Guilty as charged!
Working in the beauty industry, we’ve all grabbed onto the “customer comes first” mindset and let it hold us hostage. Late nights, early mornings, missed doctor appointments, skipped lunches, hours on our feet, and of course the frequent last minute “can you squeeze me in” requests.
If you’ve been in the industry long enough, these behaviors become the norm. We learn to operate at a high capacity and for a while, it all works.
Until it doesn’t.
There eventually comes a point where everything comes crashing down and we are left in a corner, rocking back and forth wondering “where did I go wrong?” Even worse, sometimes constantly putting yourself last can manifest itself physically… can we say stress rash?!
It took me a long time to create healthy boundaries. Once I did, my life changed and believe it or not, my revenue skyrocketed.
Boundaries are often misunderstood. Maybe you get a sense of lost freedom when you hear the word “boundaries”. Or perhaps you feel you’ll miss out on something if you create boundaries, whether it’s money or something else. Or maybe you fear that you’ll disappoint someone.
Take a moment to figure out what your relationship with boundaries is.
- When you hear the word “boundary”, what types of feelings does that bring up for you? Are they positive or negative?
- Do you have a memory attached to boundaries? These can be recent or perhaps go as far back as childhood.
- What examples of healthy or unhealthy boundaries did you grow up with?
Now that you’ve gotten a feel for where you’re coming from, let me say something that may rock your world. Or maybe you already know it, but you need to identify it as the truth.
Healthy Boundaries Create Freedom
Boundaries are essential if you want to be successful. Contrary to popular belief, they are self care not selfish. Good boundaries are how we take care of ourselves. If it’s creating chaos in your life and business, then something needs to change.
Here are some practical ways you can start enforcing boundaries:
1.) Start becoming aware of who you are, what you want, and what your priorities are. Are you saying “yes” when inside you really want to say “no”? How often are you pushing your own needs aside to accommodate others? If you’re feeling burned out or overwhelmed, take time to consider if that’s a state you want to continue operating in or if you are ready for true change.
2.) Plan your week out before it starts. Schedule in breaks and self care, and hold yourself to them. While it’s okay to deviate from your plan, do your best to stick to it so that you don’t get off track from your goals or from your recharge time.
3.) Determine what activities re-energize you. And make sure you’re not spending time in non-essential activities that pull you down. Even taking a break from social media or delegating non-preferred tasks are forms of healthy boundaries. Other types of recharging activities could be as simple as keeping hydrated during the work day, watching or reading something that makes you laugh or give you hope, or bigger things like treating yourself to a much-needed massage.
4.) Think about areas of your life where you need to practice boundaries. Some examples of areas to consider are below, but these are by no means the only ones and the suggestions we give are not the only ways to create healthy boundaries in them.
a. Family – yes, you can say no to family
b. Clients – you don’t have to take every last minute appointment
c. Employees – if you’ve been too lenient with some policies, revisit them and make sure the team understands why they are in place
d. Money – create a budget and savings plan
e. Time – block out time to take care of yourself and STICK TO IT!
Deciding that you want a life with healthy boundaries is the first step. Just by reading this article you’ve already brought yourself closer. If you need help with managing your salon or yourself better so that you can show up and slay, schedule a Strategy Session with an Empowering You Consultant and we’ll help you start putting YOU first.