For managers in the pharma industry, productivity isn’t just a goal; it’s an imperative. With teams to run, quotas to meet, and countless tasks to complete, every moment of your time is precious. Learning how to use each minute correctly will be essential to your success.
Unfortunately, finding and maintaining a high level of productivity isn’t always easy. There are endless distractions vying for your attention in today’s fast-paced landscape. What’s more, many pharma specialists are beginning to work remotely or with a hybrid schedule that creates new challenges to overcome.
Here are just some of the ways you can turbocharge your efficiency and achieve the highest levels of productivity as an ambitious pharma leader.
Design Effective To-Do Lists
Different people respond to to-do lists in different ways. Some people find the presence of unchecked tasks on their lists to be a huge demotivator. Others find it easier to stay focused if they know exactly what they need to get done each day and which tasks are most important.
The key to getting the most out of your to-do lists is to use them properly. Make a note of the most important tasks you need to tackle first the night before, so you’re not scrambling to organise your schedule first thing in the morning. Once you have your list, rank your items based on what’s most important. You might even encounter a few tasks you can delegate to other members of staff.
1. Don’t Multitask
Studies constantly show that multitasking doesn’t work. While it might seem productive to jump from one task to another throughout the day, the reality is you’re not giving all of your focus to any specific project. This usually means you’ll achieve your goals more slowly than you’d like. It could also lead to a lower quality of work because you’re constantly distracted by other tasks.
Using your carefully structured to-do list, focus on the tasks most in need of your attention first, and work on them until they’re complete. Completing your most challenging tasks when you have the highest levels of motivation is often a good idea. Only once you’re finished with one task should you move on to something else.
2. Have a Dedicated Workspace
This may have seemed like an odd tip a couple of years ago before remote and hybrid working became the new normal. Now that pharma leaders can work from virtually anywhere with an internet connection, you’re spending a lot more time outside of the office.
As tempting as it might be to work from the comfort of your sofa or local coffee shop, it’s best to have a space you can dedicate specifically to work. Having an established work environment set up at home will help to keep you focused. It’s also a great way to ensure you can separate your work and home life when you need to close the door on tasks at the end of the day.
3. Be Aware of Distractions
Around 40% of employees believe remote working will help to reduce the number of distractions they face each day. The reality is most working environments come with potential distractions. The most important thing you can do as a manager is learning how to recognise and address these issues whenever they emerge.
When working in the office, it might be important to let your staff members and colleagues know when you will be available to answer questions and when you need focus time. When you’re operating from home or outside of the office, it’s important to find a way to block out external noise (like televisions or family members) and avoid the call of procrastination. Turning off your phone and closing the door to your home office can help a lot here.
4. Take Breaks
There’s a difference between procrastination and allowing yourself a moment of rest. Whether you’re working remotely or in the office, your brain can only focus for so long before you need a minute to refresh. If you force yourself to concentrate on an issue for too long, you can end up suffering from stress, brain fog, and generally poor productivity.
Every so often, set the alarm on your phone to remind yourself to get up, move around, and get a change of scenery. Sometimes, all it takes is a few moments of silence and a glass of water to kick-start your mind and get you back on track.
5. Equip Your Team for Independence
You can’t focus on getting work done if you’re constantly answering employee questions or fixing issues for your staff. Make sure you communicate regularly with your people, asking them to touch base or give you updates when they complete certain tasks but provide them with the opportunity to take the initiative and work independently too.
It’s also a good idea to ensure all of the people you’re responsible for have the right tools to remain productive themselves. This could mean giving your staff access to new tech and productivity tools to track which tasks they need to do next and collaborate with colleagues. When your team is confident and knows what they’re doing, you can spend less time worrying about them.
6. Hire the Right People
As a manager, it often feels as though you have two separate jobs. First, you have the tasks you need to manage each day to help the business succeed. Then, you also have to think about chasing up your team members, checking they’re getting work done, and dealing with feedback. The temptation to micromanage can be a serious drain on productivity, so make sure you have a team you can trust to get the work done.
Ensuring you have the right people around you is also crucial for delegation. As a pharma manager, there will be moments when you need to pass a task to someone else. Hiring the right staff from day one will ensure you can confidently determine who has the right skills to tackle specific challenges.
What Next?
Staying productive as a pharma manager in today’s evolving landscape can seem like quite the challenge. Fortunately, Kinetic can help. If you want assistance finding the perfect people for your high-efficiency team, contact us on +971 (0)4 442 0921 or via email here to learn more about what we can do for you.
Thanks,
Chris
How Kinetic Can Help
Kinetic sources professionals locally and internationally for leading multinational, regional and local Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices companies, including Consumer Healthcare organisations.
If you need help sourcing the best candidates for your pharmaceutical or medical device organisation who will help drive your business forward this year, contact us today.