Productivity hacks for optometry practice owners: Tools to streamline your work
By Bethany Fishbein, OD
Oct. 9, 2024
The topics of feeling overwhelmed and struggling with time management come up frequently in my conversations with practice owners and leaders.
Running a business is no small feat. Doing so while seeing a full schedule of patients AND being a spouse/partner, keeping your kids and pets healthy and happy, handling aging parents, and trying to make time for the most basic self-care (like eating), feels impossible.
I wanted to share some of the tools I rely on to significantly streamline how I work.
I have no financial interest in any of these; they’re just the productivity hacks that became game-changers for me recently.
ReMarkable2
I have been praised for my note-taking skills since the Dr. Zorn’s biochemistry class in our first year of optometry school (shout out to my NECO ‘97 classmates!)
I was always a notebook person. Whether it was continuing education, meetings, important conversations, or my own ideas, I was never without a pen and paper.
Capturing thoughts in real time and creating to-do lists are part of my personality! But as I got older and my brain seemed “full” more often than not, I found myself flying through notebooks – sometimes one every few weeks. I started to carry around my older notebooks so I could go back and reference something when needed, but finding what I needed was inevitably a struggle.
When I first saw an ad for the ReMarkable2, I hesitated before purchasing. It’s definitely an investment, and I worried it would go the way of the Cricut and the FoodSaver, collecting dust after the novelty wore off (though I’m still going strong with the Vitamix and KitchenAid!)
I finally pulled the trigger and treated myself to a ReMarkable2… and it truly lives up to its name.
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This is a game-changer for me, and I have used it nearly every day since I got it over six months ago. I still get the feel of pen-on-paper, but my notes are now organized and synced to my computer, so everything is much easier to find. No more flipping through old notebooks trying to remember where I scribbled down a key thought from weeks ago. I can easily share my notes, whether in my own handwriting or converted to text.
I have one thing to carry, and flipping through notebooks to find something I jotted down a few weeks ago is a thing of the past.
Flown
A big part of “getting things done” for me always involved other people. It’s hard to motivate myself to tackle tasks alone, but if I’m scheduled to meet someone for a walk or study with a group, I’m far more likely to follow through. The sense of “working together” is something I missed in adulthood. Apparently, asking someone if they want to go to a coffee shop and work on our individual things together is a request better suited for younger people.
When my son was away at college, we had what we called “Study Buddy” sessions. We’d go on Zoom, chat for a few minutes, tell each other our goals for our study time and then quietly work for a while, before one of us broke the silence, at which point we’d chat for a few minutes, and then get back to work again. I got so much done! Now that he started his co-op year and is working full-time, I miss our productivity sessions almost as much as I miss him!
I mentioned this to a colleague and she recommended Flown, a co-working website where people from around the world gather virtually to get things done. I tried it out, and am bizarrely obsessed.
Yes, I’m paying to sit quietly while strangers in my computer look at me and I can look at them. I learned this is called “body doubling,” which is an established productivity strategy used frequently by people with ADHD and autism. Whatever it is – it works. I’m in a Flown session now as I write!
Through Flown, I can commit to virtual sessions – typically 1-2 hours in length – and mentally be “in a meeting,” which nearly guarantees my productivity. In addition to the power of scheduling, I found great benefit from Flown’s encouragement to share an intention at the beginning of the session, and check in at the end to see how you did. Taking a few minutes to think about (and share) “what will I get done in the next hour” is transformative for me.
Loom
As a practice owner and practice management consultant, I often find myself needing to explain complex ideas or give detailed instructions or feedback–often to people who are in patient care and extremely busy.
Loom allows me to create video messages and share thoughts and information at my own convenience–which can be viewed by the recipient when it’s convenient for them, and saved to send or view again. This program records my screen and myself, as I talk through my thought process, conveying expression, body language and nuances that would be lost in written communication.
We use this technology in our office for training both remote and in-office employees, and use it to document processes and procedures in a fraction of the time it would take to write out a process manual with screenshots, etc.
With clients, I use Loom to review financial information, discuss metrics or provide feedback on a proposed communication or marketing plan, leaving more of our one-on-one time for meaningful conversations.
Incorporating Loom into my workflow transformed how I share information, making the process easier and more engaging for everyone involved. In a role where the vast majority of my interactions are remote, it is an invaluable tool in my productivity arsenal.
ChatGPT
And lastly, considering it probably made some contributions to this article, I’d be remiss to leave out my selfless friend, ChatGPT.
I shared what I wrote so far, and prompted it to, “Write a paragraph in my writing style about the benefits of ChatGPT.”
It quickly replied:
“Here’s a paragraph in your writing style about the benefits of ChatGPT:
As a practice owner and consultant, my time is often stretched thin, and I need solutions that help me work smarter, not harder. ChatGPT has become an invaluable tool in my productivity toolkit, offering quick feedback, brainstorming support, and even helping me refine written content without the need for lengthy back-and-forth. It’s like having an on-demand assistant who’s always ready to help me organize my thoughts or fine-tune my communication. Whether I’m drafting an article, preparing for a meeting, or looking for fresh ideas, ChatGPT allows me to move more efficiently through my workload, giving me back time to focus on what matters most.”
It is not wrong.
Bethany Fishbein, OD, is a practice owner, practice management consultant and certified executive coach. She can be reached at bethany@leadersofvision.com