Dr. Vargo

As we go to press, many optometric practices are faced with closing their doors or experiencing a significant decrease in patient load. As a result, my challenge for you this month is to use this newfound time to focus on important, but non-urgent activities.

Taking a page from Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the following are the activities that drive success but are also the activities we frequently procrastinate.

ACTIVITIES

• Staff training. This is probably the No. 1 important activity that people say they don’t have time for. Assuming your practice is still open and that you have staff with a lot of free time, use this time to train and develop their skills and competencies.
• Update your practice website. Now is a great time to refresh your online presence. Work with your web designer to update content and pictures or maybe do a complete website makeover.
• Develop a specialty. Interested in myopia control, sports vision, vision therapy, etc.? Is your reason for not pursuing these specialties lack of time? Now you have the time. Immerse yourself in self-study and accreditation. When patients return, you’ll have a new service to offer.
• Revisit your optical. Evaluate your frame lines and develop a frame board management system.

These are just a few suggestions. It’s important to not only stay productive during the corona pandemic, but to also stay positive.

A FINAL THOUGHT

These are difficult times. Let’s focus on what we, as O.D.s, can control. OM