I am a practising pharmacist in the primary care in Singapore. Recently, I found myself displaying symptoms of burnout, which stemmed from trying to juggle my family commitments and facing difficulties in a complex project at work. Through the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) course, I have learnt to regulate my emotions and to be aware of things around me. Some practices can be incorporated into daily routine, such as walking and interacting with patients.

One of my biggest takeaways from the course is being present with patients. One of the techniques, 50/50 awareness, is about maintaining awareness of our own emotions and bodily sensations while talking to others. One of the reasons why my patient-fronting sessions were depleting my energy, rather than nourishing me, was my mind was often filled with thoughts about the waiting time of patients (gosh, the next patient waited 30 minutes; I need to clear the next few cases quickly!), while having patients in front on me.

Recognising this has helped me to focus on one patient at a time. I learnt to be present with each patient and to let go of all other worries. Moreover, I became more empathetic towards my patients’ needs and was able to provide better patient care. I also had more energy for other aspects of my job, such as doing research or carrying out projects. As a result, I was less exhausted at the end of the day, and had more energy to care for my family.

I have been practising mindfulness for a while now, and it has significantly impacted my effectiveness as a practising pharmacist. My self-confidence and my ability to cope with stress significantly improved. I believe such skills are beneficial to many of us in the pharmaceutical sector.

Yap Hui Rei,
Course Participant