When learning something new it is usually the little things that can seem overwhelming. I just learnt a new program to search patient names for information and medical records. I recall the person telling me how to use the program and it seemed very complicated: Log in, enter your password, press F1 if you want to do this, F2 if you want to do that. When you get to this screen, look on the right-hand side and press F11 ... You can see what I mean. I thought I was never going to get it as there seemed to be just too many things to remember. But after a few times using it, the little things started to become common place. I didn't need to think about them anymore as they were now part of how I used the program. What seemed hard at first is now very easy. And isn't that how it is when starting a new job or taking on a new task?
I only knew one person when I started my new job, but now I am putting names to faces and don't even have to think about it anymore. I was nervous the first day I had to take minutes at an advisory committee meeting. It was a big group and I wasn't sure how I was going to get the attendance straight when I hadn't met most of the participants before. Now after my second meeting, I only had to ask my colleague who one person was. Everyone else has become familiar.
That also goes for new processes and tasks. I support two meetings and there is lots to do for each meeting. Some of the things are becoming routine. Now all I have to concentrate on is taking the minutes, everything else is falling into place.
So if you are starting a new job or have something new to learn, keep in mind that in a relatively short time everything will start to make sense and become part of the routine. Give yourself time to learn and you will eventually get it.
