Rachael Goodman, a clinical assistant at the New York University School of Medicine, once said, “if you don’t have a structure, you have less to focus on. This reduces your productivity which causes stress, more stress, and eventually anxiety.”
So, what can make you less stressed, especially as a medical assistant? A routine.
In this article, we’ll cover why medical assistants are essential and things to incorporate into your routine to develop good time management skills as a medical assistant.
Why Are Medical Assistants Important?
Medical assistants are valuable assets to medical offices. They play an essential role in providing healthcare to all patients. Medical assistants work in various settings, including physician offices, labs, college student dispensaries, optometrist offices, and orthopedic offices.
Here are some of the reasons medical assistants are important. They:
- Prepare patients for examinations
- Assist the doctor with examinations
- Inform patients about their medications and special diets
- Perform laboratory tests
What Can Medical Assistants Incorporate into Their Routine to Make Them More Productive?
Managing time is difficult for anyone, but it is challenging when balancing work and life. To develop good time management skills as a medical assistant, it is critical to learn how to manage your time effectively.
Prioritize the Biggest Tasks
Focusing on demanding tasks before easier ones helps you achieve more than prioritizing small goals. People usually have more energy in the morning; transferring this energy to what is more important allows things to move faster.
It’s best to do this by writing a to-do list and ticking it off every time you complete a task. Ticking off a to-do list as your day goes by gives you the motivation to complete other tasks, unlike doing so at the end of the day.
There are situations where you feel overwhelmed since everything looks and feels important, such that you need to perform laboratory tests and prepare for patients’ examinations, among other responsibilities. Take a step back, breathe deeply to calm your mind, and assess the situation. You’ll manage to identify what should be done first.
Limit Interruptions
Interruptions are the death of time management. Although you may enjoy spending time with your coworkers, unnecessary meetings and casual banters can limit your ability to complete tasks.
Another type of interruption is social media and phone calls from friends.
Work behind closed doors to avoid interruptions. When locked up in your office, your coworkers assume you’re busy and will avoid bothering you.
If your coworkers are making too much noise, ask them to speak quietly or use noise-canceling headphones.
Social media can eat up your time unknowingly. However, you can limit your social media time by turning off your phone or putting it on airplane mode.
Train From Professionals
Without a doubt, the above strategies will help you become productive. At FVI, we teach our students routines such as these and more.
Become a medical assistant at FVI. We are here to help students gain the skills they need for a position as a Medical Assistant using online and on-campus classes.
Contact us today to enroll in the program.
Learn more:
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