Time is every individual’s most valuable resource. It goes by whether we like it or not. Unlike a lot of our other resources, it’s one thing that we cannot regain.
One of the best parts of being a Scribie transcriber is having full control over your time. You get to balance transcription work with other roles. While engaged as a highly-productive transcriber, good time management allows you to fulfill responsibilities at home, enjoy hobbies, and more.
Time Management Tips
Managing your time does not have to be difficult. Follow these tips and you’ll see the results yourself!
Deliver more transcription work. Help more customers. Ultimately dedicate focused energy for other responsibilities.
Be a realist rather than a perfectionist.
You have to accept you cannot make things 100% perfect all the time. Waiting for perfection slows down your work cycles. Break out of the all-or-nothing mindset.
Focus on what you’re hearing instead of being overly concerned about punctuation or capitalization. There will be opportunities to correct and optimize the work later.
Keep delivering work and learning from changes made by the QC.
Overcome procrastination.
Procrastination leads to work piling up. Shift your mentality from “I’ll do it later” to “I can do it.”
We all have our own reasons for delaying work. Perhaps, the tasks seem daunting or the distractions are too attractive.
Overcome this by shifting your mentality. It may take some time but shift your thinking. Go from “I’ll do it later” or “I can’t do it” to “I can do this.”
We have more tips below to lessen the attraction of delaying work.
Identify the times of the day and the week when you are most energized.
Observe the time when you get a lot of work done. This may have to do with your energy, responsibilities at home, or habits of your housemates.
Another thing to note is your own circadian clock. According to renowned author and speaker Dave Crenshaw, we manage various activities in a day in line with our circadian clock. Try to find your personal sweet spots of productivity, and go with the flow to maximize it. If you want to adjust your clock, do it slowly.
Build a rhythm around your windows of productivity.
As you work, develop transcription sessions where you are 100% productive.
Plan work sessions throughout the day. Again, keep your circadian clock in mind. This will maximize your productivity.
Whatever these windows are, stick to them.
Do you tend to do your best work in the morning? Is there an opportunity to transcribe when the kids are asleep or if your partner is at work?
It’s also possible that certain days of the week are better for you. Perhaps, you might end up delivering more quality work if you go with a 3-day weekend while focusing on transcription from Monday to Thursday.
You will figure out these patterns as you mindfully iterate. Take note of these routines so you can establish standards that you’ll consistently follow.
Inform your housemates about your rhythm of productivity.
Allow housemates to give you space and privacy.
Communication is important here. Set their expectations so they know when not to disturb you.
This allows you and those around you to plan chores, parenting responsibilities, or personal interests. You’ll especially want to consider this if you work from home and your ability to focus has a lot to do with people around you.
Looking to set up your home office? See our tips here.
Take advantage of your flexibility to adjust your time and optimize your weekly to-do list.
As a transcriber, you enjoy time flexibility. That is one of your greatest advantages, and you can use that to plan ahead. Use that knowledge to make a well-optimized schedule. That way, you’re able to serve as a highly-productive transcriber while juggling other responsibilities.
Don’t. Rush.
While you want to get a lot of work done, rushing isn’t the solution. You’ll end up having to re-do the work.
“I realized that I had been conditioned by the Microwave Mentality and instant-gratification ideology. I was no longer patient. I wanted instant results. Results so quickly that I considered the microwave as taking too much time. This was an eye-opener for me.” – Charlene Tops
Always remember this: Quality over quantity. As you get used to the job, you’ll end up delivering faster in the future.
In the meantime, don’t rush.
Select job difficulties based on your energy level.
You will not always be at your 100%. If you feel exhausted, opt for easier jobs in the meantime. Take your time to recover mentally, and take on harder assignments once you have enough rest.
Budget time based on the requirements of the transcription file.
Get an idea of what it takes to complete a transcription job.
Based on the file’s length and difficulty, gauge how it fits with your work session(s) for the day.
Over to You
Scribie continues to provide work opportunities amidst the pandemic. You might be interested in engaging (more) transcription work as this allows you to stay productive at home.
Not yet transcribing with Scribie? If you have suitable skills, maybe you can give this opportunity a shot. Learn about transcription jobs here.
If you’re already part of the Scribie community, we hope this piece has inspired you to develop time-management skills. Now, head on over to Slack chat to share tips and socialize with your fellow transcribers.
