You may be thinking what in the world does schedule and prioritize fun have to do with strategic thinking in Medical Affairs? Being strategic requires having energy, making good choices on how you spend your time and having the enthusiasm to effectively engage with stakeholders. If you are in work mode 100% of the time you will start to lose steam. Having an impact in Medical Affairs is a marathon not a sprint. That’s why this hack to schedule and prioritize fun is so critical.

Being Strategic Means Having Energy for the Long Run

This week I’ve spoken to two MSLs that are not shining as brightly as they normally do. There is a little less pep in their step and this seems to be because they are tired. They aren’t feeling motivated to

• Build and nurture HCP relationships
• Always being “on” and presenting to HCPs
• Spend the time asking if they are doing the right things.

They aren’t getting enough time to rest and recharge and it’s impacting their performance. It’s counterintuitive but fun helps you be more productive.

Tips to Schedule and Prioritize Fun

It’s easy to say you will prioritize something but it’s hard to actually put it in practice. That’s where the scheduling part comes in. When it gets on your calendar you are more likely to execute on it.

1. When planning your week schedule your fun things first!

What commitments do you have that make you feel recharged? It’s a great habit to implement in your weekly reset routine.

2. Take breaks throughout the day.

It is completely under-appreciated how much small breaks throughout the day help you recharge!

3. When traveling for work make time to do something fun like visit a museum or park.

This is one of my biggest regrets from my work travel times. I didn’t explore the cities I was working in. I used to always say I see the insides of universities and restaurants and that’s it.

Conclusions: Schedule and Prioritize Fun

Being an MSL and in Medical Affairs is extremely demanding. You need to constantly learn, be on top of your game with all your stakeholders and extensively travel. It’s a hard job!

Assess your schedule and your energy levels. Are you operating at a high level and prioritizing strategic thinking? If not feeling it, could you maybe use a little fun and recharging? Use the tips above to be your best strategic self.