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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Administrative and Office Support |
How does one remain calm when.........? |
the phone is ringing, and there are patient's waiting to checking in, and you need to stay calm! What's the secret??? I fail at this all the time, I show my emotions when I'm stressed!!! I stay calm by knowing I can't do everything at once. You can also take a few deep breaths when it is at it's worst. Get a picture of something you really like (beach, pet...etc) and look at it when you are feeling stressed. You have to find what works for you. I know from first hand experience that getting that stressed over work isn't very much fun. Good luck! you should remember that there are people in the world in wheelchairs, people losing their loved ones, war and famine, rape and murder.....you could have alot more problems than that, one thing at a time, and if you cant get to everything, you'll get to it when you get to it...your only human, you cannot control all that is going on with the world, you can only control how you look at things. you answer the phone and ask them to hold on please,then politely do the same to your patients Set priorities. Is there a sign in sheet for patients- if so you can get to them when you are off the phone. You can put calls on hold while you conclude whatever you are doing. Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that this will not make any difference a week from now. Maybe you need to talk to your boss about getting more help. You are being forced to go faster than your normal pace. We CAN most certainly learn how to go faster. But, it's like walking down a mountain slope. If we start walking or running too fast, we'll tumble down. But, if we walk just a little faster every day down the slope, we'll maintain our balance. What you are describing is a classic example of someone who has never had a chance to start at her own pace and slowly build up. It's always a mad tumble. Try slowing it down. People can wait a bit. Work harder at prep, at getting things ready to go and in place during slower times so that during busier times some of the tasks are already done ahead of time. Put your mind to that, to making it go more efficiently for yourself. But, you will never catch up, so to say, and function with any grace until you slow it down. Tell your boss about this and about your plan to ratchet it down a few notches and then build up in a healthier way. Discuss your actual workload with your boss, too. It might be time for some additional hands. But, remember this: The world will not come to a screeching halt if you make everyone wait a little bit. You don't want to be rude about it and steal other people's time just so that YOUR time is more relaxed. But, it's a two-way thing. Some people give TOO much of their grace so that others do not have to suffer. Think about that and look up "co-dependency". If you aren't the type of person who thrives in a fast-paced, high pressure, hectic environment, this will be difficult, but is still manageable. My recommendation is to create a plan for how to handle this situation so that when it comes up again, you can be "cool." Decide what's higher priority - the patient in front of you or the one on the phone. Institute a policy (may need to involve your boss) for the number of rings that phone should be allowed to ring before SOMEONE should pick up (for me it's 2) and then decide whether it's permissible to ask a caller to hold as soon as you answer. Without giving them "the finger," ask walk up traffic to bear with you for a minute. Have them sign in and be seated and call on them when you are calm and ready to talk. If all else fails, solicit the assistance of other personnel in the office if possible. Maybe have the clients checking to let you know they are there you can have them sign in on a register. This way you can pull their records and you know the order they arrived and this give you a chance to answer the phones and service everyone. |
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