Self-Care during the Holiday Rush

Self-care is something we talk about a ton in our industry, especially around the holidays. 

It is very easy during this time to forget the boundaries you may have set in place and start saying yes to things that may push you beyond your limits. You may start to feel extremely exhausted, run down both mentally and physically, and in some cases you start to feel a little bit of resentment.  

 Here is one thing I learned in my many years of being in this business. You teach people how to treat you, and whatever you allow will continue. The good news is YOU have the power to change anything you do not like or stand for in your business. This all boils down to setting boundaries, caring for self, and putting yourself first. In my professional opinion, we are so conditioned to take care of others that at times we forget to take care of ourselves. 

I say we because I did the same thing too. We all know burnout is a real thing. 

I want to help you this holiday season and get you to take action when it comes to self-care. Not just talk about it, but actually set scheduled time aside for yourself so you can serve clients and still have an enjoyable holiday season with family and friends.  

Here are my top 4 tips: 

1. Shut down on your off days- I mean shut down from work, from social media, and anything work related when you're off. You give so much of yourself when you are in the salon, you have to take time to reset and recharge. Enjoy spending time with family and friends doing things that absolutely fill you. 
     
2. Schedule out a break during the day- I know I know. It's the season to bring in the money. But scheduling a break to eat, hydrate, and just sit down for a bit is crucial for making it a happy and healthy holiday season. The days of shoving food down your throat in between clients are long gone. Schedule out at least 30 minutes a day for some YOU time and enjoy your lunch.  
    
3. Pack a lunch- I know how easy it is to order food on the fly at the salon, but having the right energy and fuel are necessary to keep you going through the day. I have found that bringing a lunch and a few light snacks to eat throughout the day kept my energy level up. If you want to order out for lunch here and there, that’s great. But we all know it can get costly. Aside from packing a lunch or dinner, buy snacks in bulk and keep them on hand at all times. 
      
4. Carve out 20-25 minutes a day to have quiet time - Before you even step foot into the salon. Prepping for a busy day? I suggest getting in the habit of taking 20-25 minutes of time just for yourself to sit in silence, listen to music, meditate, go for a walk,  Whatever it is that relaxes you before you even get into the salon, do it!  Because you know once you get behind the chair it's go time. Maybe you roll up to the salon a little early and have some time in the car. Maybe you meditate before you hop in the shower for the day. One of my fav apps for guided meditation is Simple Habit and the name of it couldn’t be any better. Creating these little changes in your habits and behaviors can really make a difference in how you feel and how you show up for your clients.  

These are just a few tips to remind you how taking care of yourself is not only important, but necessary and the truth is you absolutely deserve it. The big goal here is to actually take action. Let's not just talk about taking breaks and shutting down. Go ahead and actually start to schedule yourself out and put time aside in the calendar for you. If you can start this now and create the habits right now you will feel so much more confident in the way you set up boundaries and keep them moving forward in your business.