How To Be the Best You!

It’s that time of year again, clinics are getting busier, stores are becoming more crowded, you’re coming into contact with more people! Believe it or not, the end of the year is quickly approaching! Before you start thinking new years resolutions, think about the qualities that have been helpful and harmful to your career. There is one quality that everyone must have to be successful, regardless of occupation: knowing how to work with others. This is a trait that will separate you from the rest, this is the trait that will take you above and beyond. Being able to work with others is so much more than simply being what you would call “a people person”. There are so many things that go into it that may seem overwhelming at first – but once you see the response you get from being the best version of yourself you can be, it becomes natural! I will just cover a few, however there truly is an endless list of things to work on!

Patience is a quality that if you don’t seem to have, it makes it nearly impossible to work with the people around you. Whether it be coworkers, patients, clients, anyone, this is something you can’t get by without. You want to be sure you’re not rushing information out of someone, give them time to finish what they are saying completely before offering your input. Not everyone you come across is going to be friendly 100% of the time, and it is a MUST that you know how to handle those situations. If you’re having a hard time having patience remember to take deep breaths and realize that everyone’s thought process is different. Smile, breathe, listen and offer help any way they may need!

Touching back on communication, you can’t expect things to go smoothly without it. Whether it is a phone call, email or simply a notebook with any important information that needs to be passed along, be sure you have something to let patients, clients and co-workers what is going on. Try to stay away from Post-It notes with important information, as those can get lost and clutter up everyone’s work station. When it comes to communication with patients, it is crucial that they are aware of exactly what is happening with their plan of care, insurance, and scheduling. This also plays a role in the patient being comfortable confiding in you. If you aren’t open with any other information, there is less of a chance that they will trust you or be comfortable telling you their personal information. When all else fails, keep it simple and leave nothing to doubt. Communication opens up a huge door, make sure that door isn’t locked!

Going hand in hand with communication, being attentive to what is going on around you and being asked of you is also important. If you make a patient feel as if you’re not paying attention to what they are saying, or simply don’t care about the outcome for them, chances are they will not want to come back to you or your place of business again. Don’t skim over details you don’t understand – if you’re ever unsure about something, simply ask for clarification. Often times, people will be grateful that you are putting all of your effort into what is needed of you and thankful you want to do everything you can! You truly need to be able to listen to what others are saying before you are able to help them or make a difference.

So if communication is the door, positivity is the key! We all have days where nothing seems to have gone right since the second you opened your eyes in the morning, however being able to overcome that and still keep a smile on your face is a quality that will not only keep your life together, but it will transfer some of that much needed positivity over to the people around you! Like many things, when trying to reassure others, it’s all in your wording. For example, if you are unable to answer someone’s question, saying “I don’t know” is a big no no! You don’t want others to see you negatively! Instead, try something like, “I am not sure off the top of my head, however I can certainly find out for you as soon as possible!”. Another aspect of this is “positive acting”. There are some people that you will just never get to please. Maybe it’s because they had a bad day, or are just unhappy people in general. It is important that you maintain your positive act, regardless of how little patience you have left! You are in charge of how you feel and act, choose happiness!

                                                                                    Managing Time

So you want to be able to help and keep everyone happy, however there is a fine line between helping others and wasting time. It is important to be able to do your job efficiently, yet without rushing your surroundings. This is something that is very simple, yet important to find that balance.

And lastly, the ability to have a calm presence yet be able to handle any curve ball that may be thrown at you is equally important! There will be times when everything has turned into pure chaos, it is vital that you know how to calm it down and get things running smoothly again. Just as with positivity, if things are hectic but you have remained calm, it will be very easy to influence others with your calming effect! Putting things into perspective may be all this takes. Never make anyone feel as if things are falling apart from underneath them, always be sure you’re reassuring whoever need be, that things will be worked out – and better yet, that you will be there every step of the way.

So as you can see, many of these qualities go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other, and I think that is what makes it so easy once you get the hang of it. You want to be the best you can be, put all of your effort into everything you do and do it with a smile on your face. Even if you’re not feeling extremely chipper, maintaining a smile on your face will begin to alter that mood. Keep communication clear, manage your time properly, listen to what is being asked of you (or not asked, for that matter!) and as always, expect the unexpected. You can do this!! 

Alyssa Hart

Clinic Coordinator Assistant

Physical Therapy Consultants