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Thursday, October 2, 2008

For the Love of the Job

Like any job, this one has its ups and downs. There are days where typing is the last thing I want to be doing. I think of the hobbies I could have, the parks I could take my kids to, the elaborate dinners I'd like to plan and prepare. I fantasize about the person I could be if only I had more time. Of course, there are times when I get organized and do more of the things I am usually longing to do, but more often than not, those things are the things that fall by the wayside when my time gets filled with rush files, wiping noses and everyday cleaning.

This list is for all those days where the motivation is lacking and the subjects are less than interesting, when I find myself questioning why I'm here rather than anywhere else. It is why I love doing what I do.

– The sound of the keys. There's something very pleasant about the sound of the keyboard tapping and click, click, clicking away. Just like I enjoyed pushing sand around my rock garden and the sound of the rake running through the sand, I enjoy listening to the keys when it's quiet, which leads me to…

– Early morning transcription. A warm shower, a cool morning, a cup of coffee, my favorite pair of slippers and my headphones. No dated pantsuit, no uncomfortable shoes, no boss, no fluorescent lights, no rush hour.

– Your favorite client. The one you never feel bad about taking the extra time to make things right for because they've been that good to you.

– Good audio. They usually come as a breath of fresh air after a grueling week of bad audio or boring interviews with less-than-intelligent undergraduates that are like trying to like figure out their, you know, like social life and how to get that totally hot guy's attention from their like intro to psych class.

– A file you'd listen to even if you weren't getting paid to transcribe it. I have a favorite client. When their files show up I smile. I know I'm going to enjoy them; they're just always something that interests me on some level. I look forward to the days when I'm transcribing them because I know that even hard terminology won't change whether or not I enjoy the file.

– An unexpected compliment from contracts or clients that shows you've done your job well. There is nothing quite as satisfying as being told you're good at what you do, especially when it's not forced by a quarterly review or annual evaluation.

– My kids. The ability to be the one dropping my son off at preschool, wiping my daughter's nose when she runs by, nursing my newborn, dropping of my daughter's library book at school when she forgets it by the front door.

– Accomplishment. Whether you're starting out or you've been doing this for years, there is something to be said about the drive to work for yourself, meet deadlines, seek work and put all the pieces together into a working system.

We all have our reasons for doing what we do, and I hope you take the time to remind yourself why you are where you are, doing what you do. Congratulations for getting here. If you're just starting out and looking to get to this place, we hope this blog motivates you. Don't forget to check out General Transcription 101 as well.

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