Client contracts are very important for any business that provides services. It offers two-way legal protections, it shows professionalism, and it sets clear goals and expectations.
To learn more about client contracts, why it is good to have, and how to make one, check out this article: 10 Things to Include in a Client Contract
Something that I love to use is the pomodoro technique. This is primarily because the videos I find have nice music and alarms, so I don’t forget to stop for a moment to give myself a brain break. If you don’t know what the pomodoro technique is, it is when you take a 5-minute break every 25 minutes. After you do that 4 times, you take a longer break that is usually about 30 minutes. Check out this pomodoro video if you want to try it out: Lofi Girl – Pomodoro
2. Stretch during your breaks/ get up and move around.
Sitting down all day can be hard on your body. It makes you stiff. When it’s time to take a break, get up and do some stretches! You can also stretch while sitting down. For some good stretch ideas, check out the following link: Stretches for Desk Jobs
3. Stay hydrated.
I know, you’ve probably heard this a million times from others, but it really is important. Keep a water bottle at your work space. You don’t have to chug it and drink a gallon, but keep some water at your desk as a reminder to drink some water. Staying hydrated can help with your energy levels and keep you healthy and feeling well in general.
4. Let your work stay at work.
Once the work day is over, let it be over. I know it’s easy to keep working even after your hours are up. Emails keep popping up and texts keep coming through. Silence your phone or just your work notifications after your work day is up. This will help keep you from burning out and help you be more present at home.
5. Listen to music.
If you are able to focus while listening to music, I would highly recommend it. It makes the work more enjoyable and the hours go by faster. It also is just relaxing!
I hope these tips are helpful, and if you do try them out, let me know how it goes!
One rule when it comes to networking that I think is good to stick to is, be yourself! Being yourself is a good thing to do in general, but especially in networking so people can get to know you and build some trust.
Social media is a great tool to get yourself seen and potentially gain some clients as a transcriptionist. The key is consistency. If you are not consistent, people will most likely forget about your work. Post reminders about any deals you have going on, comment on other people’s posts, and reach out and let people know that you care about what they have to say. These are all great ways to get noticed and build your network.
To learn more about ways you can succeed at being a transcriptionist, take a look at the following link: Transcribe Anywhere
I have no experience with legal transcription, personally. However, I have done a little research on it and what I found was interesting! Take a look at this article to learn more about legal transcription: Guide for Legal Transcriptionists
Have you ever wondered how a general transcriptionist transcribes medical jargon? No prior schooling in the medical field. No degree. Well, I can say that it’s not easy, but it does take a lot of research. Any time I run into a word that I don’t understand, I look it up. That helps with spelling and making sure it’s the correct word. Another thing to do is to listen very carefully.
To see some more detailed information and tips, take a look at this article on how to transcribe medical dictations: Medical Transcription
Although I personally have not had any experience with transcribing podcasts, I do hope to transcribe one someday. I did a little research on how to transcribe podcasts and, surprisingly, nothing came up except for AI tools. AI is not always the best way to transcribe. It’s almost never accurate. At my small business, Earful Edits, I do all of my transcribing manually with no AI assistance. So, if I ever have the privilege of transcribing a podcast, here is how I would go about doing it with no AI:
1. Download the audio to Express Scribe
I use a transcription software called Express Scribe for all my transcripts. It’s an easy way to transcribe by using a foot pedal to play and pause the audio hands-free. To see more about this transcription software, click on the following link: Express Scribe
2. Transcribe the audio in my client’s preferred way.
There are a few different ways a transcript can be written:
After the preferred format is communicated, get started on your transcript!
3. Proofread.
Once I have finished a transcript and am at the proofreading stage, I usually proofread to double speed audio. This makes the process a little faster. After that, I proofread with no audio. Sometimes just reading over a transcript with no audio can make mistakes a little clearer because you don’t have any distractions.
Although AI can be good for a faster turnaround time, I prefer to transcribe with no AI assistance. AI just can’t replace the quality human touch.
One thing to remember: If you are like me and manually transcribe your audio and dictation files, remember to take breaks! I am guilty of going into hyper focus mode and working for several hours straight on some transcripts. It’s good to take breaks every 30 minutes to an hour to avoid burnout. Take care of yourself!
When we watch movies or tv shows, we often see audio indicators such as [laughs], [distant crashing], [gasps], etc. Have you ever wondered how transcriptionists know how to add these indicators and when? Or how they do it without obstructing the actual words being said?
Check out this article to learn more about breaking down the barriers for the deaf and hard of hearing: Meeting the Needs of Deaf Clients
