How to embrace your well-being
By Alexis Shook, PharmD, CPP
Pharmacy school graduation is an exciting milestone, but transitioning from student pharmacist to new practitioner brings new responsibilities that can challenge even the most prepared graduates. Amid the excitement and change, staying in touch with your emotional and mental well-being is key to personal and professional growth.
Here are some tips to help you maintain balance as you enter your new role.
Reflection
Building in time for daily reflection can feel unnecessary, but understanding your emotions is an essential first step in taking charge of your well-being. Processing your thoughts helps you communicate your needs effectively and supports a growth mindset. Allowing time daily to check in with yourself can help protect your well-being.
Resources
Every new practitioner will face challenges and victories, but you will never be alone. Friends, mentors, preceptors, and loved ones can offer valuable perspective and support. Although there will be pharmacy resources that can closely relate to your professional challenges, surrounding yourself with people outside of pharmacy can provide a different point of view. Don’t hesitate to seek out therapy or medication management for your well-being if needed.
We provide these essential resources for our patients, but we must also consider them for ourselves. The Well-Being Index is also a helpful tool for tracking your well-being over time, helping you identify areas needing attention, resulting in a proactive approach to managing your mental health.
Respect your boundaries
As a new practitioner, invest in well-being by creating and sticking to boundaries. New practitioners often struggle with setting boundaries, especially when balancing new responsibilities and learning opportunities. It’s OK to say no, especially when a task doesn’t align with your goals. Overcommitting can lead to burnout and saying no to things that don’t contribute to your growth or needs in the long run can free up space for more meaningful tasks.
Setting boundaries also means designating time away from pharmacy duties—such as not responding to emails after hours or having pharmacy-free weekends. Know that everyone’s boundaries may look different, so become comfortable communicating and sticking to yours.
Rest
Rest is essential in maintaining well-being—scheduling time for things that bring you energy and joy helps keep you well-balanced. For instance, schedule a 30-minute walk in the morning before work, a weekly call with a friend on a day off, or a monthly spa day. Resting also means listening to your body and taking time off for physical illness or mental health when needed. Caring for your well-being also means keeping up with routine health appointments and screenings. You are a human being who needs sleep, nutrition, and care to function correctly, so take the time you need for yourself; your well-being depends on it!
Take charge early
As a residency site coordinator, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for residents to take charge of their well-being early. I remember struggling to balance new practitioner life with all of my other responsibilities, but even something small, such as setting time to read nightly, showed me that it was possible to continue to prioritize my well-being while also maximizing the growth opportunities around me.
I encourage you to prioritize your well-being now. You’ll be glad you did!
Alexis Shook, PharmD, CPP, is a clinical pharmacist, community-based residency site coordinator and adjunct assistant professor of clinical education at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy and UNC Campus Health. She is also actively involved in sports pharmacy as co-chair of the U.S. Sports Pharmacy Group Research and Scholarship Committee and director of clinical education for the Sports Pharmacy Network. She loves to read and spend time with her husband and friends, as well as with her cats (Poppy and Goose) and new puppy (Maggie).