Oui. A word I feel so strongly about I have it permanently inked on my arm. Like many of us, I am acutely aware that the time we are gifted in this life is finite. With that, I approach life by saying “yes” whenever I can. “Yes” to new opportunities, “yes” to new experiences, “yes” to new connections, “yes” to get the chance to see and do and feel as much as possible in life.
Subsequently, I am also determined to be as efficient as possible in work and life. A self-described “productivity nerd”, I have spent countless hours researching and learning and applying a multitude of productivity tools and processes to streamline how I work, allowing me to say “yes” to as many opportunities as possible.
In Part 1 of this 2-part series, we explored the essence of creativity and its application to the MSL role. In Part 2 we will discuss how to consciously improve productivity in your day to day so that you can implement creative ideas and be as efficient as possible – thus allowing you to say “Oui” to opportunities that come along, boosting your performance as an MSL and in your career.
Guiding Principle of Productivity
In general, the overarching goal should be to minimize redundancy as much as possible. Of course, every interaction with a KOL or meeting with teammates is unique, but there are certain things inevitably done before, during and after that are repeatable. The goal here is to automate as much as possible to reduce time spent on repeatable tasks that will free up your energy and mental space for things that have greater impact.
Ways to minimize redundancy:
- Checklists – don’t rely on your brain to remember the many things you have to do to prepare for and follow up on before or after an interaction or meeting. Your list can take any form that works for you (Word document, OneNote page, sticky note) and it will likely need to evolve over time as requirements for documentation (surveys, systems, business metrics) change.
- Templates – Similar to a checklist, you can maximize your efficiency by creating templates you can use and customize for each interaction. For example, I would use a template to record notes during the interaction and another template for email follow up after. Although the content changes, not having to start from scratch saves you precious moments each time.
Embrace Technology (but don’t let it consume you)
Don’t shy away from technologies to help you in your day-to-day work. If you have a problem, there is a tool out there that can probably solve it. Everyone had to learn how to use a pencil and paper at some point, so don’t let your fear or overwhelm of learning a new tool prohibit you from something that might really lighten your load. Something as simple as a shortcut on your keyboard or sorting your email messages a certain way might completely change the way you view your daily to-dos.
That said, be open to new tools, but don’t discredit tried and true methods. Technology, advancement, new software and new tools appear every day, and although it is important to leverage those new tools to work smarter, speaking from experience, it’s easy to get sucked in and waste time trying to learn new tools, chase the better software, etc. Try to identify specific gaps or challenges for you and seek to fill or correct those specific things. If a process is already working for you, maybe you don’t need to change it.
Small Investments Pay Dividends
Invest some time in exploring various productivity methods. There are people and companies that have built their entire careers on how to work smarter. Leverage the work and information they have made available to find a method that works for you. Understand that we all work and process information differently, and that one method might work better for you than another. And you may not need to implement an entire system – a small part of it may be helpful for you.
For example, I have adopted the “GTD” method (perform a quick internet search to learn more) for managing my inbox and daily to-do’s. I have created a hybrid system over the years that allows me to keep my inbox and to-do list in check without adopting the entire system end-to-end.
Other productivity methods:
- Kanban
- Eat the Frog
- The Action Method
- The 3-3-3 Method
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Talk to others. It’s amazing how many ways there are to achieve the same result. I love when someone shares with me their methods, tools, etc. because ultimately it makes me think about how I can do something better or differently. Conversely, sharing how you do something with another person may greatly help them as well.
Don’t Let Perfection Get in the Way of Good
Whether it’s an email, preparation for a presentation or meeting with a colleague, know that at some point it is “good-enough”. Trying to aim for perfect can be a waste of time. I am a firm believer in “Late-stage tweaking results from lack of commitment”. Do your task, polish it up and commit.
On that note, I will conclude by stating that one of my favorite things about working in Medical Affairs and as an MSL is that it is an amazing playground to be able to explore creativity and new methods to improve productivity. I hope that by sharing my thoughts and experiences in these articles you have been inspired to view your role and the day-to-day work that you do in a different light to ultimately improve the lives of patients in a new way.
*The views expressed in this article belong to me, the author, and not my employer or affiliates.
About the author:
Lindsay Stautzenberger, PharmD, MBA
Lindsay is a Field Medical Training Associate Director at Sanofi. She started her career as a clinical pharmacist in pediatric oncology before transitioning into industry where she has held a variety of roles ranging from pharmacy consultant, business operations project manager, senior manager of professional services and currently in Medical Affairs at Sanofi in the Immunology/GI/Respiratory Therapeutic Areas.
She is a “professional amateur” photographer who loves spending time with her family, music, art, tennis and travel
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