You’re a pharmacy entrepreneur. You’re not just a business owner. You have a vision for your pharmacy and you took risks to start the business you have today.
And, every day takes work—a lot of it. Whether it’s talking with your accountant, going over reimbursement issues with your staff or tending to a disgruntled patient, it can be easy to have days when you lose your inspiration.
As an entrepreneurial pharmacist or business owner (for you non-pharmacist owners), your staff looks to you for guidance. For your business to succeed, you have to be a leader. Your duty is to keep everyone and everything on the right track—yourself included.
The next time you find yourself in need of a little encouragement, follow these 10 tips to get motivated.
1. Start small
Becoming a successful entrepreneur took years of education, hard work and determination. Your business didn’t just begin thriving over night.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with a large project or are unsure what direction to take, remember that it’s okay to start small. Once you’ve got the motivation, the ball will begin rolling from there.
For example, if you’re stressed with prepping for your pharmacy’s first workplace flu clinic—start small. Don’t attempt to do all the planning overnight. Take your time arranging what staff will work the event, choosing a business to work with and figuring out all the other logistics.
Just knowing that you don’t have to rush things to be successful should give you peace of mind.
2. Try something new
Doing something outside the realm of your typical schedule can help get you out of a rut.
Try something new at your pharmacy or something non-work related to garner motivation. For example, if you normally go home directly after work, try something different, like an extracurricular hobby outside the domain of pharmacy.
Separating yourself from your career can help you learn new skills, and give you the energy and motivation you’ll need to get back to work.
3. Reward yourself
As a pharmacy entrepreneur, you likely work long shifts and have a lot on your plate. So, what’s wrong with treating yourself for all of your hard efforts?
If you have a full day of meetings ahead, hire catering or plan a fun outing for your pharmacy’s employees to enjoy after the long day.
Not only will rewarding yourself be enjoyable at the conclusion of a project, it’ll provide incentive for you to get to work and do your best.
4. Get inspiration
If you’re feeling uninspired with your work, do something to get out of that rut.
Getting inspiration can be as simple as holding a workplace meeting outdoors on a nice day, listening to a motivating podcast or walking into a national chain or big box pharmacy to see how their businesses run compared to yours.
Looking for inspiration is a simple way to get you motivated and working toward your pharmacy’s goals.
5. Set realistic goals
A lack of motivation can be caused by setting unrealistic goals for yourself or your business.
For example, you likely already have a full schedule, so developing a plan to post on your pharmacy’s blog once a day can be a lot to take on. Instead of writing daily, aim for posting informative content once or twice a week. Or, better yet, delegate the task.
Setting realistic goals will help you stick to them, and you’ll be more motivated to reach them because you’ll know they’re plausible.
6. Take a break
Everyone loses motivation to work every once in a while. It can be especially difficult for a pharmacy entrepreneur like yourself if you’re not scheduling in enough “R and R” time.
To achieve your full potential, take a break every once in a while. You deserve it.
7. Educate yourself
Sometimes all you need to gain back your impulse to work is to get outside your pharmacy and learn something you didn’t know before.
Attending continuing education (CE) courses are a great way to get motivated and inspired. You’ll be able to stay up-to-date on industry trends and learn how you can grow your business with new pharmacy practice ideas.
8. Meet with peers
Whether it’s your pharmacy employees encouraging you to start that new telepharmacy business, or new friends you’ve met at a networking event applauding your pharmacy’s volunteer work, the best source of motivation can come from your peers.
If you need a little reinforcement, meeting with likeminded individuals who support you can be just the cup of tea you need to get your motivated mojo back.
Attend your state pharmacy association events or head to national pharmacy conferences to get some one-on-one time with other pharmacy owners.
9. Volunteer your time
When you were in pharmacy school, you might have been required to—or wanted to—volunteer as a way to help build your résumé. But as an entrepreneur, you may struggle to find the time to volunteer.
Volunteering is an unexpected way you can get inspired. You’ll be able to network, get outside your comfort zone and even learn new things—all of which will surely do the trick to get you motivated.
10. Don’t sweat the small things
Stress can be a leading cause of your lack of motivation. If you’re feeling stressed or overworked, you may not feel the urge to deal with all that’s on your agenda.
Remember to not sweat the small stuff. For example, if your pharmacy made a social media blunder, know that you can recover.
A lack of motivation can drain your productivity. Learn about these other five workplace issues that can also lessen productivity at your pharmacy.
