The bigger picture

Pharmacy teams can be on hand to spot signs of burnout, and as well as signposting to further support, can provide practical and self care advice to help customers start combatting symptoms:

• Sleep: getting good quality sleep as well as enough sleep is beneficial to many aspects of health, providing rest, relaxation, the chance to recharge and de-stress. More on sleep and insomnia advice here: tmmagazine.co.uk/conditions/nighttime-notions
• Ask for help: Sufferers can speak to their employer or seek mental health support – talking to a mental health professional can help give people the tools to manage their mental health and stress levels
• Protect your time: Making sure you finish work on time ensures relaxation periods in the evening. Equally, it’s important to make time for activities outside of work, whether it’s seeing friends and family, spending time exercising, or taking part in hobbies
• Time off work: as a last resort, some people may need to take time off to recover. But, hopefully, before it gets to this point, customers should be advised to ensure they take all the annual leave they are entitled to for the year. Even if they don’t go on holiday, time away from work can provide necessary rest.