Are you feeling stressed? You’re not alone.
Drug Topics’ 2015 Salary Survey found that stress levels are rising among pharmacists. Approximately 65 percent of pharmacists responded that their stress levels increased in 2014, mostly because of increased workloads, more paperwork and inadequate staffing.
As pharmacists’ roles continue to expand, stress is likely to keep mounting. But, if you’re prepared for it, stress doesn’t have to slow you down.
Avoid errors and anxiety in your pharmacy by tackling stress head-on. Here are some tips to help you manage—and reduce—stress in your pharmacy.
RELATED: How to Conquer Stress in Your Independent Pharmacy
1. Deep breathing
For instant stress relief, try deep breathing throughout your day. Follow the 4-4-6 model: Breathe in for four seconds, hold it for four seconds, and breathe out for six seconds.
2. Stay clean and organized
Always make sure that your pharmacy is clean and organized. When you’re stressed, digging through piles of messy records or searching for a misplaced note can only make things worse.
3. Have a system, and stick to it
Don’t let stress lead you astray from your normal workflow. Shortcuts can seem like a good idea when you’re crunched for time, but can lead to errors that will only cause more work and more headaches. You have a system for a reason—stick to it.
4. Prioritize
Your long to-do list could be what’s causing your stress. Combat it by identifying what needs to be done now—and do it.
5. Don’t procrastinate on problems
If a problem arises in your pharmacy, whether it’s an angry patient or an incorrect order, address it right away. The longer you sit on a problem, the more stress it can cause. Communicate with patients and staff to come up with an action plan to resolve the situation as soon as possible instead.
6. Take care of yourself
Lack of sleep and exercise, poor nutrition and negative thoughts can increase stress. Make sure you’re staying healthy with proper rest, exercise, nutrition and positivity, so there’s no stress to hold you back.
7. Leave work-related stress at work
Don’t let work stress affect your home life. Take time away from your pharmacy to decompress—you’ll feel more able to tackle problems in your pharmacy if you don’t think about them all the time. Try using a hobby—such as a sport or volunteer activity—to get away from the stress.
Stress might be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be debilitating. The next time you feel stressed, stay calm, remember these tips and watch your stress float away.
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 owned 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 secondary wholesaler 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.
