An Update on the "Freedom Notes Challenge"
Quick Summary: It is working :)
In my previous article “The Freedom Notes Challenge” I discussed my frustrations with how much I was charting and documenting outside of work and I set a deliberate intention of trying to get my charting done more quickly.
Since that time, I’ve made a deliberate effort to try to cut down on how much time I spend on charting and these are the tactics I have learned so far.
Cut the cord
I discussed my frustrations and intentions for the “Freedom Notes Challenge” with my shamanic healer and my therapist.
*Woo Woo Warning*
Whenever I begin charting or open a patient’s chart, I feel the emotions and concerns of that encounter come back to me like the memory of an old lover at the scent of his cologne. My shamanic healer told me about a “cutting the cord” exercise that can be useful for this type of emotional lingering.
My shamanic healer explained that we carry these emotional ties to people that often cause unnecessary stress after our encounter with them.
She taught me to visualize these emotional ties as strings or cords coming out of me and to “cut” them so I can continue my work objectively.
We also did a shamanic journey for me to meet my spirit guides to get some guidance. On my journey, I met my “dark angel”. This was a dark shadowy character who dresses like the Grim Reaper. I know that sounds a bit scary, but the dark angel does not mean any harm. Rather, he is a reminder that death is imminent and to stay focused on living a value-based life.
When I asked my dark angel for guidance about what to do about my path he simply said “This is not part of your purpose”.
My spirit guides are like that. They generally don’t entertain my 3rd-dimensional concerns, but I still found his message useful. The truth is these notes have nothing to do with my life purpose so I shouldn’t spend any more time on them than I need to.
I realized that my emotional ties to my patients and the events of the day prolong my charting and I created this ritual to disconnect.
Here’s how I do it
A. I set the charting scene. I bring up the EMR and any other programs I use while charting
B. I light a candle as a symbol of changing the space and clearing the energy
C. I say the following chant or spell. (I am a Scorpio so using words like “spell” are totally my vibe but you can call it a prayer or mantra as well). For me, I like to channel in my spirits and ancestors to clear the air.
Spirits, Spirits please do come, clear the air of strings done strung.
Guide me on my clearest way, to complete these tasks today
Darkest Angel I am you
And these tasks I slice right through
Help ensure I do things right
So I can sleep with ease tonight.
D. Cut the Cord. As I do my chant, I imagine the cord of lingering emotions coming off my head and I use my sword [permanent marker] to cut the cord.
I understand how eccentric this sounds, but I really do feel disconnected afterward. I even use the chant at work sometimes [usually in my head] after any emotional encounters. I’ve found it really helpful.
5-minute timer
I’ve previously used timers to track how long it takes me to chart and they have been somewhat helpful, but I’ve recently come up with a new system that has been working even better
I’ve found that most of my notes take about five minutes. Using this information, I created a system for estimating and tracking my chart time that goes as follows.
A. Calculate total time to chart: First I calculate an estimate of how much time it will take me to do my charts. For example, if I have 20 charts to do, then I take 20 charts x 5 minutes= 100 minutes. So my charts would take me about 1 hr and 40 min.
B. Calculate estimated end time: Then, I calculate an estimated end time. From the example above, if I know it will take me 1 hr and 40 min to complete my charts and it is currently 5:00 pm, then I estimate my charts would be done at 6:40 pm.
I know this seems mathematically obvious, but calculating the estimated end time helps me know if I am on track. For example, if it is 6:20 pm and I still have 10 more charts to do, then I know I need to pick up the pace
C. Track chart completion time: Next, I keep track of how long it takes me to do each chart. I like to set a 5-minute timer (as five minutes is my estimated time to complete a chart). If I am done sooner than five minutes, then I log the remaining time that is left on the five-minute timer. If the five-minute timer goes off before I am done with my chart, then I turn on the stopwatch and track how much additional time it takes me to complete the chart.
Headphones on
My next tactic is keeping my headphones on while I am charting at work. Fortunately, I work in a setting where I don’t have to be listening out for alarms or announcements. Also, at my current clinic, I am lucky to work behind a closed door with one other person which cuts down on people asking a question while walking by.
Despite this, I still often find myself chatting with my co-worker or accidentally eavesdropping on their conversation.
My solution has been to put on my AirPods and listen to a not-overly-stimulating podcast while I chart. This way it’s not easy for me to fall into other people's conversations. It also prevents other people from talking to me. I will be honest, initially, this felt a bit rude because I would not be responding to little side comments from my coworkers or staff who happened to be in the room. However, I realized that staying half-alert to respond to these comments prevented me from being able to focus on my own work.
After a few days of wearing my AirPods while charting, the people around me have gotten used to the fact that I am not available for chats without deliberate intention and I have gotten over my concern of coming off as rude.
Prioritize Sleep
The final tactic I have learned is to prioritize sleep. I have always been a person who values sleep but often I find myself rationalizing decreased sleep because I have to get my charts done.
I shifted my priorities and surprisingly this helped get my charts done faster. I have told myself that I need to get my charts done by 10-10:30 pm and that I cannot wake up before 5:00 am.
Putting sleep first prevents me from dilly-dallying when I come home from work. Also, my concentration is much better since I am well-rested. There is nothing more difficult than trying to get my scatterbrained self to get charts done and there is nothing more impossible than charting while dozing off.
Lessons learned
My “Freedom Notes Challenge” continues but the lessons I am learning are both speeding up my charting and improving my quality of life. In fact, this week I had no charts to do over the weekend!
Completing my charts more quickly has given me more personal time to pursue things like my podcast and writing. This makes me value my own time more which further encourages me to chart more quickly.
I realize that by spending all my free time on charting before, I was sending myself a signal that my time is not valuable. I let myself enter into unnecessary conversations with others because I did not appreciate how this was taking away from my precious time at home. I was overly worried about hurting their feelings without seeing how I was hurting myself. Now I appreciate how ever minute I get back at home allows me to continue on my own journey of self-discovery.
This journey is nowhere near done as I still spend a lot of time on charting, but progress is being made! What do you think? Do you have similar tactics or similar time-sucks in your life? I’m curious, let me know in the comments below :)