You know that it’s not a matter of if you or your staff members experience burnout, but a matter of when. So, what should you do once you suspect that professional burnout is becoming an issue?
Try to take action soon. The quicker you give yourself or your staff a break to take a rest, the better everyone will feel. It can be hard to do anything to remedy the situation once the stress and exhaustion become overwhelming.
Fortunately, there are tons of ways to catch or curb burnout before it gets too bad.
Focus on strengths
Figure out what activities resonate with you. Do you enjoy directly dealing with patients? Or is completing paperwork more up your alley? Find out what your team members enjoy, then try to align tasks with interests. Playing to strengths and interests creates a more cohesive work environment.
Review responsibilities regularly
Is the workload evenly distributed? Such a simple question, yet the constantly changing environment of community pharmacy really requires you to take a look at what’s on everyone’s to-do list. Just make sure that tasks—especially the work that no one wants to do—are equally and equitably distributed.
Engage your employees
Cultivating a sense of commitment and ownership with your team will boost morale and work to reduce burnout. Include your team in decisions, ask for their opinions, invite their collaboration, and be open to putting their solutions into practice. Fostering a sense of ownership reinforces the reality that you’re all in this together.
Find your “why”
What initially made you become a pharmacist? Was it a fascination with science? An urge to care for patients? A responsibility to make your community better? Think about that inspiration and encourage your employees to reflect as well. Start to identify what motivated you to do what you do—and come up with more ways to add them into your current practice.
Get out and about
A change of scenery can work wonders—to get out of your own head, and to get out of your own pharmacy once in a while! Take a continuing education class. Attend an interesting conference. Or develop interests that have nothing to do with your professional life by taking up a new hobby or two.
Thank everyone
Express your gratitude often and authentically. Acknowledge the individual efforts of everyone on your team, while noting exceptional achievements. This won’t just create a positive culture in your business, it will reinforce a positive mindset in your life.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
