Pharmacy owners have 1,000 things to do every day; telling your employees what to do every day shouldn’t be one of them. Controlling calendars makes this dream a reality.
Managing pharmacy employees without controlling calendars is like herding cats… blindfolded… during a fire drill. Everyone’s running in different directions, you’re answering the same questions five times a day, and your stress levels are higher than your wholesaler invoice after a delayed Caremark payment.
Here’s the hidden truth: most pharmacy chaos doesn’t come from bad staff. It comes from a bad system. Without an effective system to control behavior, tasks, or time, you end up babysitting instead of leading.
That’s exactly why I love Controlling Calendars. They’re one of the most powerful (yet underused) tools in your pharmacy growth toolbox. With them, you can save time, reduce stress, and finally give your employees the confidence that they’re doing the right tasks every single day.
What Is a Controlling Calendar?
A Controlling Calendar is a structured, position-based task calendar that lays out exactly what needs to be done—daily, weekly, and monthly—to move your pharmacy toward its goals.
Think of it like a roadmap for your team. Instead of you hovering and micromanaging, the calendar does the heavy lifting:
- Owners/Managers save hours and stress because they aren’t constantly re-explaining or double-checking tasks.
- Employees gain confidence knowing exactly what’s expected and that their work connects to the bigger picture.
- The pharmacy as a whole keeps moving steadily toward monthly, quarterly, and annual goals—without chaos.
From Micromanagement to Empowerment
Without a system, it’s easy to fall into micromanagement. You repeat instructions, your staff forgets after a team meeting, and you feel like nothing sticks. Controlling Calendars solve this by giving employees a crystal-clear guide they can follow independently.
Instead of you being the “fire-putter-outer” all day, your staff becomes empowered to own their role. That’s a win for everyone.
The Profit Lasagna Approach
I like to think of building a successful pharmacy like making a lasagna (yes, a lasagna!). You can’t just toss noodles, sauce, and cheese into a pot and hope for the best. It’s the layering that makes it work.
Your pharmacy is the same way. Growth doesn’t happen in one giant leap—it happens in carefully stacked layers. One initiative, one goal, one month at a time.
Controlling Calendars are your layering tool. They help you:
- Set annual goals → Break them into quarters → Break them further into monthly and weekly actions.
- Assign tasks by position so every employee knows what to do, whether they’re opening, closing, or making deliveries.
- Build consistency so that each layer (month) adds up to a beautiful “profit lasagna” of long-term success.
- The controlling calendars help blend the must-do tasks of normal operations with the high-priority tasks of building a profitable pharmacy.
Customization Is Key
Every pharmacy is unique. That’s why the Controlling Calendar templates are just that—templates. They’re a starting point to customize based on:
- Your pharmacy’s current goals (e.g., boosting net profit, expanding compounding, growing cash-based services).
- The roles in your store (opening tech, closing tech, delivery driver, pharmacist).
- The systems that already work for your team.
The magic happens when you align employee tasks with your actual business objectives. If your goal is higher net profit, you may not need 100 new third-party patients—you may need better supplement sales or a streamlined workflow.
Controlling Calendars By Role, Not People
My goal is to help pharmacy owners scale their pharmacies profitably. This means when creating systems, you need to create one that will grow with your pharmacy without having to rebuild it every year. When creating your controlling calendars, you must focus on the role, not the person.
When you have a small team, it is normal to have 1 person performing many different roles. Becky could be a filling technician, part-time delivery driver, and inventory technician. If you create a controlling calendar for “Becky,” you will be stuck. You probably won’t have another Becky. As you add team members, each employee becomes more specialized. Create controlling calendars for each role/position.
When you still have Becky doing 3 roles, she can refer to 3 controlling calendars to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. When you hire a new delivery driver, Becky can get rid of her delivery driver controlling calendar and focus on her other duties.
Start Simple, Layer Later
Here’s the biggest mistake I see pharmacy owners make: trying to do everything at once.
Remember the lasagna. If you dump everything into the dish all at once, you don’t get lasagna—you get a mess.
Start small. Roll out your controlling calendars with the basic stuff first. The everyday operational tasks that must get done. Just defining your roles and helping your employees know what winning looks like is a huge step forward. Get your team used to using them.
After the first month, you can start to add more tasks that are related to the goals you want to achieve in your pharmacy. That’s how you build confidence, trust, and momentum.
Why Controlling Calendars Work
- Clarity: No more guessing games. Employees know exactly what to do.
- Consistency: Daily actions stack into long-term results.
- Confidence: Your team executes tasks without constant reminders.
- Control: You steer your pharmacy toward the right goals—without micromanaging.
Next Steps For You
If you’re ready to trade chaos for clarity, grab the Controlling Calendar templates from the DiversifyRx website. I make these templates available to all pharmacy owners. The hard part comes next. Write down all the roles you have in your pharmacy. Get inspired by my roles, which are the tabs in the Excel document you downloaded above. Think about the future, not just the roles you have now. How are the opening technician’s duties different than the closing technician’s duties? Even if they are occupied by one person today, they certainly perform different yet critical roles in the smooth operations of your independent pharmacy.
Customize For Your Pharmacy
Up next, you need to customize them for your team. Some of the tasks on my templates will mean nothing to you, but it was clear to my team. I had different software and an operational workflow from you. Any Pharmacy Badass University Essentials or up members, you can hop on a call with Coach Mike to get personalized help in creating your controlling calendars.
Review and Adjust Monthly
Give each employee their calendar at the beginning of the month. Some employees may have one calendar, others may manage two or three, depending on their responsibilities. They check off tasks as they complete them, creating a record of accountability.
At the end of each month, gather the calendars and evaluate. Did everything get done? Were there patterns of missed tasks? Adjust and refine for the next month.
This creates a rhythm of continuous improvement and builds trust in the system.
Your future self—and your stress levels—will thank you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using too many tools—keep it simple with one controlling calendar system.
- Letting it get cluttered with irrelevant notes—stick to essential tasks.
- Failing to update—an outdated calendar kills trust quickly.
- Not enforcing its use—accountability is the key to success (especially during the crucial first few months to instill good habits)
Final Thoughts
Independent pharmacy owners are pulled in a hundred directions every day. But when you install a controlling calendar, you instantly reduce stress, improve efficiency, and free yourself from being the human reminder system.
It’s not just about scheduling—it’s about sanity. The more you can control your time and your team’s time, the more freedom you create in your business and your life.
And who knows? With a good controlling calendar, you might finally take that vacation you’ve been dreaming about—without a single panicked text from your staff.
Ready to take control of your schedule? Download our free Controlling Calendar resource today and start building a pharmacy that runs smoother, smarter, and with a whole lot less stress.
And if you want more tips on how to get more stuff done in your pharmacy, make sure to read our blog “The Secret To Getting More Stuff Done In Your Pharmacy.” It’ll help you with even more tips and strategies to help make life more manageable for you!
To get personalized support for making your pharmacy more profitable and less chaotic, check out Pharmacy Badass University membership. From our no-brainer Basic Membership to our full support and done-for-you Unlimited Membership, we have a level that fits every pharmacy owner.
