The 2 Sides of Being a Medical Office Assistant: Work-Life Balance
To preserve both physical and mental health, no matter how taxing a career can be, it is important and necessary for professionals to find a good work/life balance. While at the job, a specialist needs to remain focused, putting their expertise, knowledge, and skills at the forefront of their daily tasks that must be completed. But, once off the clock, it’s also vital for a professional to switch off work-mode, practice self-care, and focus on other non-work-related priorities. It’s neither healthy to have one’s work take over their entire life nor have full reign of leisurely time. Productivity is largely based on how we spend our time to get tasks done, so understanding how to balance both work and life is a useful skill for anyone who wants to start a career, but also still enjoy their time outside of work. Working in the medical field is one job sector where having a fair grasp on work/life balance matters immensely, particularly for Medical Office Assistants.
What is Work/Life Balance, Defined
Work/life balance is a term which refers to the sometimes-complicated relationship between someone’s professional life at work and their personal life outside of work. Depending on the person – work and personal life may overlap a great amount or not at all and can oftentimes affect each other in different ways. Working in the medical sector, Medical Office Assistants operate in an emotionally draining and physically demanding field. Depending on what type of office or hospital a Medical Office Assistant operates in, they can encounter numerous tragedies, hardships, shortages, and several other unforeseen situations all in one day’s time. Due to the emotional and physical toll these professionals take on, Medical Office Assistants can find it hard to relax and unwind after a tough day. The COVID-19 pandemic has additionally heightened workloads for many Medical Office Assistants through longer working hours, wearing personal protective equipment for extended periods, and higher risk of infection. Finding a work/life balance in such a role requires these individuals to establish boundaries and develop healthy habits to thrive outside of work.
What is a Medical Office Assistant?
Medical Office Assistants are vital to smooth operations within medical offices and other healthcare settings. In this position, Medical Office Assistants act as both administrative experts and the intermediary for patients and doctors. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Medical Office Assistants have played an even more important role in the fight to contain and slow the spread of infection. The normal workload has been elevated to meet higher standards of sterilization and safety protocols, test patients and administer vaccines, offer telehealth screenings, and help accommodate with increased patient volumes. Medical Office Assistants, and anyone working in the healthcare field, devote their lives to assisting the public. The normal stresses of this field, with the added concerns of work-life in the pandemic, provide even more of a reason for these professionals to strike a work/life balance and focus on their own health while off the clock.
Leaving Work Behind at the Office
To achieve a good work/life balance, it’s useful to learn the skill of being able to switch your brain off when the workday is over. After clocking out, workers should switch their thinking over to their own personal goals, hobbies, and relationships with their loved ones. Even people who really find themselves loving their job should get out of work-mode, as it can be extremely draining, mentally. If not out of the work mindset, it’ll be harder for a person to focus on their personal achievements or activities. Additionally, when meeting up with family and friends, it’s okay to talk about what happened at work or vent about something frustrating, but don’t let work life bleed into your home life. Jobs are a big part of our lives, but they should not dominate our headspace and energy off the clock.
Make Self-Care a Priority
In as demanding and strenuous a profession as Medical Office Assistant, people are well-deserving of treating themselves to quality rest and relaxation. Self-care is important for people in any walk of life, and justifiably, it is different for everyone. Some people prefer to join a gym or organized sport class to let off steam and relax. Others prefer to take a hot bath and settle down with a glass of wine for a night-in. Whatever form of self-care a person chooses to indulge in, they should make sure it is brings them happiness, peace, and leaves them with a refreshed mind. When we take care of our mental and physical health outside of work, it sets us up to be our best selves when we do return to work. The goal is to return to our jobs feeling recharged and ready to take on new challenges.
Physical Health Matters Too
Staying physically healthy is another important aspect of being your best self both on and off the job. Taking care of your body is imperative to staying on top of one’s profession, especially as a Medical Office Assistant. It’s ideal to make sure a person is getting enough sleep, preferably the recommended 7-8 hours a night, or whatever sleep routine leaves a person feeling rested and at-ease. Another important aspect of physical health revolves around the type of food a person puts in their body. It’s necessary to fuel our bodies with healthy, nutrient-rich food that fulfills our daily intake needs. Prepping energizing meals will help professionals perform better throughout the week as they take the time to eat a full meal, even amidst a busy work day. Skipping meals and only snacking between patients may be an easier resort on stressful days, but these are not ideal solutions to caring for a person’s body. When working in the medical field, a Medical Office Assistant is an advocate for people taking care of their physical and mental well-being, so putting these values into practice themselves will ultimately help them care for their patients better as well.
Becoming a Medical Office Assistant
Blackstone Career Institute’s online Medical Office Assistant program includes a working knowledge in real-world administrative skills, including an online simulated practice program using the same software used in most medical offices. Upon course completion, you will have the skill set needed to secure a job working as a medical office assistant.
Certification Matters
Graduates of Blackstone Career Institute’s Medical Office Assistant training program are qualified to sit for the National Certified Medical Office Assistant (NCMOA) exam administered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Certification provides further assurance of skills and knowledge to employers.
