Every so often, I get to sit back behind the reception desk for a day. It reminds me how much I enjoyed the role. It also reminds me of the busy-ness of being a dental receptionist!
At any given moment, a dental receptionist has a multitude of thoughts running around her brain and is in mid-completion of several tasks. It’s easy to forget things as the mind is full, but with efficient note taking and an organised approach, everything gets completed by the end of the day.
Maybe…
One of the earliest pieces of advice that has been enormously helpful during my receptionist days was one that I read in a time-management book. The author wrote that if part of your job description is to man the phones, you should block off 75% of your day.
Normally, one sees an empty diary page and fills it with their ‘to do’ list. But, when you consider the ‘75% rule’, filling in any more than 25% of the diary page will leave you feeling overwhelmed by the workload.
Allocating the realistic amount of time that it takes to answer and make phone-calls and also manage any follow up required will allow you to more successfully plan your day.
An overwhelming workload can contribute to stress, procrastination and leaving important tasks undone. An understanding of where your time is spent throughout the day gives you the power to manage it more effectively.
So, receptionists, when you have the recalls to post, outstanding accounts to assess and new patient ‘Welcome’ letters to post, avoid leaving them on the To Do list. Instead, schedule your tasks into your diary, spacing them evenly throughout the weeks, using the 75% Rule as a guide. Then you can move from working in overwhelm, to working in control!
This may be helpful! The latest edition of the JPPS ‘My Awesome Diary’ is now available. This is a diary that I have designed specifically for you!
My Awesome Diary
July-December 2018
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