The nature of a job in a health profession is that we care for a living. If you ask anyone in the health field to define their job, most definitions will include some iteration of “I take care of my patients.” This is the most rewarding and exciting part of our job. It can also be the part that wears us out the fastest.

I remember finding out that one of my patients had had a resurgence of breast cancer. Her partner came in to pick up her pain meds and told me the terrible news. I cried with her and hugged her and told her I’d be there through it all to help them both. When that patient passed away, I cried and hugged her partner again. This is the sort of stuff that I bring home. Third party issues, doctors calls, injections and med reviews can all be left at work;  it’s the emotional side of caring for my patients that often makes its way into my psyche and hitches a ride home with me at the end of the day.

It is well-documented that health professionals often put themselves last. We do a great job of caring for other people but are not so great of taking care of number one. I can also attest to the fact that if a pharmacist (i.e. myself) is not in top emotional and mental health, work will suffer. A bout of depression does not bode well for accuracy and enjoyment at work.

So, how can we wage war against burn out?

I would argue the answer to the question is not more vacation time or shorter work weeks. It’s having a hobby. Recently, I have taken up wine as a hobby. Not in the “come home and drink a bottle of wine” sense. I have been taking wine education classes and am currently enrolled in the sommelier program put on by the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. Once a week I have a four-hour class on the history of wine, how grapes are grown, grape physiology, how wine is made, etc. I also have papers to write and exams for which to prepare. I love absolutely everything about this course. It is so very different from my daily work experience. It is giving me a totally new and different set of skills. I am meeting new, like-minded people who share my passion for the history, science, and art of wine making.

Now, you’re probably reading this and asking, “but Laura, what does this have to do with me?” No, dear readers, I do not suggest that the key to happiness at work is to enrol in wine school. The point of sharing my story with you is this: having a hobby gives you an out. It allows your mind to escape into a place that has nothing to do with the wonderful world of pharmacy.  As a bonus, pharmacists pride themselves on being lifelong learners. A hobby has the ability to massage a different part of the brain that has been left dormant for too long. New skills can be learned and enjoyed. It gives you something to look forward to that is different from the day to day grind of getting up and going to work.

Do you have a hobby? Do you like to cook, or go to karaoke, or take in Zumba classes twice a week? Do you paint? Is there something you’ve always wished you could do? If you are looking at this article and thinking that you’ve always wanted to take an art history class then I say do it, friends. Join the running club you’ve been thinking about. Sign up for the pottery class you’ve been eyeing. Yes, it will take extra time out of your schedule. Yes, you may have to miss a class every so often. But I can tell you from personal experience that the richness a hobby will add to your life is worth any investment.

Here is a link to HRM recreational programs: http://www.halifax.ca/rec/documents/online.pdf

This would be a great place to start if you’re looking for a new hobby. Programs tend to be inexpensive and cater to any ability level. So here’s to getting out there and having a life outside of work!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.