Tips for Reducing Stress in Your Pharmacy

Owning a pharmacy can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be stressful. Although tension is present in virtually every career, that doesn’t mean you can’t reduce it. Some of the factors that impact the amount of stress in a pharmacy environment include: prescription volume, patient population, management style, automation efficiency, store layout, daily distractions and more.
Failing to manage the stress in your pharmacy environment can have a negative impact on patient safety, personal health, and the overall success of your pharmacy. As you already know, too much stress can lead to anxiety, sleeplessness, high blood pressure and even obesity. If left unresolved for too long, it can also cause employee burnout.As a pharmacy owner, what should you do to reduce stress and avoid burnout for yourself and your team? Encourage your team to stay on top of their own well being and focus on those actions that you can take to help your team get through challenging and difficult times.

Communicate with your team

When you feel overwhelmed your natural reaction may be to withdraw from your team. However, the best thing you can do is to engage with your team if you notice that they are at their wits end. Regularly communicate with your employees and figure out how you can help remedy their concerns. Maybe they’re overwhelmed because another team member is out of town resulting in a heavier workload. Or maybe they are in need of additional training, but haven’t reached out to let you know. Leading your pharmacy through a stressful period requires clear and effective communication. Refrain from negativity, anger or placing blame. Work with your team to identify issues and figure out ways to resolve them together.

Watch for road blocks

Inevitably there will be situations that become roadblocks in your pharmacy workflow. Even though you may not be working with patients every day, it’s important that you help your staff recognize potential issues before they occur. Some roadblocks may include insurance issues, problems with physicians, or patients that don’t completely understand their medications. It’s important that you work with your team to find solutions that will help them remain productive and provide patients with a positive customer experience.

Remain calm and positive

This may sound like a given, but remember that stress and anxiety are contagious. If you appear to be stressed out or overwhelmed, your staff will feel it too. Force yourself to speak in a normal tone, slow down your rhythm, and always remember to smile. It may seem counterproductive to “fake it,” but as a leader, your team looks to you for guidance. If you need to, step away from the situation for a moment and come back when you are in a positive mental state.

Prioritize tasks

There’s more to prioritizing than determining which prescriptions need to be filled first. You know all too well that at any given moment, there are a number of different things that need to get done in your pharmacy each day. All of the little things add up quickly, and you and your team may be tempted to tackle the small, less important tasks to “get them out of the way.” However, when things get tough, prioritize which tasks are the most important, and attack those first. Not only will you get your highest priorities out of the way, but you’ll also reduce your stress levels in the process.Regardless of whether you are new to pharmacy ownership or a seasoned veteran, stress will always play a role in your pharmacy. Knowing how to deal effectively with the stress can make all the difference in how your team responds to situations and how your pharmacy operates.Looking for ways to set goals and implement new programs without all of the stress? Download our free eBook,