4 Simple Time Saving Tricks For Your Pharmacy

My days never feel like I have enough time in them, between work and my daughter’s 6pm soccer practice, we barely make it home in time for dinner. Do you have enough time in your day? Do you have enough time to sit down with your family, read something besides email, to exercise and stay fit, to be involved with your community, to enjoy all your passions?  Like everyone else, you have exactly 10,080 minutes per week or 18 summers with your children before they are grown up and off to college. The way you use those minutes, hours, days, and summers determine whether or not you really have the time to do the things you really want to do. Here are 4 time saving tricks that I have found useful. 

1)      Maximize your commute times – Many commuters spend a huge chunk of the day getting to and from work. Instead of sacrificing more of your personal time for your career, consider using your daily commute as an opportunity to fit more time into your day by reading or maybe listening to a pod cast. When the weather permits, I like to squeeze some exercise into my commute by riding my bike to work. This not only helps give me a boost of pre-work energy but this low impact activity can also help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

2)      Make a smaller but prioritized to do list – Did you know, there have been several studies proving that multitasking is impossible? Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by tasks or deadlines that need to be met, I make a small prioritized list. The last thing you want is to create a list that is too large for you to get done in a day, or even a week. This helps me focus and stay on top of the most important tasks that need to be completed. By the end of the day you want to feel accomplished and proud of your work.

3)      Schedule your communication – If you are faced with never-ending meetings or numerous interruptions, you can easily be busy all day without making any progress. That is why it is imperative to know how to schedule your time appropriately. Setting specific hours during your day to check email and/or answer calls not only helps to keep you on track, it also prevents any disturbances.

4)      Take advantage of technology – There are constantly new technologies popping up all the time that can help you filter and process information. Whether it would be to download a cool app reminding you of your tasks throughout the day or utilizing innovative technology in your pharmacy to make you and your staff more efficient, technology can make your life easier. For example, in our world, having a robust pharmacy point-of-sale solution helps you minimize errors because your system will be able to accurately ring up prescriptions and speed up the checkout process.  This leads to happy employees and happier customers. Another capability that POS brings is the ability to run reports on cash, employee, and customer activity.  This gives you the ability to analyze what is working and maybe more importantly, what needs to be improved, which allows for better customer service, and a more profitable pharmacy. 

It’s astonishing how often we find ourselves wishing for just a few more hours or minutes to get the last details completed. Remember, it is impossible to get everything done at once. You can maximize your efficiency and get more done by taking the initiative and driving new habits into your day. Always focus on your ability to save time, and continually look for ways to cut down or eliminate major time wasters from your life at work or at home.  At the end of the day, go home with a smile on your face knowing you had a very productive day!  

Please share in the comments below what tools or best practices you use to save time and make your day more productive!