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We all get burned out, don't feel alone. That is good (sm)

Posted By: TiredToo! on 2007-10-29
In Reply to: I don't have the kahoonas sm - Am I alone?

money. You can set your own hours, etc. But, taxes are a concern as well. I went to work for our local nursing home and found it more rewarding emotionally. Actually was left money by a lady I use to stay and play cards with. So just remember to be true to yourself and there are people who do good things when you least expect it. So your efficiency obvious has not gone ignored, but take the break if you feel you need it and go back when your ready. That's the great thing about being an IC!!


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I have been an MT for 15 years. I feel burned out, SM
and was wondering how others deal with it. I can't seem to get my momentum back.
It's good to know there are others who feel this way.
Like many others, I got into this field to "work at home." I loved MT and I worked my way up into management, QA, and instructing. Now, because of the trends to outsource, eliminate mid-level management positions, and change employee positions to home-based IC positions, I'm back at home again with no benefits, no paid time off, no job security, feeling shut off from the world, with no professional "friends" other than nameless, faceless internet acquaintances. As you said,I feel as though I'm losing my social skills because the only one I talk to for 10 hours a day is my dog, and I have gained the dreaded 10 pounds because I have no motivation to get up out of my chair and exercise! I agree that it should be obvious to anyone that the future of this career is not bright, to say the least. Don't get me wrong, I make a lot of money and I have a lot of flexibility, which, to some, may make up for the negatives, but in my case, the negatives outweigh the positives, and I feel the only answer is to get out now. I haven't always felt this way. As I said, I have been an MT instructor. I painted a beautiful picture for my students of what a fabulous job MT could be. It's only in the past few years that I have developed such a negative outlook. I commend you for your decision to complete your degree. I wish I had done it a long time ago.
While you may feel good about yourself,
your attitude really isn't professional. I had an attitude like your's about 20 years ago at the start of my career - days of tapes and paper. Sent back a report with a note that I could NOT type it - could not understand it at all, and my boss sent it back saying "you have to hear it - its your job"...I struggled thru it, and many others and I developed an ear for ESLs. Lots and lots of professional MTs have developed their ear for ESLs - all ESLs - fast or slow. They are understandable by your peers. So, I feel sorry for your attitude - you will never learn the business in full. And I'm sure you'll spout that you're proud of not doing the hard ESL's, but that's just an excuse. You can't, or won't, let yourself hear them. And I totally relate - years ago if I even heard an accent, my brain froze, and that was it for me - zero understanding. You have to want to hear it. And now, for lots of us, ESLs are no big deal - no difference at all, so nothing hinders us! Much better environment.
It does feel good looking forward.
Thanks MTPockets! You bring up a good point. I AM moving on and it is going to be okay. My kids need to see me normal and happy. That's two things my younger two have never seen because he's their daddy. This post became so fun and I love that! Thanks again to everyone to who posted!
that cant be making you feel good.
wondering what company it was...your making me feel scared...i dont have a lot of exp either, hope its not gonna spread.
what some people have to do to feel good about themselves

"What do you all do when you have to type an expletive?  I am working on an account where this comes up often.  I refuse to type the actual expletive so I usually just put (expletive) and go on.  No one has ever said anything, but I was curious as to what everyone else does."


That was my ORIGINAL POST.  I wanted to know what any other MT in the field did regarding expletives.  I didn't ask you to judge my character.  I didn't need anyone telling me to "put my big girl panties on."  All I was looking for was for you all to tell me what you did in that situation.  I guess it makes you feel good to pound on a person rather than address the inital question - if that's what you need to do, then so be it.  I am not new to the field.  Been an MT for over 10 years and have never typed an expletive, though it hasn't come up often.  Found this board and am mostly a lurker and thought I would finally run it by some others.  Should have just kept it to myself.  No wonder I like being an MT - you don't have to deal with other people very often.


Go ahead and feed the piranhas if that's what gets you through your day.


Good for you. Did it make you feel better?

I feel lost---is this as good as it gets? Need advice PLEASE

I have been doing MT now for almost 3 years.  Previously to being hired, I had never done MT before, but I had worked in a hospital system and public health for a total of about 19 years and I had a Bachelors Degree to boot, so I was hired.  I worked for a medical clinic that housed about 100 doctors of varying specialties. 


The QA person never helped me, nor did I get training--I was pretty much on my own. 


Reports were pretty simple, so I was able to get by without anyone helping me.  However, the boss was a horrible woman, a supervisor of medical records who was ALWAYS firing people for any little infraction.  If she didn't like you, you had even more problems. 


She didn't like me, so she made my life hard.  I was short 100 measly lines of a goal she set and she made my life h-e-l-l.  She constantly wrote me up about it, even those I was sooo close, but other people that she liked, didn't have to have to meet goals. 


Anyhow, I got fed up and quit.  I got hired at a hospital in acute care--a friend who worked there got me in.  This time, I had feedback.  Unfortunately, acute care is something I had no experience with and now my issues are QA. 


You get "dinged" for any mistake and I can't pass QA!  I've been there for 5 months, but I'm scared I am going to get fired.  NEVER have I ever had to worry so much about my performance or getting written up and/or fired. 


I've been having nightmares I am going to get fired.  I dread opening up any emails I get from QA--a fellow employee checks mine and she is VERY anal and dings me for everything.  I feel like they think I'm not "getting it" and I believe they are circling the wagons to get me fired. 


I feel so dumb when I get my QA feedback.  How could this be? I know I'm NOT dumb and can do this job.  Certainly someone who made the Dean's List at an acredited school, has enough intelligence to excel at this, right?


I'm just ready to give up.  I'm scared to quit, as the job market and economy is pretty poor, but with my work experience and education, I've never had a problem getting hired.  MT has been the WORST choice ever for me.  I have a small child, so I thought this would be a good fit for me, but it's been a disaster.  Is this the way it's going to be?  Am I expecting too much of myself too soon? 


I just feel like there isn't any learning curve anymore.  I feel so all alone, I can't talk to my co-workers about it, because they never share their QA scores or line counts.  I'm so freaking frustrated and stressed about this.  Any advice on my situation? Is this the way of life for an MT? Thanks


I think you handled it well. You wouldn't feel so good about those clothes if you cut off your
nm
Good luck - you will do just fine and feel great afterwards! nm
x
well I bet that makes her feel good, aren't you wonderful
Nice of you to let everyone know how good you have it compared to others.
Do you guys ever feel like just a number? Remember the good old days...
When if you had a problem, you could go straight to the manager and they'd take care of it right away, making you feel secure in your position and important?  When I talk to my supervisor, I feel like her main focus is to get off the phone with me asap, being very short with me, and quick to say she will get right on something when in fact she never does.  I just feel so remote and always worry about how long i'm going to have a job in the MT field because of how uncaring the supervisors are, not knowing us personally, not having a face to go along with the person, being able to yank us off an account we're comfortable with onto some ungodly thing where our line count goes down to zilch, and having NO control over it.  I was never one to work around people because of all the backstabbing that goes on with women in the office, but I would love to have a home office to report to periodically throughout the year, and maybe work in-house a couple times a month, just to put a face with people and not feel like a number that would be easy to dispose of. 
No reason to feel good about it. Just showing that kids are going to get into trouble
So let them learn how to function in society rather than hide them from it.
Good idea although you really wouldn't be able to "feel" the marker but you would feel a st

Good point. I guess if you do not feel comfortable dislosing sm

a list of your clients to your subcontractors, you could only hold them liable if they try to contract work with the clients they know about, i.e. whichever accounts they work on.  If you have accounts with Hospitals A, B, C, and D, but the MT only works for and knows about Hospital A, then seems like she would be within her rights to solicit work from the others since she does not know they are your clients.  I am curious, though, if you have them sign a noncompete clause already and they are working for you, why would you be reluctant to share that information with them?  They would be bound by the contract.  Maybe I am missing something .. I usually do (ha).


Hope you figure out a solution to your dilemma.  :-)


Fill in the blank time! Today I feel ______ (for me it's good)...sm
Good work day so far, kids will be home from school in a couple of hours and the weather is nice outside. 
30 yr and not burned out
I suppose it is different for everyone as to how to keep it somewhat fresh.

for me, maybe it is because I seldom 'kill' myself on the job (rather 'for' the job) anymore unless there is a dandy bonus. I have a comfortable pace, take frequent breaks and set reasonable line count goals.

When i'm done working, I make time for myself, relaxing, gardening, messing with my critters, etc.

I try to keep a good attitude about my work (venting when i'm irritated vs. getting ulcers) and am truly thankful for what God has provided, which helps reinforce the good attitude.
It's Dictaphone's ExText and it's good/easy, but some feel the line counts are skewed at
s
I have been an MT for 15 yrs and I am burned out too. Don't know how people say they
zz
But I crashed and burned.

All three MTSOs had the bulk of their work on the same day each week, so it didn't work out.  I quit one and only do the small one on the weekends or evenings.  I asked the "good" one for more hours so I didn't have to work three jobs.


It's one thing to think about how much money you "could" make if you were working XX hours at XX lines per hour.  It's quite another thing to actually do it.  I get slower the more I type and the later in the day it gets.  It's better for me to get up early and crank out as many lines as I can by noon.  Then if there's anything left, I can do it at a leisurely pace.


Me thinks you have burned one too many..
I'm also in agreement with the movement to legalize marijuana, but come on--do you think this group shares your views? Save your passion for the petitions.


I am so burned out....someone revive me please!!!!
I have been doing this job for 14 years and my production has just bottomed out.  I just can't seem to get anywhere.  I have a great job working from home for a hospital who sent us all home eight years ago with health insurance, great dictators, large volume of work (270 bed hospital) at 11 cpl on a 60-character line.  I also work for a brain and neurospine clinic at home and they pay me 13 cpl on a 65-character line.  I could be making all kinds of money, but I just can't seem to get motivated anymore.  I really don't want to change jobs, I just need some ideas on how to get yourself going again after being in a slump.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated before my husband kills me for not pulling my weight on the financial part.  Thanks guys  
burned to a crisp

Anyone else finding it difficult to stay focused in long dictations?  I can feel energetic when first logging on to work, but after a couple of long dictations, I'm burned out and ready to throw up.  Wondering if I need to change careers after over 2 decades in this field.  Didn't used to get burned out like this.  Menopause kicking in, too, and it seems like my memory is going...


burned to a crisp
Thanks, you guys, for helping me feel like maybe I'm not losing my mind. :) Great ideas from both of you (vitamins, herbs, lots of water, splitting the day into halves or thirds). I know that I'm capable of doing so much better (if I only had a brain, like the song from Wizard of Oz!). I used to be super-productive and made excellent money. Nowadays, I can barely pay my bills. I second that emotion about naps during the daytime.
burned to a crisp
Wow. You DO sound happy! I'm happy for you. :) Do you need a degree to enter your career field?
You have my respect, I was that way for years, but got burned out! nm
x
those burned oils stick to EVERYTHING.

I've thought about it, but am usually too burned out ..(s/m)
.. at the end of the day to want to do more transcribing. But that may be a good way to get my feet wet... maybe filling in as a part time IC for someone who is on sick leave or vacation, so it would only be temporary.

Thanks for your thoughts!
I'm majorly burned out. I have CTS, and I've

recently started on antidepressants.  While I haven't actually changed companies I've been looking.  I've interested and/or tested with multiple companies and every one has offered me a position, but none of them can offer me the flexibility that I need, the line rate I currently make, the easy platform I have, not to mention I have been with this company 5 years so I'm comfortable with my dictators.   The thought of having to change all that I think would be too stressful, so I'm staying put.  I don't really have any issues with my company, I just thought a change might help get me out of this slump.  My line count keeps going down and I need it to go up.


Sorry I can't answer your question, but wanted to let you know you aren't alone.  I agree with other poster, take some time off.  It might not be the solution long-term, but it will give you some time to rest.   Even if you just take a 1/2 day off (since you're an IC and you s/l you need the $$) it will help.  


 


Try "jaded and burned" and it's more accurate
Sure, there are bad MTSOs, but I get sick of people blaming all the MTSOs for all the problems. Flaky transcriptionists are nothing new; it seems they just "get around" more now that we have Internet based transcription.
Once bitten, twice shy. Twice burned, thrice learned. :) nm
x
Update on another one burned by Four Seasons Transcription
Okay shocking news here.  I just received part of the pay Robin owes me.  Why, not sure.  Supposedly she''s in the hospital, but I also was told she's famous for "being in the hospital for surgery" as an excuse for nonpayment.  I'm still not sure what made her go ahead and pay part of what she owes me... I just hope my other invoices get paid as she bills the acct for them.  Now if she seriously was in the hospital she has my sympathy BUT according to other MT's she's burned... this is a signature Robin move... minus the actually getting paid... I honestly don't know what to say.
BioSpot not safe, burned the hair off the back of my cat.
please see link. Cheaper when using pesticides on your animal companions is definitely not the way to go, and use all other topicals very sparingly.

http://www.apnm.org/publications/resources/fleachemfin.pdf
Yet another one burned by Robin Hall/Four Seasons Transcription

Robin managed to find me via Guru.com.  I wish I had read the earlier warnings about her on here back then.  I kept on working believing she way pay, falling for her excuses.  She's very good at what she does.  My paycheck was 5 weeks late when I finally said enough and told her I could no longer work for her on 02/01/08.  Since that time I haven't been able to contact her through home phone, cell phone, e-mail, yahoo messenger or anything.  I even tried calling her business number listed on her website for Four Seasons... guess what... that number has been disconnected with no forwarding number.  She got me for over $800.  The part I feel the worst about is I referred a friend to her shortly after starting with her myself.  Robin now owes that friend over $900 and has still not paid her to this day.  I know there's nothing I can do (still investingating legal action though) about what she did to me.  I mainly want to warn other MT's about her.  Please... before any of you accept a job at ANY company IC or employee.... check them out in any way possible.


Becka


Unfortuantely this lady has pretty much burned her bridges with everyone years ago. sm
No one...and I mean no one will set foot in that house to relieve my in laws. It is a very sad situation.
You're right, i spend way too much time on this board when should be working, I am just so burned
NM
if you feel like that after 12 years, and I feel like that after six months
what hope is there?
I feel people who feel like this post
needs to a) either be a stay at home mother and not work or b) realize that she is no queen bee and I could care less about a degree. What company out here that you know of compensates for having a degree? Means nothing to them. Your working and being there when they assign/need/require/whatever is what you should do IF YOU WANT A JOB in this field, otherwise get out and do something else or become that babysitter.
You're not losing it, you're burned out on your main job.
I feel for you... I am having my own "version" ;-) of these kinds of struggles. Lots of recent changes at the admin level have made my job do a 180, going from a really great one to a really crappy one.

For me, it's a struggle to get through the day with a shred of motivation. I get distracted in the way you discuss as well.

I just try to make my environment as comfortable as possible and make the best of it while I decide what the best way is to deal with the burnout... I figure if I can't change my inner brain workings so that I still like this job, I need to find another one, or this feeling will possibly get worse!

I hope it works out for you. Wish I had some better advice for you, but this really does look like burnout and extreme job dissatisfaction to me. We all wear it differently. Try to be good to yourself while you figure out a solution.


No need to feel badly for me - feel badly for an adult who has no control of his/her own life!
I hope these people didn't produce any daughters! Bad, bad example!
That is a good offer. Pay is not that good at UIMC. Good luck! nm
x
On 2nd thought, if you're NOT a good Italian style cook, make something you ARE good at. Leave th
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Any rose gardeners out there? Good roses that are disease proof and smell good?
I heard good things about Knockout Rose but they don't smell too much like traditional rose.  Supposedly blooms all season. 
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Good for you! You sound like a very nice and generous person and you deserve all your good luck! nm
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Agree with other poster.. good price..good service
I definitely think they are one of the best out there. We also have been talked through issues over the phone and also had a warranty in which they came out and fixed it right at our home. My only complaint..and I am sorry for saying this.. but... when you call their customer service 9 out of 10 times...you get someone who barely speaks English and I just hate that. I think that is true of a lot of customer support centers these days, ironically they are rarely American anymore. I am not prejudice at all. I just find it frustrating to call in for help and the help you get barely understands you and you do not understand them, thus making the experience very frustrating..
Expensive is right -- around $300 per credit hour! But they do have a good rep. Good luck! nm

I believe Pilates is good for shaping and strength, but you still need some cardio for good fat
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Maybe try to find a good web site to refer to! Good luck NM
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Good for you. Sounds very interesting and a good chance of pace - sm

but I live in the northeast and not much need for that where I live.  I also live in a small town so that limits my options.  I have spent the last couple of years as a substitute teacher to supplement my MT job and just completed 4-1/2 months as a long term sub which I enjoyed and was a change of pace from MT.  The only problem is as a sub or ed tech you only get paid during the school year so I would have to keep my MT job for summers and school vacations.  With the way things are going in the MT world I hate to rely solely on that.  I don't want to find myself without any job whatsoever.   


Thanks for all the responses.