4 Pillars of Happiness Pharmacy Owners Should Strive For

You’re a pharmacy owner, and like all other entrepreneurs, you probably work crazy hours and find it hard to achieve that all too important work/life balance. You want to spend more time with your family but don’t feel confident being away from your pharmacy.  Stress continues to build both at home and at work, and before you know it, you’re questioning your motivation for being a business owner.

You need to stop, take a deep breath, and exhale. Successful entrepreneurs often feel the pressure of not having enough time to do everything. The good news is there are some simple things you cando to be more efficient at work and at home, so you can enjoy your customers and your time away from the pharmacy. Below are four tips, or four pillars, that will help you find a balance between being a busy pharmacy owner and an engaged family member. No one wants to be stressed out and anxious all the time, and these four pillars should help you focus your mind, body, and soul on the important things.

1. Take Care of Your Own Health

You’ve probably heard the old saying; “If you don’t have your health, then you don’t have anything.” It’s true. Without your leadership, your pharmacy won’t stay afloat. Taking care of your own health will enable you to be a good role model for your team and provide you with the energy you need to be successful in your business.

Working in the healthcare industry, you know how important good health can be. You know that drinking lots of water, eating healthy, and exercising daily is vital for your body and your mind. Here are a few more healthy tips that are also beneficial:

• Stretch – it’s great for joint health, your immune system and can be done quickly anywhere
• Be mindful of your posture – simple posture adjustments can contribute to proper body alignment and can make a big difference over time
• Get plenty of sleep – rest heals the body and has been shown to lessen the risk of heart disease and decrease psychological problems
• Eat a healthy diet and include supplements if needed – your body needs good nutrition and sometimes you may need to add supplements or vitamins for a boost to your diet

2. Build Strong Relationships

People are key to your success and happiness. Your family, friends, and pharmacy team are the people whom you can lean on when you need to. Having a solid support network will ensure that you are able to lead your team and deliver the best possible customer experience in your pharmacy. A team that respects you as a leader and a mentor will provide you with peace of mind so you can spend time away from work. On the customer side, building relationships with your customers will create trust and help you to become an integral part of the community. Serving others with a smile, a handshake, and a thank you goes a long way.

3. Vision

You started your pharmacy with a vision in mind of what you wanted your pharmacy to be. You had dreams of implementing innovative programs, building a strong team, and doing more than you could working in a chain store. Sharing your vision with your team can foster more engaged employees, give them something to believe in, and provide specific goals for them to strive for. If your team feels like they are part of something special they will rise to the occasion and meet the needs of the business and your customers.

4. Business

Your business/your pharmacy is part of who you are. But it’s last on the list of the 4 Pillars of Happiness, because without health, relationships, and vision your pharmacy would most likely fail. Without the prior three things, you wouldn’t be able to bring health and joy to the lives of others. Additionally, if you’re like most business owners, you feel like your pharmacy is your “baby” and it needs constant attention, nurturing and care. However, watching your pharmacy grow and prosper while helping others can be a tremendously rewarding experience. The journey to success is often the true reward, not the destination.

Life is about being happy and finding work/life balance is crucial to your state of mind and the happiness of those around you. Think about these 4 Pillars and how you stack up against them: are you succeeding in some areas but need help with others? Set goals to improve weaknesses and take actions to improve.

Want to know how to better implement goals and action plans that will help you become a more balanced pharmacy owner? Download our free eBook, The Pharmacy Owner’s Guide to an Exceptionally Effective Implementation