There are a few ways you can go about limiting distractions. For starters, try to designate a certain room or area in your home that is used specifically as your work space; this will help you to achieve that “at work” mindset. Likewise, if at all possible, try to pick a room/area equipped with doors that you can close behind you in order to help eliminate outside noises and other disturbances. Also, select a time when you know you will have the least amount of disruptions, i.e. while the kids are at school, the baby is napping, etc.

Moreover, while working from home, refrain from talking/texting leisurely on your phone. Many places of work do not allow employees to text or answer personal calls at their desks thus it may be beneficial to apply this rule to your own working guidelines as well. Similarly, stay away from surfing the web and/or using social networking sites while you are working as both can be major distractions.

Working from home may require more self-discipline in terms of staying on task, but, nevertheless, it can be done.

Do you work from home? What do you do to help limit distractions? Share your thoughts; we’d love to hear from you!

If you are looking to use your iPad as an organizational tool, there are plenty of applications to choose from such as Sorted and Things for iPad. Both applications help you keep track of and manage your multiple to-do lists.

Another application, called Wyse PocketCloud Remote Desktop & RDP Client, lets you access your personal desktop computer right from your iPad.  Plus, QuickOffice Connect Mobile Suite gives you access to view and share Microsoft Office files in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You can create and edit documents in both Word and Excel too.

Moreover, produce flyers, letters and brochures with Pages. If you need to view or share PDF files, you can use GoodReader for iPad as well. Lastly, QlikView and Roambi–Visualizerto are applications that can help you stay up-to-date on your company’s performance.

These are just a handful of the business applications suited for the iPad. For the full list you can visit Apple’s website or even browse the App Store on your iPad itself. 

Do you use an iPad for business? Share your experience!

As a transcriptionist, it is never a bad idea to be skilled in more than one area of transcription. This may even make you a more marketable job candidate in the eyes of employers. Being well-versed in medical and general transcription may also provide you with more available job opportunities. Remember though, that there are different skill/knowledge requirements separating both medical and general transcription.

For example, medical transcription, in itself, is extremely specialized, detail-oriented and typically involves some type of formal training. Transcriptionists need to be familiar with and have an understanding of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmaceutical terminology, etc. They also need to be comfortable transcribing for ESL physicians (English as a second language) and those with heavy accents.

Being skilled in more than one area of transcription is definitely doable as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort it takes to become proficient in both. Looking to expand your knowledge and abilities as a transcriptionist is definitely a step in the right direction.

Do you transcribe for different areas of transcription? Share your thoughts!

SendThisFile allows you to easily receive large computer files that would typically cause your email provider to a) timeout or b) crash. SendThisFile offers secure file upload, file transfer and file storage. Users have the option to track downloads and password protect their files too.

Dropbox is a back-up service that lets you access important computer files (documents, photos, videos, etc.) anywhere you go. Plus, files you save to your Dropbox are automatically and instantaneously downloaded and saved to any destination of your choice (your laptop, desktop, phone, etc.). Dropbox allows you to share your documents with others as well. Simply giving them access to your folders lets them view and make changes to your documents.

The ease-of-use of SendThisFile and Dropbox make the two great tools for both personal and business-related needs. SendThisFile has been around since 2003 and claims to be the most powerful, affordable, and feature-rich file transfer service currently on the Web. Dropbox has been around since 2007 and has great reviews based on its simplicity of use and exceptional features. If you are skeptical of either SendThisFile or Dropbox, you can always give their free versions a try before purchasing the full service.

Have you ever used SendThisFile, Dropbox or any other similar product? Share your thoughts!

If you have ever been in this situation, you understand the frustrations of dealing with a nonresponsive program. Luckily, however, there is a quick and easy way (works in most cases) to fix this dilemma.

First and foremost, if you cannot shutdown the nonresponsive program by simply clicking on the red “X” in the top right hand corner of your screen, then hold down CTRL+ALT+DELETE on your keyboard (first press CTRL and hold in, then ALT and hold in and then DELETE). Next, select the task manager option. Once the task manager dialogue box appears, click on the nonresponsive program and choose to end that program. Confirm that, yes, you want to end the non-responding program and then close out of the task manager entirely.

As previously stated, performing the above-mentioned method typically works in most cases. On the other hand, if your nonresponsive program has caused your entire computer to freeze and will not let you shut your computer down through use of the start menu, you may need to manually turn off your machine. CAUTION: This method should be used as a last resort only; by doing so you may potentially lose any unsaved documents on your computer.  In order to turn off your computer manually, you will need to hold in the power button for a few seconds and then wait about 10 seconds before turning on your machine again.

What tips do you have for ending a nonresponsive program? Share your suggestions! We’d love to hear from you!

President Ronald Regan recognized the value and importance of medical transcriptionists and thus established National Medical Transcriptionist Week on May 21, 1985. President Regan realized how common it was becoming for people to have more than one physician, change physicians, go to a specialty physician, etc. Consequently, he understood the significance of proper, legible medical transcription so that a person’s medical history could be provided to and reviewed by multiple physicians, if need be, for proper treatment and patient care.

Medical transcriptionists have aided the healthcare industry for multiple years and continue to be a critical part in its success. That being said, on behalf of the American Transcription Association, kudos to all medical transcriptionists! Keep up the great work!

1. Determine your availability. Are you looking to work full-time, part-time, nights and/or weekends? *Note: the less flexible you are with your schedule, the harder it may be to find available job opportunities.

2. Utilize search engines and job sites. Search sites like Google, Yahoo!, AOL and Bing for job postings. Likewise, try Monster, Indeed and Career Builder. Look for transcription companies that are hiring full and part-time employees, subcontractors or even temporary subcontractors.

3. Talk to people you know. If you know anyone currently working in the transcription industry, talk to them and see if they know of any companies that are hiring or looking for extra help; sometimes it’s all about who you know. 

4. Be persistent with your search. If you are looking for a job, it is not going to find you. Being proactive is a necessity. Following up with employers is just as important—let them know you are interested (without being bothersome of course).

5. Perfect your cover letter and resume. Make sure there are absolutely no grammatical errors, typos, etc. Keep it simple. Aim for your resume to be one page, if at all possible, and never more than two.

6. Make yourself more marketable. If you normally type for legal transcription, take some courses on medical transcription or vice versa. Being skilled in more than one specialty will hopefully yield higher search results when looking for a job.

Overall, keep a confident attitude and don’t give up on your search; remember your current situation is only temporary.  Best of luck!

Since it is highly unlikely that your employer will actually accept the notion of a designated naptime, there are a few things you can do to proactively beat that inevitable midday slump.

Breakfast has always been called the most important meal of the day. Some suggest that eating a well-balanced breakfast complimented by small, healthy snacks before and after lunch may help to regulate your blood sugar throughout the course of the day. Thus, your body will not experience the highs and lows from eating sugar-laden snacks and soft drinks. These types of foods and beverages may give you that initial boost of energy you’re craving, but they will not help maintain it in the long run.
 
Additionally, others stress the importance of staying hydrated. Drinking an adequate amount of water during the day may assist in decreasing symptoms of fatigue. Likewise, getting the proper amount of sleep each night (easier said than done, we know) is an essential element as well. 

Lastly, try doing something active as soon as you notice signs of tiredness. For example, take a few minutes and get up from your desk, walk around, or even go outside and get some fresh air. This alone may help wake you up just enough to get you through the remainder of the work day. 

Do you ever experience that midday slump? What helps keep you attentive and focused? Share your tips! We’d love to hear from you!

Where – Were – We’re
Where: refers to location
Were: the past subjunctive of the verb “be”
We’re: the contraction for “we are”

Lose –Loose
Lose: to come to be without; or to fail to have
Loose: not fitting closely or tightly

Advice – Advise
Advice: an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action
Advise: to give counsel to; offer an opinion or suggestion as worth following

Effect – Affect
Effect: noun; something that is produced by an agency or cause; result
Affect: verb; to influence or sway

Through – Threw
Through: in at one end, side, or surface and out at the other
Threw: past tense of throw

A lot
A lot: very many; a large number
*NOTE: A lot is two words!

Do you ever make these mistakes when typing? What tips do you have to help prevent such errors? Share your thoughts! 

*Source: www.dictionary.com

First, start off by organizing your list in order of importance, length of tasks, and approaching deadlines. Focus on getting the more difficult, time-consuming tasks out of the way initially and then move onto the smaller tasks (this doesn’t mean that these tasks aren’t as important, but instead that they will take you less clock time to complete—it’s all about prioritizing your time so you can be most efficient). That being said, creating a list can help keep you focused, on-track and ahead of the game. It may even assist in your overall productivity just the same.

Keep in mind that you can always adjust your list; after all, it is your list and you control it. Sometimes events occur that are beyond our control or new tasks seem to appear out of nowhere that need our immediate attention. If this happens, all you need to do is take a second, re-prioritize and then get to work. Remember, lists are supposed to make life more manageable, not more stressful.

And finally, the best part about having a list—crossing off tasks that you have completed! This may actually be your favorite part about having a list…

All in all, keeping a checklist of priority tasks is a great way to 1) get organized and 2) stay organized. 
Do you find lists to be helpful organizational tools? Share your thoughts!