Navigating Work-Life "Balance" as a Medical Affairs or Medical Science Liaison Professional
Sarah Snyder
Medical Affairs Recruiter & MSL Trainer | PharmD | Former Medical Science Liaison
"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it"- paraphrased from Henry David Thoreau.
Striving for 'balance' can make you feel like you are constantly never enough.
Realizing that there is a 'season' for everything and that you CAN do it all, just not at the same time, reframes your entire life.
Here are 5 mindsets to adopt as you aim for Work-Life Alignment, not Work-Life Balance:
1) Realize that busy isn't better.
Being results-driven and doing the things that matter will take you further than 'doing all the things'.
Do a self-audit of your time. Delete things that don't affect results OR that you don't want to do.
Hate cooking? Get yourself a meal service.
Love to volunteer at school? Schedule it on your calendar.
2) Find help.
Sure, everyone says it, but it will change your life if you do it.
If you are a Medical Science Liaison or Medical Affairs Professional, you may have a unique schedule and need creative help.
Do you need a nanny, cleaning service, or help with errands? Make a list of what you can carve out. Take a Friday afternoon to make the calls and emails to get the help you need (and deserve).
3) Stay organized.
Being optimal about organization saves you hours, if not days of time.
Need proof?
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Think about how much time you waste on resetting lost passwords!
Especially if you travel and have in-home help, take the time to label things so that 'everything has a place'.
4) Be strategic when traveling.
Leaving home frequently can be a challenge, but your attitude towards it sets the tone for everyone in the house.
Send your younger kids a picture of where you are headed (and even better, show them on a map). For older kids, a gratitude text chain may cause them to roll their eyes, but in the end, everyone benefits.
Treating work travel as work, and not a vacation (eg exercise and eat well), can ultimately help you recover faster.
5) Remember that quality trumps quantity every time.
Be present in the moment you are in- whether it's at work, with family, or friends.
If you are at work (even at home), remember that just because you are 'there', doesn't mean you are THERE- keep work in your office and home in the rest of your home.
If you focus on 'quantity' of time, you will be ridden with guilt and you'll feel like you are never enough.
Celebrate the time that you spend (and the wins that you have, no matter how small).
Aiming for Work-Life Alignment isn't easy, but it is worth it.
Taking a step back and realizing that you are not Super-Mom, Super-Dad, Super-Dog Dad, Super-Employee (the list goes on) will take you a long way.
You can figure things out and be the best version of yourself- but you do have to be willing to ask and accept help and support from others.
Considering a career change as an MSL? Sarah is a recruiter and career coach and can help you make the transition that is right for you.
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2 个月Sarah, thanks for putting this out there!
Neuropharmacologist, KOL Relationship, Communication, Mentorship and Development | Sr. Medical Science Liaison at Axsome Therapeutics (U.S.)
1 年Absolutely agree Sarah with all 5 points! But your last comment, extending that grace to yourself (its okay to not be everything, everywhere all at once), that is the key to transition from "managing" to "thriving"
Happily retired!
1 年Sometimes you just have to push and go that extra mile to make it to those “can’t miss” events. I’ll never forget seeing my child’s face light up when I was at a school concert when they thought I was headed to the airport, or being in line to hug them after winning the BIG game after driving 4 hours without a break. I too could not have done my job with little at home without the support of family.
Nurse Practitioner DNP, FNP-BC
1 年Great article and one of my goals this year!
Field Medical Director, Malignant Heme
1 年Great advice, Sarah! I was thinking about this a lot this month since I travelled a fair bit in the past few weeks. I cannot emphasize the point around eating healthy and working out consistently even when you travel. Really changes your mindset…especially when traveling across the coast. The other thing that helps me enormously is identifying my non-negotiables (eg, cannot miss certain family events, or getting in that workout anytime there is a free block). I do not compromise those.