Serving clients day in and day out can take a mental, emotional, and physical toll on professionals in the beauty industry. Simply put, it can be draining. Explore five ways to remain balanced while building your career in and outside of the salon.
1. Don’t Double Book
Working around the clock doesn’t always equal success. Instead, it’s important to work smarter — not harder. Instead of double booking yourself, consider raising your prices. Take a look at your schedule and identify places where you can upsell your clients, try something new, or add on additional services. Have these ideas ready to go as you enter each day with a game plan to maximize your time and your revenue with each client. In the end, both your earnings and your client experience will benefit.
2. Always Take Lunch
While you may feel the need to maximize your time with back to back clients, your body, mind, and customers will thank you for taking a break. In a profession where you’re constantly serving others, it’s important to take time for yourself. Schedule 45 minutes every day to recharge, stretch, eat, and hydrate. It will keep you from burning out and help you stay balanced throughout the day.
3. Learn How to Say No
Setting healthy boundaries with your clients will help you earn more money and improve your client experience. Learning how to politely say no to requests that push your boundaries is key to preserving your mental health and your client relationships. If a regular wants to book an appointment with you on your day off, it’s ok to say no. Your client won’t drop you, in fact, clients respect boundaries when they’re set. Instead, your business will feel even more exclusive, motivating your client to get in with you during your regular hours.
4. Get to Work 30 Minutes Early
Giving yourself 30 minutes of peace before the rush of clients will help you set the tone for your day. Take this time to review your calendar, clean your space, and mentally prepare for the day ahead. Do you have a quick turnaround at 11? Create a game plan on how you will prep your station. Do you have a challenging client today? Mentally prepare how you will interact with them and instead of dreading their visit, get yourself excited to take on the challenge.
5. Set an Intention for the Day
Set a goal for your day before you get to work. You can do this while having your morning coffee, during yoga, while going for a walk, or dropping your kids off — whatever works for you. Setting a mental intention for the day will give you the power to stay calm, no matter what life throws at you. More often than not, a client or a colleague will eventually walk through your doors with a negative vibe. Setting an intention will help you let this negative energy go. Not every day will be perfect, but if you set a goal each day to have a great day, you will have more of them.
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