Changes!

Change happens every day of our lives in every aspect.  There is nothing static about life.  We grow.  We learn.  We adapt.  Look at the history of the telephone.  From operators you had to signal in and request a connection to cell phones today in everyone's pocket, and home phones becoming a thing of the past.  Technology is constantly changing.  We must change with it.  Adapt.  Grow.  Use it wisely.  Technology creates a new way for us to do things, but in that process we must also change our habits that we have had for years.  All the tools that are on the court reporting market today have a place in our steno bags and we must adapt to learning to use them properly and regularly.  There's a saying that goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  So true.  But in the context of technology, I say, "If you keep doing the same thing, you will get left behind."  I have been reporting nearly 20 years and up until a few years ago, I admit to being lackadaisical about my career.  During that time, I decided to leave a company that I was with for many, many years, asleep at the wheel so to speak.  Something snapped me awake and I left the company for bigger and better things.  I awoke to a world of changes I had never realized while being a robot.  Realtime became a reality because I changed my perspective on it.  Doing realtime used to scare the daylights out of me and now I'm setting it up at every deposition I go to, whether it is purchased or not.  I do it for the practice of getting used to the equipment and troubleshooting my own equipment.  I do it for less editing time when I get home.  If I am on the job and waiting, I can use that time to edit as opposed to reading a book, checking my e-mail or playing a game on my phone (all former guilty pleasures).  Only court reporters know what court reporters go through.  No matter how patient our families are, they still don't understand why you have to bring your laptop on vacation to get that last minute expedite out while on your way.  It's time to change.  It's never too late.  Use technology to help you change and to help streamline your workday.  Get to know your software and use the tools that help make every stroke serve a higher purpose.  Use your automatic index.  You may be accustomed to doing it and have a system for doing it, but if the computer can generate it for you, even if you save 5 minutes, that's 5 more minutes with your family or going for a walk or taking a nap....the list is endless.  Use your automatic number conversion.  Once you don't have to put in commas and dollar signs, that will shave even more time off of your editing time.  There are so many features built into your system, no matter which one you have.  Get to know it.  Use it.  Break those old habits and make your work life more manageable with the tools sitting before you.  You can do this with just small changes in your learning curve and your habits!  You will thank yourself for it later!