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Any suggestions on how to stay awake and alert w/o No-Doz ? - sm

Posted By: Laura E. on 2005-11-29
In Reply to:

Got totally dumped on tonight with work--- about 120 minutes between 2 jobs---- would like to get at a good portion of it done tonight but tend to start falling asleep typing at 10 or so these days.  Hate pills, especially hate No-Doz, hate coffee too, like capaccino but out right now.......so any quick fixes to staying awake, or should I just work until sleepy and get up after 5 hours of sleep? (i.e. 4 or 5 a.m.).  TIA.


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He is a healthy-appearing male, awake, alert, and in no apparent distress.

You might try exercise daily to help you stay awake. sm
When I was a slug, I used to fight sleep all the time while transcribing. Then I started daily exercise, and now I don't fight sleep at all. I also went low carb, too - carbs make you sleepy.

This will also help your productivity.
I use laptop outdoors. Only problem is trying to stay awake,
p
I am awake but don't want to be
It looks okay to me. If that is what he/she is saying. Maybe after the artery pressures no comma before 39.

anybody awake?
Come on, you guys, surely somebody is still/already awake?
Thanks Alert!


Thanks Alert
If we don't respond to their juvenile posts they'll eventually get board and go away.   
alert
I am not saying this about all doctor's wives, so please no remarks. It has just been in my experience, when a wife either works in the practice or takes care of the money, you will see this happen. I worked for a dentist who was supposed to have this big incentive plan for all of us if we met certain goals. His wife used that/our money to pay payroll taxes.

I agree. Let his wife do the transcription.

Troll alert
x
Schizo Alert! nm
x
Alert The Media
Do you think you could draw the attention of the media for this cause? Maybe there's a spunky investigative report who would want to get the story out.
Alert and oriented x 3 is
what I have always typed.
Aside from coffee and sleeping, how do you keep yourself awake?
I'm so very, very tired and sleep deprived this week from everything that's going on.  My eyelids keep drooping and I can't get motivated, but I have to get this work done.  I know if I try a little catnap, I'll be out like a light for the rest of the day.  Any tips?
Anyone awake yet? Can someone take a look and tell me if I 'm typing this correctly?

There was no evidence of significant


in-stent restenosis of the RCA.  A right heart catheterization was done as well.  Right atrial pressures were 16, 12, and 11.  Right ventricular pressures were 40, 7, and 15.  Pulmonary artery pressures, 39 and 21.  Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure is 21, 19, and 17 with left ventricular pressures of 132, 17, and 26.


oops, you said pasta sorry not awake yet
nm
Mine was never awake long enough to try to help him.
He drank daily until he passed out and that was early. I decided I did not love him enough to put me or my son through it and asked him to leave. He did. I left too and never looked back. Do not know whatever became of him. Never saw my ex-husband again. Just had lawyer file for divorce and signed my divorce papers, which included taking my former name back, and moved on. Never remarried. It is so degrading living with someone like that. It makes you second guess yourself and your abilities too. I did not love him enough to hang in there. If I had, I guess the story would have some other ending, but I just didn't. Very sad but true for him and for me.
Help staying awake and productive
I have real problems staying awake, focused and productive.  I am alone all day, I think I get enough sleep, and I keep the TV on in the other room for another voice, but I get bored and can't keep my concentration and then I start web surfing and my productivity goes in the hopper.  Any suggestions on staying awake and focused?
INDIA ALERT, DELETE
.
Oops....typo alert!
That should have been "to do radiology reports" not "to radiology reports."  My proofreading skills are on standby, I guess.
what R U ? The Troll Alert Police?

My sup wants alert and oriented x3. I do x 3 (with space) s/m
Am I totally wrong on this one. My theory is, we don't do 3x3 cm - We do 3 cm x 3 cm. So I figure we should put spaces? Get it? Opinions?
only 1 alert from MTStars since Sunday??
Is there something wrong with the site or have the storms from Michigan hit the MTstars website?  It seems like I should have more than one alert from this board. Is anybody else having the same trouble? Just wondering and trying to stay dry. (As best I can since Michigan has had 4 days of rain and more forecast). 
does anyone have a problem staying awake while typing?
even when I dont feel tired, I sit down to type and my eyes start dropping.  HELP. SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
Nice cold Pepsi keeps me awake (NM)


How sad that no one called U. Think you can get news alert emails
s
Vitamins that make us mentally alert?
Which vitamin supplements can we take to make us more mentally alert as an MT?  Thanks
Ooops, typo alert...I meant "education"

Whine alert! 8 cents/line is killing me! :(

I have 17 years experience.  I'm an IC, was getting paid 10 and 11 cents a line for the last decade or so.  After that work basically dried up, I started looking for more work.  No work to be had at at 10 cents a line anymore, rarely find anything even at 9 cents. 


Decided to take an 8 cents/line job.  Hey, I was gettin' hungry.  I swear....I type, type, type, type, seems like all day and all night and still not making the money I need to pay my bills and eat! 


I know, I know, people justify 8 cents a line by saying hey if you can do 200 lph, that's $16 an hour.  Yeah, that's great for those who aren't used to making up to $30+ an hour for the past 8 to 10 years!  Man, I'm soooooooo tired of typing, so burned out, just very unhappy. 


I can see now how some people are happy with MT and some people aren't, just depends on what you've been used to compared to what you get now.  Sad. 


I really don't have any other skills to do anything else, and I'm dying here as far as finances, killing my hands and other body parts trying to make money at this 8 cents a line...maybe could've done it 15 years ago when I was younger but just not able to type like a demon day and night anymore.


Let it be known that this is the end of my vent. I have no idea what I'm going to do


What? Do you really think those parents or their friends thought the child would be awake and roami
x
Glad you are not awake - I wanted a potato salad recipe!
sounds yummy
Did a whole 388 today....this is why I try not to work when the kids are home/awake - basically impo
x
I love it too - love doing my nails 5 hours a day and staying awake

Love NOT getting paid while sitting doing my nails too.  It's a real turn on.


I tell all my friends to try it -- sit in front of your computer while you have no money to pay your rent and instead do your nails, you get a real buzz down in the pit of your stomach.


 


thanks to both for suggestions
don't know why i didn't think of this one...it just might work.
Thanks for all the suggestions. sm

I'm not very adventurous so I don't know how I'd like stripes or room themes, but I'm looking for a splash of color here and there.  I did like the idea of the pale blue sponge roller over white walls for the living room and a tan color for the dining room to make it a little more formal.  I think we're going to give that a try.  The sponge roller will give a little hint of color without making me feel anxious with the too busy or loud.


Thanks again, all


Thanks for your suggestions
I appreciate your suggestions. I have no typos in my resume or cover letter, I have contacted the phone company and let them know that I need DSL for a job, and I have received feedback from my online tests. I did have a position offered to me recently but I didn't have DSL and had to turn it down. I'm sure something will come along eventually. It is just discouraging to be so excited about entering a new career only to find so many hurdles. I guess it will only make me stronger. Your encouragement helps.
suggestions, please!

I need to order a .wav pedal, player and a word expander.  Anyone with info on a good pedal/player reasonably priced? Files will be sent to me as dss files.  Is there a good web site for new/preowned MT software?


TIA,


sunnyMT


Thanks for all the suggestions.
The IRS check came through in the mail today, so my backside got saved big time.  I also got a second job offer today, so I'm going to work two jobs for a while.  At least until Christmas.  Then I'll decide which job is better or if I can handle both on a permanent basis.  I do have some stuff to sell on ebay, so that'll be some quick cash.
Suggestions

Here's my 2 cents for whatever it is or isn't worth.  Bear in mind that I'm my own worst critic.  The hours worked and dependability aside, the first thing I would do is honestly evaluate my own work.  In other words, what criteria did I use to determine that all the work, or at least that not QA'd by myself, was crappy work?  Was the work really crappy or am I a "comma freak" or did I send QA feedback in a constructive rather than a critical way.?  Sh*t runs both way, QA people can kill even a good MT; MTs can also kill a good QA person.


As for the other QA person,  I personally wouldn't give jealousy the time of day unless that QA person was in a position to QA my QA, in which case; yes, she could give you serious problems since many company's management do not have a clue about the work an MT does and wouldn't know quality from crap.  Thus, they listen to the employees they trust and jealousy just doesn't factor in.  The only thing one can do about that is hope they don't get cross-ways of a jealous type person.


After evaluating myself and finding I had done my best and that every aspect of my job had been above reproach; then I would tell this company to take their job and stick it where the sun doesn't shine and I'd move on down the road until I found a company that would appreciate my dedication and hard work.


Good luck to you and don't let this get you down.  While they're hard to find, there are still companies out there who appreciate hard work and dedication and whose management understands MTs because they have been there, done that themselves.


suggestions...

I don't know what Harry & David is, but.. over the years I have given/received flavored coffee, Godiva chocolate, gift cert for lunch at local restaurant, book of car washes,  package of CDs, certificate for massage at local health club (my favorite!), manicure certificates. 


Wow! THanks for these suggestions!

I am going to try the "propping" of the keyboard and see if that helps.  I think I will also order the Smartgloves and Handeze and give them a try.  I used to take glucosamine and chondroitin and I seemed to develop hip pain when I did.  When I stopped it, the pain went away.  Tried it again, the pain returned.  I can't imagine why that would happen.  Maybe I should give that another shot just in case! 


I have been tested for thyroid in the last year, and many years before that, and it is always negative.  I have so many of the low thyroid symptoms.  Oh well...


Thanks everyone so much!


Here's some suggestions for you...

First off go to the local library and look at the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports.  Each year they rate new/used cars for reliability and it's a great way to see what vehicles have shown to be reliable in your price range and which ones you should run from.


Once you've narrowed down a car regardless of where it comes from you should pay to have a CarFax report run. This report will tell you if the car has been in any accidents. 


After CarFax clears the vehicle then you'll want to hire an independent mechanic to check out the vehicle.  While this will cost you around $100-150 it would be well worth it as they'll tell you if the vehicle is truly in the state the owner says.   Even if you get a car from a dealership with a supposed warranty always pay someone else to review the vehicle because you don't know for sure that the dealer's "checking people" will be honest in their claims on the quality of the vehicle.


Good luck on the search and let us know what you end up with!


 


 


 


More suggestions

If you're into sports how about giving yourself a Christmas present of some golf lessons?  That's one sport you can actually play alone or just go to the driving range...subtle advertising of your availability.  


Loew's and Home Depot sound good in theory but I wouldn't recommend it, more likely to meet someone else's honey-doer.  If you're interested in handy men, maybe volunteer with Habitat for Humanity?


If you are at or near senior status, either join or volunteer at, or join, your local Senior Center.  Lots of single, lonely old geezers there.  Membership starts at age 50 I believe, volunteering at any age.


If you like bingo, try your local American Legion, many of them around the country have weekly bingo games.  Lots of middle age singles go there.


Get active in joining and/or volunteering.  You need to be around people.


 My Christmas wish for you is that Santa will bring you your soul mate.


suggestions

With accommodations for an extra dog being an issue for you, and since you have done everything within reason to try to locate the owner, I would say a week would be long enough.  You said yourself you have all fallen in love, and the longer you wait the harder it will be on her as well because she will start to think of you as her family.  I know most of us can’t help but have fears about taking a dog to the pound, but most of them really do excellent work in placing as many animals as possible, and making sure they are spayed/neutered and up to date on shots.  If you have to take her there, you many want to consider a donation towards her adoption fee, as having part of the fee prepaid will go a long way in helping someone choose to adopt her.  Another option you may consider is contacting a lab rescue group, they will place them in foster homes and thoroughly screen potential new owners to try to find the best home possible.  You may want to visit someplace like petfinder.com to find a rescue group near you.


Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! :) NM

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Maybe I can save my furniture and my sanity. LOL
Other suggestions for FTP

www.YouSendIt.com is another solution for e-delivery of large files, for low-volume users.


If you are looking for free FTP -client software, though, check out this link:


http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Software/FTP_freeware/


 


My suggestions
The poster above is right on it, for one. Slowly start adjusting the speed of your dictation and push yourself a bit, just so you have to work a little harder to keep up.

Learn as many keystroke combinations/shortcuts as possible -- avoid the mouse as much as possible.

Use your word expander: Put words, phrases, chunks of text in it. You should just be gliding along, rarely typing an entire word.

Don't eat/drink/smoke while you are typing - it takes your hands off the keyboard. Only do that during a break.

Most importantly for me is to set a specific goal for that 1 or 2-hour block and concentrate VERY hard on getting it. Push. Reward yourself with a short break when you're done. Then start again. Don't view your day as "8 hours" or "10 hours" ... look at it in 2-hour chunks of time.

Be well rested and eat lightly before you start typing.

Make sure you are comfortable and well supported in your desk and chair situation, lighting, even perhaps a little light music in the background.

Believe that you can do it. YOU CAN!!!
I need suggestions, please (sm)

ham, potato salad - used to always go with a hot dinner, but a few years ago started making potato salad instead and like this idea better  - BUT - can't think of a vegetable.  Okay to have a hot vegetable with potato salad??  If so, what?  Green beans seem like Christmas, corn, no.  Can't decide.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  thanks


Any suggestions . . .
for reasonably priced DSL?  Suggestions would be appreciated.  Verizon charged me 62.17 this month as my introductory offer is over.  Does this sound like too much?   With the price of gas I need to cut corners somewhere.  Thanks in advance.
Thanks for your suggestions . . .
I am going to call them. I thought my introductory offer ended the first 3 months. Now I reached the 6 month mark and it went up again. I think my bill should be the same every month by now.
Can anyone help with suggestions? sm

Hi!  I just began working for an online company this week full-time, which I *LOVE*, especially after coming from a prior management position that was very stressful.  My main problem, though, is with productivity.  I used to type 120 wpm and could roll through 1200 lines a day with no problem whatsoever, and now I'm really struggling to get this minimum line count in.  This company has a tremendous platform, lots of training help, etc., and it's not that - I think it's primarily due to my physical issues, so I'm hoping for advice here.


I have RA/mixed connective tissue disease and just started seeing an occupational therapist this week, who is going to work on increasing my strength in my arms, which she says have gotten extremely weak, and has also given me some compressive gloves to wear at night to reduce my hand swelling.  I look forward to seeing the changes there, but primarily now need help with some things that I thought my fellow MTs could help with:


1.)  Ergonomically, I've got a decent desk and chair, but am going to get something better in the future, after I move into a larger home.  Any suggestions on where to look for the best desk ergonomically?  My OT even suggested the articulating arms, but I like resting my arms on a desk - so perhaps an executive desk would be best for me.


2.)  Chairs.  This is always an issue with me.  I have a nice chair with massage, but still not very comfortable.  I also need a way to elevate my legs, as they are severely swollen and uncomfortable.  Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to use a reclining chair with a foot rest - but wonder if you have any ideas here, too?


Thanks so much for any help you can offer.  I know it will get easier as time goes on, but for now I'm really struggling so am having a hard time getting going in the mornings b/c I'm up late the night before getting my minutes in, etc., so it's just a viscious cycle.  Thanks so much for any suggestions!