By Gina Rivera
I recently found myself lying on the bed in the middle of an anxiety attack. Once again, I allowed stress to get the best of me. As I laid there with the blood pressure cup on my arm, I thought to myself, “I really need to write an article about conquering stress during the holidays.” Crazy, right? But it’s incidents like this one that make you realize it’s time to slow down and smell the roses or, in this case, the holly.
Questions like, “Have you finished your holiday shopping? How many clients have requested appointments? Will you be able to fit them all in? Did you order enough product to keep up? When are you going to decorate? Have you found that perfect gift for your special someone? What about the turkey?” run through my mind as I get ready each year for the holidays. Sometimes, it’s like my thoughts are moving at warp speed as the various tasks pop in and out of my head. Yet, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, right? At least that’s how the song goes.
The year-end holidays are certainly a prosperous time if you work in the beauty industry; however, they also come with a lot of added responsibilities. The whirlwind of balancing a heavy client load with all the activities that begin at Halloween and run through the end of the year can be nonstop. This extra seasonal pressure can easily cause stress if we’re not careful.
To avoid the stress and instead achieve balance and harmony during the season, I find that the key is planning. Put things on your calendar to determine how you can simplify some items. Let me show you what I mean.
First, let’s take our clients. I am a big fan of sending out friendly reminders to clients encouraging them to schedule their holiday appointments. This ensures that my books are filled in advance, which gives me time to stock up on the appropriate products—as well as pencil in some “me” time. These reminders also allow me to project my revenues so I can stay on budget with my holiday spending. Once my calendar is filled, I make a list of the tasks I need to complete both professionally and personally. Then, I prioritize my list and determine whether there are items I can delegate or eliminate.
When your goal is to make things easier, it’s important to be mindful and remain focused on the big picture. Perhaps you always bake several dozen holiday cookies. This year, consider selecting just a couple of your favorite types to bake or even purchase pre-made dough. Also, rather than rushing out to battle crowds for gifts (which we may not even be able to do this year), order them online. It’s easy to order small sample-size gift products for clients as well. Take advantage of companies that offer free delivery during the holidays. Your objective is to simplify and avoid the holiday craziness.
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AHP Indie Stylist magazine is a bimonthly publication, created to speak directly to you, the independent hair stylist and barber. In this issue: