For many MSLs, every day feels like a chaotic whirlwind of never-ending back-to-back meetings with endless emails and notifications. There is no time to breathe, set up, and plan for upcoming KOL meetings, log interactions/critical insights, or catch up on emails.

MSLs often feel overwhelmed, constantly jumping from one task to another without any real sense of accomplishment. The worst part? Despite all the hustle, many aren’t sure if they are making a real impact. There is a better way. Welcome to the world of the ideal week. This article covers why every MSL should plan their ideal week and how it is a blueprint for success. It is a way to ensure you’re not just busy, but productive.

What is an Ideal Week for an MSL?

An ideal week is a pre-planned schedule that aligns daily activities with strategic priorities. It ensures that you spend time on high-impact tasks that drive meaningful results, rather than just staying busy. The concept involves breaking down your week into dedicated time blocks for specific activities like KOL outreach, pre-meeting planning, internal meetings, administrative tasks, and professional development.

By following an ideal week, you create a structured yet flexible framework that helps you manage your time more effectively. This approach not only increases productivity but also reduces stress by eliminating the chaos of a reactive work style. With an ideal week, you can confidently track your progress, make necessary adjustments, and ultimately, maximize your impact as an MSL.

Why Every MSL Should Plan Their Ideal Week: Get Off the Hamster Wheel

Most of us are drowning in emails, meetings, endless to-do lists, and fire drills. Without a plan, it’s easy to get lost. Planning your ideal week helps you prioritize what actually matters like building relationships with KOLs, strategic initiatives, gathering insights, and professional development. The ideal week for MSLs is about working smarter, not harder.

Here are more reasons why every MSL should plan their ideal week:

👉Make sure activities are in sync with strategic goals (do impactful work)

👉Master time management and not feel overwhelmed at work

👉Rock KOL meetings and build deep relationships

👉Handle admin like a boss and stay on top of everything

👉Stay sharp with continuous learning

How to Plan Your Ideal Week as an MSL in 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: Figure out everything you need to do and how long it will take you to complete each activity.

Here is an example:

– KOL Meetings, Outreach & Follow-Up: 22 hours
– Internal Meetings: 8 hours
– Administrative Tasks: 4 hours
– Scientific Literature Review and Learning: 4 hours
– Professional Development and Networking: 1 hour
– Special Projects: 2 hours

What do you think of this breakdown? Do you agree? Disagree? What would you add or change? Share with me on LinkedIn!

Step 2: Plan out when you will do each task during the week.

Use time blocks to schedule when you will complete each activity. There is no right or wrong way to do this. If you don’t know where to start try this:

1. Create three 2-hour time blocks per day (morning and 2 in the afternoon)

2. Fill in those blocks

If the idea of being so structured makes you cringe, start at the day level. “On Mondays, I do my pre-meeting planning and follow-up…” The biggest benefit is that you don’t have to think about what to do when. This is a game-changer when you are unmotivated. Instead of trying to motivate yourself you just do your plan.

Also don’t forget to prioritize health, family, and fun. Otherwise, it could lead to burnout. Unfortunately, this is very common in Medical Affairs and is not fun!

Want some help building your ideal week? The MSL Habits for Success template walks you through this process.

Step 3: Monitor how closely you align to your ideal week.

This will inform the modifications you need to make during the week to stay laser-focused on your needle movers. Maybe you need to remove something from your plate. Or perhaps the time block structure you picked doesn’t work with your peak productivity times.

Important note: every week will not be an ideal week. Your ideal week plan is a guide to help you stay on target and ensure you are working on activities that move the needle. Don’t feel bad if every week isn’t perfect. That will never happen. Sometimes stuff gets crazy or you are very busy with a congress. Or back to back congresses. That’s ok! Just refer back to your ideal week plan to get back on schedule.

More Time-Management Resources to Be the Boss of Your Time