On Time Management - Vacation Prep

It's taken me a long time to learn this (hey, I've been reporting since 1999) but I've finally figured it out.

If I want to take a vacation, I must take myself off the books for EVERYONE the week before. Meaning, if I plan to leave on Christmas Day (for example), I need to be off the calendar starting the week before. Fortunately, I was able to do this.

Now, that doesn't mean I'm not working. On the contrary, all my transcripts need to be scoped, proofed, produced, billed, bound, and shipped on Christmas Eve Day so that I will have NOTHING in my queue while I'm gone.

I've got two proofers right now - and two scopists waiting in the wings starting in the new year - and I'm really happy that I've got this week to get my work done. But, with over a thousand pages to get done in a week, it will not be a cakewalk.

There's still the presents to wrap, the bags to pack, the letters to go out, the food to prepare, the house to clean... and the SPIRIT to be be refreshed.

If you want to have a happy vacation, when you're a working reporter, make sure to plan ahead and get all your transcripts out before you leave. Your vacation partner will thank you - and you'll really be able to enjoy the vacation. Not to mention, you'll have a clean slate when you get home again.

Time management. A powerful court reporting tool.