The other day I was riding my bike at the end of a long week but there was still something hanging over my head. Have you ever had that feeling? You finish the week only to realize that your weekend is not your own. You still have some outstanding work that needs done before the beginning of the next week. For me this was charting or finishing my chart notes.

Ask any doctor and they will tell you that the least favorite thing to do in their day is document each patient visit. The EMR and insurance companies have not made this job any easier. As I pondered this drain to my energy I wondered if it was possible to decrease this load and limit how much time charting consumed each week. What would my week look like if I could replace my charting time with more of the things that filled me with energy? Things that I were naturally good at and would be better for my business if I had more time to focus on.

This week I am recommending two books. One book is about the journey that Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty went on to change his daily focus and in the end this allowed his business to expand. The ONE Thing challenges us to find what we are good at. What is the one thing, that if we do that consistently, would not only fill us with energy and purpose but move our business forward. You can take this to focusing on one thing at a time that when in series can reach a greater goal.

The other book is Free To Focus by Michael Hyatt. In one section of his book Micheal speaks on creating a NOT To Do List. This is the other part of finding your ONE Thing, what should you stop doing or say no to? Now stopping my charting would mean I wouldn't get paid for my services. I have actually thought of this at times and occasionally will treat someone for free instead of wading through the paperwork. What I can do is find alternative ways to accomplish this task. Dictation, templates for each of the topics that are common, and even delegation or hiring a scribe are a few ideas to decrease the workload of my current system. I am sure there are others and my goal for the next few weeks is to figure out a way to decrease my daily charting. 

Good luck on your journey of focusing on more of what fills you with energy and saying no to the things that prevent you from achieving your ONE Thing.