The little things

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.