Surviving The Holiday Season

The Holiday season is upon us, and as a Beauty Professional, we often look forward to this time of year because it is an opportunity to generate higher revenue. As exciting as this is, it can also be stressful.  If you are looking and your schedule and already dreading the next couple of weeks, I encourage you to consider a few of these slight tweaks to your business that could make a big impact on your stress level.

1. Adjust your normal working hours. This is where you have full permission to book off one or two extra days. Personally, I have found taking the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas to be so stress-relieving because it allows time to prep for the actual holiday day and be more present on the day of. Taking the day after the holiday also makes sense because most people have already had their services done, meaning the day after the holiday would be a slow day anyway.

2. Schedule breaks into your day. We all know beauty professionals have a tendency to work through the day with no breaks or lunch. If you are working longer hours during the holidays, scheduling a break or two may help you feel recharged and not as fatigued at the end of the day. Even if those breaks are just time to stretch, sit in silence, or take a short walk.

   
   

3. Don’t let yourself get run down. Staying hydrated and fed is a good place to start. During the holiday season, the weather is shifting, and people tend to pass around sickness. When your body gets run down, your immune system weakens and you are more likely to catch any sickness making it’s rounds. Boost your immunity with Vitamins, eat nutrient dense food (not just holiday treats), and get plenty of sleep

   
   

4. Plan ahead of time and make the most of it. As mentioned before, the holiday season is a wonderful time to boost revenue. Start each day by looking at the schedule and finding opportunities to up sale. Identify clients that could use additional services such as conditioning treatments, hydrating treatments, etc. When those clients come in, you can say, “Have you been noticing that your hair/skin has been a bit dry? What do you think about trying a hydrating treatment today?”. During the holidays, people are more likely to spend, not just on others but on themselves as well.

   
   

5. Prep your environment. If you know the holidays tend to be hectic energy maybe shifting the music to a piano christmas music station rather than traditional Christmas music can slow down the energy and feel more relaxing. Adding some minimal Seasonal decor will get your clients in the holiday spending spirit. Using smells such as oil diffusers or candles can also create a calming energy for everyone.

   
   

6. Relieve the pressure. Allow yourself the space to say no to working longer days or extra days. Allow yourself to say no to family gatherings if you go because you feel obligated. Allow yourself to say no to attending Holiday parties that add to your holiday stress. We put so much pressure on ourselves to do everything and go everywhere, and take on extra clients or work extra hours. If it is fueling anxiety or stress, then it is not serving you, and it may be time to just say no.

Fortunately, the holiday season is only temporary and goes by pretty quickly. It is important to remember, while the extra revenue is nice during this season, it is not worth risking your mental health and physical health. If you are sick or emotionally drained, then enjoying the holidays with your family is difficult. Let’s put ourselves first this holiday season and enjoy the time!