This post has been sponsored by Zebra Pen. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Working as a dermatology physician assistant for the past five years, I know what works and how to make my day more efficient. As a busy PA, blogger, wife and mom, people constantly ask, “How do you do it all?” It’s time for me to share what my days look like and what makes my life easier.
I’m a pen and paper kind of girl, but I’m very picky about my pens. Luckily, I recently found a favorite with the Sarasa® Grand Gel Retractable Pen from Zebra Pen. It’s got a good weight to it with a metal barrel, dries quickly, and even looks stylish. As an added bonus, no one in the office can steal my pen since they know it’s my trademark. I need a to-do list to keep my life organized. I’ve experimented with apps, but if I physically write something down, I’m much more likely to remember it. If you’re a pen junkie like me and on the lookout for a new go-to pen, check out more information here to see how you can Choose Different!
My planner goes everywhere with me so I can stay on top of deadlines and tasks. Each week, I take some time to review everything I need to get done for the week, as well as the things I would like to start working on. Goal planning is important, and breaking down bigger goals into small steps makes them seem more achievable.
For making a new podcast episode or video, I have to plan out a topic, title, talking points, images, and links. It seems like a lot until I take it one step at a time. I also like to look at my list daily and write down anything I need to do or put on my shopping list as soon as I think of it.
Once I get to work, there are a few tasks I do everyday. The first thing is my pathology reports. Since I do a lot of biopsies in dermatology, once the results are faxed over, I decide on a treatment and mark it on the report. I also have to check the schedule from the previous day and send letters to patients who missed their appointments.
Once I start clinic, it’s really busy and I see on average 30 patients each day. They range from acne and eczema to skin checks and biopsies. If you are ever involved in doing biopsies, make sure to get consent from the patient, and mark a skin map so we can find the lesion again in the future.
I think it’s funny when I have patients sign consent and they ask to keep my Sarasa® Grand Gel Retractable Pen. Having nice pens like this one from Zebra Pen is actually something my patients notice, and I view it as an accessory. They like the way it writes, but also that it dries fast without smudging.
After I’m done seeing patients in clinic, I finally head home to see my baby girl, but I always keep my planner and pens in hand. You have to find systems and tools that work for you and stick to them!
