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Plexus magazine
Scratch that Niche: Thriving In A Home-Based Career
By Carol Bryant, CMT


Since 2002, I have been a proud card-carrying member of the home-based workforce. Like many of you, the journey has been a rollercoaster, but one I  would not trade for all the shoes in Miranda Priestly’s walk-in closet. In fact, I wish I knew someone like the me I am now way back then when I started my home-based career. I decided to interview myself, to be your muse, someone who has been there and done that, and wants to dish it all with you now. This article will highlight questions I had when I first explored the idea of working from home.  I plan to answer them as me today along with a surprise guest expert to back me up on this advice.

We’ve all seen those ads claiming, “Work from home and earn thousands in your first two weeks!” Perhaps at one point you considered picking up the phone and actually calling one of those toll-free numbers, having the package of information mailed off to you so you could get started “on the career of your dreams right away!” Sadly, for every legitimate online training program, there are ten or twenty not-so-legitimate ones. Internet nightmares, multilevel marketing, purchasing mountains of products to sell to family and friends doesn’t sound very inviting nor the “stuff” of which early retirement is made. Tune in to John Stossel, as his 20/20 segments have exposed many a con artist. However, there ARE completely credible and profitable ways to train and work from home and a career in medical transcription is one of them.

Newcomers to the world of medical transcription and/or home-based careers in general will benefit from this article but so too will the veterans of this wonderful world of working from home. I now present to you an exclusive Q&A featuring ten questions asked by the idealist I was then and answered by the realist I am today.

1. What are some key questions I should ask a company I am considering working for as a home-based medical transcriptionist?
Answer: What are my hours? Can I split my shift, work on flex time, part-time, full-time? How much do you pay per line? Does the pay scale increase? Will I always have the same account(s)? What is your downtime policy? Do you provide training, hardware, and software? Is the training home-based? Is there technical help available? How will I be paid? Is there a fee for direct deposit? What are my benefits and do I contribute anything out of pocket? What is your policy for working weekends and holidays? Is there room to advance within the company and how? What is accuracy minimum? Do you provide any educational or CMT reimbursement? How often do you run out of work and do I get any reimbursement?

2. Can I work from home and still be a devoted mom to my children?
Answer: (Deferring to the expert since my kid wears a fur coat year round and is happy with liver snaps to busy herself.) During a recent interview with Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti 9 to 5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube, she advises, “If the kids aren’t in school, it’s not realistic to expect a full, uninterrupted day of work. Give your kids some quality time before sitting down at your desk. Focus on reading a story one on one or playing a game first. Kids then are much more likely to play independently for a while without needing you.” Goodman tells me some moms give their kids a desk in the office near their own work space while others stash some prized toys away in their desks. Having another adult around to help or flexing your shift to get work done while the kids are sleeping or at school are two best bets. Treat this job no differently than you would if you were in an office environment yet realize there is more flexibility for working-from-home moms.

3. How do I combat the sense of isolation I am feeling during my working hours?
Answer: If you have the financial and emotional resources to do so, adopt a dog or cat from your local shelter. One of the biggest disappointments my office-based counterparts complain about goes something like “I wish I could get a ____ (fill in the pet) but it just wouldn’t fair to the animal. I work all day and wouldn’t want to leave a pet alone.” This is yet another perk of working from your residence. Your pet will have a buddy and so will you. Statistically, people who own pets feel less stressed and less lonely  (and just how cool it is that you’re saving a life!) If you can’t have pets or aren’t interested, how about NPR radio as a background buddy? During your lunch or stretch break, tune in to National Public Radio for a virtual coworker.

4. Although I won’t miss the commute to work with rising gas prices as well as office politics, I’d still like to connect with people in some capacity. Help!
Answer: Want to connect with other MTs? Log on to AHDI’s website and find out where the local chapters are in your state. Are you a CMT and need continuing credits? Did you know you can earn 2 CECs by visiting the “Bodies: The Exhibition” tour of the human body. Check it out at www.bodiestheexhibition.com. Ask a friend to be a walking buddy. Join a local book club. Refer to #4 and take Fido for a walk or get involved in a dog-related activity (agility, pet therapy, head to a dog park). Bottom line: Leave thine abode. It’ll still be there when you get back.

5. How do I handle friends and relatives who don’t understand I can’t slack off just because I work from home?
Answer: Set boundaries early. Speak your mind and do not be afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. Explain that you are working from home and simply ask they extend the same courtesy they would if you worked in an office environment outside the home. If that still doesn’t work, keep the phone ringer and answering machine turned down. You can always screen for messages on your lunch or stretch break. The same goes for quick-favor folks. No, you can’t run next door and watch the kids for a half hour so she can get her nails done. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly people learn you mean business because you are in business.

6. I don’t have a lot of extra square footage where I currently live. Can I just work in my bedroom?
Answer: It’s best to have your work environment separate from your non-work environment. Your home or apartment was “built for relaxing, goofing off, loving, bathing, slacking, and sleeping. If you want to succeed at this work-at-home thing, you have to spend some time premeditating where and when you’ll don your on duty hat, how you’ll set up shop, and how you’ll stay connected with the outside professional world,” Goodman writes. If space is truly limited, at the very least claim a corner of a room and surround it with a partition.

7. What about getting promoted in the world of medical transcription?
Answer: Ask your employer or contractor right out of the gate. What are the promotional possibilities? What personal goals do you have for yourself? Where do you see yourself in a year from now? Two years from now? These aren’t hypothetical questions; answer them and then act on those goals. You aren’t in an office environment where your achievements are easily seen. Keep a log of your accomplishments, improvements, successes, copies of kudos you’ve received. When a promotion is being considered, be armed and prepared with your arsenal of achievements. Meantime, stay educated. Take courses, get certified, work towards a promotion. There’s no such thing as learning too much.

8. I’d like to work from home but I’m not sure what choices I have available in terms of worker classifications.
Answer: Depending on your desire and needs, there are several types of classifications available, including employee (part-time, full-time, flex shift); independent contractor; statutory employee; and non-statutory nonemployee. Websites such as www.irs.gov provide specific details of each and what the legal requirements are for these categories. There are pros and cons associated with each, so investigate your options carefully and seek the assistance of a lawyer or accountant when in doubt.

9. What sort of things will I be leaving behind as I enter the home-based workforce?
Answer: Michelle Goodman and I agree: The benefits far outweigh the negatives. No more office politics, dressing up, commuting, missing work due to a sick child, fretting over a bad hair day, car troubles, or traffic. You’ll have more time for and with your kids. It is a challenge with its own unique frustrations, but it can also be the most rewarding professional experience you’ll encounter.

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Home-Based Working Rules to Set Early On

1.Dress for Success: Would you drive to work wearing a cute nightshirt and spend 9-5 in the same? Of course not. So establish a habit of not working in your jammies. If you dress for success, you’ll feel more professional.
2.Separate Not Equal: Keep a home office separate from the rest of your abode if at all possible.
3.Unchain Yourself: DVTs (deep venous thrombosis) aka blood clots are a leading cause of death in those with sedentary lifestyles. Get up and move about. There’s no invisible chain keeping you tethered to the desk.
4.Flex Your Time: Find out which companies allow flex time and split shifts, enabling you to spend time caring for your family and you.
5.Reach Out and Touch Someone: Have contact with people outside your home, join a book club, visit family, call an old friend for a power walk. All work and no play…..
6.Rescue Time: Now might be a good time to rescue a dog or cat, who in turn might rescue you, too. You can be there to housebreak a pup or establish a new routine with a senior pet. Dogs make good walking buddies *see #5.
7.Never Stop Learning: Keep up with trends, changes, and educational advancements in your field of choice. You’re never too old to learn.
8.What Part of No Don’t You Understand: Inform family and friends of your hours, that working from home is the same as working in a real office. Ask that they respect your wishes. Better yet, turn the answering machine down.
9.Have a Plan: Make a schedule of your day, hour by hour. Work a lunch break in and plenty of stretch breaks. Stick to it. Would you fold laundry at the office in town? Probably not, so don’t let household chores interfere.
10. Sit up Straight: Do an ergonomic assessment of your work station and be sure you are seated properly to avoid health problems that come with repetition and a more sedentary career. (i.e. carpal tunnel syndrome)

Keep in mind, if it sounds too be good to be true, it probably is. You shouldn’t have to pay money for job-based leads. If you’d prefer less autonomy, explore the possibility of a career with time spent both at home and in an outside office. If you are a student at this stage, ask the admissions department of the training institution if you can access graduates for questions you might have. A good school will have no problem doing this. You might even want to grab a notebook, give yourself some time, jot a few things down, and think about where you want your career to take you. For many of us, there is simply no place like home.

Anti-Aging Makeup to Turn Back Time
Written for: WebMD.com, 2010
By Carol Bryant


Consumers be warned: Anti-aging makeup attempts to dominate our senses and pocketbooks. Promises of younger-looking skin, eradicating crow’s feet and minimizing smile lines flood the marketplace and reach for our dollars and cents. Armed with expert advice, WebMD reveals makeup that not only looks good but lives up to its boasting of anti-aging properties. Concealing lines while revealing strengths, this anti-aging makeup advice will have you turning back the hands of time in no time.

Hide and Go Seek

Certain categories of skincare products boast coverage claims while they are actually damaging to the skin. Many cosmetic products hope consumers will believe their anti-aging claims due to the inflated prices. Read the label, says Naheed Ali, M.D., of The Pennsylvania Institute of Technology. “Check through the active ingredients. Be leery of makeup claiming to have anti-aging claims”.

Scientific studies have proven only a handful of active ingredients ample to treat the signs of aging. Other ingredients may work but studies have not been tested to substantiate claims.

Active ingredients that have some evidence of effectively treating signs of aging include retinoids (may appear as retinol, retinyl, or retinoic acid on the label), alpha hydroxy acids, azelaic acid, growth factors (some), hydroquinone, kojic acid, peptides (some), and salicylic acid. [1]

The list is expected to grow as studies are performed and knowledge is gained. A licensed dermatologist can discuss which ingredients are most effective in your anti-aging skin care management.

Makeup that is paraben-free and oil-free tends to be good for the skin. “Unless your skin care products are completely pure and infused with anti-oxidants and phytonutrients, your skin will lose its elasticity and will age quite rapidly, “Mojka Renaud, L.N., A.P, of Heathrow, Florida tells WebMD.  Renaud says the key is to focus on products with nourishment, revitalization, and cell renewal. “Products with extensive use of fruits and herbal extracts and made under very low temperature conditions are recommended as they do not destroy the properties of phytonutrients.”

Clearly, reading the label and investing some research into what you do want and more specifically, don’t want, in anti-aging makeup is pivotal for long-term success.

Aging and Your Skin

As the skin ages, it tends to become dehydrated. Less energy is needed for cell regeneration and DNA repair, so skin production of essential fatty acids diminishes. For this reason, Pamela W. Smith, M.D., MPH ,of the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida, recommends taking omega-3 fatty acids like fish oil daily to keep skin hydrated. The aging process causes a decrease in the body’s ability to stay moisturized due to a decline in the making of essential fatty acids like omega-3-fatty acids. Therefore Smith says it is important to take omega-3-fatty acids like fish oil on a daily basis.

Anti-aging makeup that not only moisturizes but lightens the skin and diminishes the appearance of brown age spots is also in demand. Pamela W. Smith, M.D., tells WebMD, “When n-acetyl glucosamine and niacinamide are used together, they stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid. Both of these agents can be added to customized skin care creams for diminishing age spots. Because skin lighteners may elicit a tone lighter than desired, this area of anti-aging skin care is best performed by a physician.”

Products to Avoid in the Anti-Aging Makeup Search

Products containing mineral oil and those that are petroleum based block water and nutrients in the skin from being absorbed. Pamela W. Smith, M.D., MPH, says, “If you want your skin to look younger, do not use petroleum-based products. Limiting the use of petroleum-based skin products will help the skin look younger. Petroleum-based products can block water and nutrients from being absorbed through the skin. Petroleum-based skin products can also decrease perspiration which is need to allow the body to detoxify. Skin care products that are petroleum-based may also dry out the skin by removing the fine coating or sebum normally found on the surface of the skin.” Perspiration is decreased and skin tends to dry out.

Anti-Aging Makeup that Delivers

“Look for products that have collagen inside, Naheed Ali, M.D., tells WebMD. “Collagen is a molecule known to prevent and treat wrinkles, which are one of the most common signs of aging. When using a moisturizer, be sure to use it daily.”


Here Comes the Sun

We’ve all heard the warning not to expose our skin to the sun for prolonged periods. Did you know that tanning products can also damage the skin? Naheed Ali, M.D., says the most obvious skin damaging products are tanning lotions that lack any UV ray protection. 

Eat and Wear Those Fruits and Vegetables

While skin absorbs nutrients from the surface even more efficiently than by digestion, knowing what to look for in anti-aging makeup is pivotal to its function and success. “Fruits, vegetables, and skin lotions containing antioxidants like phytochemicals and bioflavonoids tend to fight aging by taking out free radicals from the circulatory system,” says Naheed Ali, M.D. Beauty truly is skin deep.

When applied to the skin, Pamela W. Smith, M.D. MPH, says vitamin E decreases the skin’s roughness and depth of wrinkles. Anti-aging makeup containing pomegranate seed oil helps with regeneration and thickening of the skin while red tea extract acts as a strong antioxidant and decreases inflammation.[2]

What Should You Look For in an Anti-Aging Makeup?

Mojka Renaud, L.N., A.P., tells WebMD, “Choose a skin care product with high quality, alive and active phytonutrients. A little research goes a long way before purchasing anti-aging makeup and products for your skin.” Reading the label is key.

What about Primers and Foundations in the Anti-Aging battle?

While an anti-aging primer allows foundation to be applied more easily and smoothly, it also acts as a moisturizer to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. Holly Mordini, Vice President of Global Artistry & Education for Smashbox Cosmetics, tells WebMD, “Using a primer not only means using less foundation but will keep skin looking terrific all day. Begin applying foundation in the T-zone (nose-chin-forehead) only for more hydration in the winter months. Work with a foundation brush and blend outward from the center of your face, as not to cover the entire complexion.” Mordini also says primers that are silicon based can fill in lines and pores so that foundation floats over the primer and a younger-looking complexion is achieved.

Nutrients for Youthful Skin

The application of anti-aging makeup in the form of nutrient-based care is also key to firmer skin. “Applying coenzyme Q-10 to your skin helps replenish levels in the skin cells, which starts to decrease with age and causes skin wrinkling and sagging,” Pamela Smith, M.D., tells WebMD. She also says that DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) may be applied to the skin to increase radiance, tone, firmness, and

decrease inflammation. She warns, however, that the odor of DMAE needs to be masked when applying topically. [3]

How Much Time Must I Commit to This?

Using a moisturizer now and then won’t help much since skin is an organ and needs time to be treated, adapt, and maintain a permanent level of moisture, Naheed Ali, M.D. says.

Faithfully using primers helps promote the skin in multiple ways. Sometimes called foundations or face primers, Naheed Ali, M.D. tells WebMD, “these cosmetics arrive in consumer-friendly forms like lotions and creams. They even out skin tone and treat the skin while worn.” Some women may choose to wear one or the other. These are the goals of a solid anti-aging makeup routine indeed: To make us look good and fight back the hands of time while doing so.


Carol Bryant
Writer/Blogger & SocialMedia/PR Guru
Professional Writer and Editor