Managing Time: Productivity Meets Happiness

Abstract

We started our career as medical writers several years ago. The initial learning was exciting and rapid because we attended many training workshops. These were often on specific and difficult topics, and although all very interesting and things that helped us develop as medical writers, there is one simple fact from these workshops that has stuck most with us. This was from a workshop on improving document quality that we attended early in our career. This workshop left a lasting impression, particularly when the workshop participants unanimously identified time as the biggest hindrance to document quality. This understanding highlighted how mastering time management is critical for addressing the pressure of accelerated timelines and limited resources.

This article summarizes our discussions on time management and its close relationship with other aspects of project management—how we set up our projects and expectations, review practices, and communication. Effective time management is essential to achieve professional excellence in document while maintaining personal happiness.