For most of my life, I thrived on movement. Whether it was filling every minute of a vacation with activities, hitting the gym, or carving through fresh snow on a snowboard, I was always on the go. I believed rest was for the unmotivated—if I wasn’t moving, I wasn’t accomplishing. Productivity wasn’t just a habit; it was how I measured success.
But over time, I started to realize something: Constant motion doesn’t always mean forward progress. The more I packed into my days, the less time I had to recharge, reflect, and truly be present. I wasn’t just moving—I was missing. What I once saw as ambition was actually keeping me from the moments that mattered most.
That shift in mindset changed everything—not just in my personal life, but in how I lead.
Relearning What Matters
The PBM industry moves fast. Every decision we make has real consequences for patients, providers, and payers. It’s easy to get caught up in the urgency and the numbers—cost savings, clinical outcomes, operational efficiency. But at its core, our work isn’t about transactions; it’s about people. And if we don’t take the time to see the people behind the data, we lose sight of why we’re here in the first place.
I’ve had to intentionally step back and reassess: What truly defines success? What impact do I want to have—not just on spreadsheets, but on lives? That perspective shift hasn’t slowed me down; it’s given me direction.
Slowing Down to Lead Better
Slowing down isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing what matters most. For me, that’s meant a few things:
- Instead of rushing from one meeting to the next, I focus on being fully present. The best solutions don’t come from packed calendars; they come from real conversations.
- Work will always be there. But the people who matter most—colleagues, clients, family—deserve my full attention, not just whatever’s left at the end of the day.
- In an industry obsessed with cost containment and efficiency, I want to ensure we never lose sight of our mission: to stand as the architect of pharmacy benefits, constructing pathways for plans to traverse the complex formed on a foundation of flexible solutions, exceptional service, and unwavering transparency.
The Productivity Detox
Detoxing from the “always-on” mindset hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. And ironically, by slowing down, I’ve found more clarity, more impact, and more fulfillment than I ever did when I was running at full speed.
At ChoiceScripts, we take the same approach to pharmacy benefits. Instead of defaulting to the status quo, we take a step back to truly understand what’s best for our clients and members. As pharmacy benefit architects, we don’t just manage pharmacy benefits—we design them with transparency and trust, with the people we serve at the center of every decision.
So, here’s my challenge to you: Take a step back. Be intentional. Focus on what—and who—truly matters. Because when we show up fully—at work, at home, in our communities—we create a lasting impact that no to-do list could ever measure.