital, but would like to know how much I could realistically make working for a hospital. Of course, I know it can vary a lot but would just like to see what some of you are able to make.
I'm getting closer to retirement age and the benefits that I didnt't really need/want/care about when I was younger are looking better all the time...
You are right, we do work from home....sm
And when you work in an office you can be mentored. I guess that is why most places want 2 or more years exp to work from home. But if you don't have 2 or more years exp then 2 or 3 days to be off QA is asking a lot. I guess it all comes down to exp.
They will never get that you work at home. Lm.
After working at home for over 10 years now, I just want to let anyone coming into this field, or anyone experiencing a lot of distractions, they will NEVER get it. For example, my son is now 23-years old. I have worked at home since he was 10 years of age. The latest company I am employed with, my schedule has been Tues - Sat 9 to 5 for 4 years. He will call me up and say" hey mom, it's me Nate". (He is an only child, it is not like I have everyone calling me mom so why he thinks he has to identify himself along with the name I gave him after I birthed him is beside me). Then he will say something like"what are you doing 4th of July" and I have to say, if it is between Tuesday-Saturday at such and such an hour I will be working. Same with DIL. She will call me up and say can you watch the kids tomorrow? I will have to say, no if it is not Tue-Sat 9-500 I cannot. They will never get it.
Work at home
I work from home and connect via a VPN only when I am working to my office.
Need more work at home.
I need more work at home. I have only dial up, which is causing me to find very few jobs to apply for on the site. I am qualified for multi specialities and many years of experience.
I went to work at home....sm
...in 1994 because the commute was so long and I was exhausted by the time I got to work. I had to get an FX land line and pay for half of it too. But that's neither here nor there.
Before I became an MT, by merest accident, too, I was a clerical worker and very successful secretary for quite a few years. I've found that many offices full of women have a lot of back-biting and chronic complaining, and I don't know why, or if that's still true today.
I could never go visit India because I couldn't bear to see the unspeakable poverty and suffering over there. It's bad enough here with all the poor and homeless people in this depressed economy.
RE: Work at home
I know what you mean. I worked my way down to 7.5 cpl. I am going back to a job I had last year that paid 10 cpl. The only thing about it is that I have to be on Dictaphone. I have been working Emdat and loved it. Got to go where the money is.
work at home
The last transcription company I worked for I really hated it because It was so restrictive. Even though I worked at home, if I wasn't at my desk and typing away at the start time, they would call and ask where you were. The job I have now, has no restrictions, I work when I want, have freedom to lie down and take a nap, go for a walk and make whatever money I need. The pay is really good with mostly good dictators. You definitely have to make a change. I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders by going to another company.
Work at home jobs....
Is medical transcription one of the only legitimate careers available for people who want/need to be able to work from their home? In searching for work-at-home opportunities it seems that so many things are scams. I realize one can open any number of businesses that are based in their homes, but I'm talking about working FOR someone...for a company, and doing it from home. I bought a book that supposedly gave lists of companies willing to hire people for work from home, but almost all of them either A. Required a person to reside in a state I don't or B. Had experience requirements that I didn't meet. I'm just wondering if there is some big area of the marketplace that I'm missing that routinely hires people to work from their home, like medical transcription. Can anyone help with this? Thanks.
I think that although it's great that we can work at home
because we haven't been on "social circulation" for so many years. It seems to make people angry, mean and confrontational. Just my observation.
Don't be afraid to work at home
The reasons you have cited in your message are the exact reasons I chose to stay home and transcribe 30 years ago. I did not want to leave my babies in someone else's hands, so decided to stay at home to transcribe. I do not regret my decision one bit! Yes, in the beginning, it was tough to get used to being paid by productivity, but you learn short cuts, you learn the discipline to stay seated at the computer when you should be. If you take away the costs of traveling to work, plus whatever you have to pay a sitter, you may even end up making more money staying at home.
A lot of people have negative things to say about a lot of the national transcription services (I can agree with most things that are said) but in your situation, it is an ideal solution. You just have to find a good company to work for. They are all looking for good, experienced MTs, so you should not have any problems finding another position. The larger ones will also supply you with the computer and all the other hardware you need to do the job.
It is not worth getting yourself all worked up with a baby on board (congratulations, by the way!). Try to find a good national to work for and then tell your hospital job good-bye.
30 years or so down the road, you will be glad you "took the plunge." I wish you the best of luck, I know what a difficult decision it is to make. Please let us know what you decide.
I work at home with Dial-Up
I work for MQ with the DQS platform. It works find, just takes a little longer than with the DSL.
I am new and work from home without many problems. If I
have a report like that, I have someone who is there to help me and check it over, not every report, just the ones with a lot of blanks. If it is past 5, I can always mark it incomplete and send it to my supervisor. She corrects it and sends me the corrections so I can see what I did wrong. Find a company that has some type of back up system like that.
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