Sophia Mack is a second-year PharmD candidate at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.
As a pharmacist, you dedicate your life to helping other people, but how much can you help others without first helping yourself? The first approach we take with counseling patients with certain conditions is to address lifestyle changes, but sometimes student pharmacists don’t use the same philosophy. If a patient strays from their recommendations, their condition can worsen and that can expand to not being able to work, spend time with family, or do things they once could. That expansion can apply to the pharmacist, too.
Student pharmacists can experience burnout, which is something I have experienced firsthand. It’s a term heard often, and there is a justifiable reason for its repetition. The stress of grades, social lives, and the weight of success can push a student pharmacist beyond their limits. Because of this, you must take our own advice and practice the same form of care for yourself as you encourage your patients to do.
Over the years I have struggled with finding ways to relax, but I’ve cumulated some tips that I think might be as helpful for others as they were for me.
Talk it out
As an extrovert, when I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I can find myself spiraling if I can’t find an outlet for those thoughts. You can be your own harshest critic, and it’s painful to remind yourself how difficult the path may be. At the same time, you must remember how impressive you are! Everyone needs space to vent, whether this be with your friends, family, pets, or even a journal entry: putting your worries into words allows you to bring yourself to reality.
I’ve found that venting, for me, helps my stress become fixable, instead of a personified barrier to my success.
Give in to your hobbies
You might have that feeling that there is never enough daylight and dread the looming sense of constant productivity as necessary to success. I know during my first year, when I was not studying, I had a sense of guilt that that’s what I should have been doing. Let me say that this isn’t the case! Reminding yourself of who you are as an individual, as well as a student, is what makes you the valuable health care professional you are.
If there’s a book you’ve been meaning to read, a puzzle or Lego set collecting dust, or that crochet blanket you have yet to finish, allow yourself to enjoy those things without a sense of misplaced time.
Unplug and disconnect
Give your eyes a break! This is my favorite tip that I have developed over my school career. With the growing technological advancements within the profession, you are constantly glued to your screens—answering emails, taking notes, and practicing for exams.
Disconnecting allows a boundary to be placed both physically and mentally, which comes with several benefits. These can include better sleep—which we all could use—increased focus, and feeling more present in the moment.
Take a walk around the neighborhood, a trip for sweet treats with your friends, or even a fun impromptu trip to the Cincinnati history museum (a personal favorite of mine). Just putting your devices on “do not disturb” mode allows for that separation that your brain needs to rest.
I’ve found unplugging from my studies grounds me to remember there is more than that test on Friday. Remember, life will keep moving if you take a break. So do it!