I AM (NOT) GOING MAD

Your pace is incredibly fast. At the salon, one appointment follows another, as there is no time between orders and billing. Customers often feel the same way, and they arrive stressed and rushed for their beauty treatments. Do you also wonder how you can achieve a good work-life balance? After all, in your private life, your pace is just as high. Relaxing, switching off and recharging your batteries is difficult.

Your personal stressors

According to an analysis by Statista, the number one stress factor is "school, studies or work" (49 per cent) – for women and Followed by ‘constant availability’ (23 per cent) and ‘obligations in leisure time’ (20 per cent) in third and fourth place. And second place? I'll come back to that later, because according to the data, this point is more relevant for us women. 

Career and life in balance
Do you sometimes think that finding a work-life balance is pure madness? If you imagine ‘career’ in one pan of a set of scales and ‘life’ in the other, then the image may suggest that the two scales must be permanently balanced for a fulfilled and happy life. But it is precisely the attempt to keep these two scales in balance that can easily have the opposite effect and tip everything over. And this brings us back to the top two stress factors according to the statistics mentioned above: ‘Excessive demands on oneself’ burden 36 per cent of all respondents the second most. However, when looking exclusively at women, this factor is the highest stress factor at 55 per cent. 

Constantly overburdening ourselves
So when we try to achieve everything at once and with excessive demands, our balance can easily tip out of the scales. This is not an isolated case, because ‘you can't do it’, "you're not good enough‘ or ’you're not trying hard enough". Wanting to keep everything permanently in balance Wanting to keep everything in balance all the time is simply exhausting to impossible. It is a balancing act like walking a tightrope over a ravine: as soon as additional weight is added to one side of the balancing bar, everything tips over. We function in order to get everything done – usually at our own expense. One side – either work or private life – needs more attention and more time than the other side at a certain point in time. This is normal and happens to all of us. On social media, we only see the successful and glamorous side of the coin. The other side is not shared and therefore remains hidden. But it exists just as much. That's why we all need to be mindful of our own balance. On social media, we only see the successful and glittering side of the coin; the other side is not shared and therefore remains hidden. But it is there just the same. That is why these lines are also an encouragement to openly address how you are really doing and to share this with others.

Empathy and boundaries
As a beautician, you set a good example. If you are stressed, your customers will notice. If your customers unload their stress on you, then despite all your empathy, you also need to set good boundaries. This is so that you don't take other people's baggage home with you and find yourself unable to switch off.

Calming rituals
How about starting or ending your day with a ritual? What could that be for you? A short meditation, journaling, reading, 
listening to music, Nordic walking, jogging, dancing – there are many possibilities. Which of these appealed to you the most? Or does another idea come to mind spontaneously? By trying things out, you will find out what you enjoy and what is good for you. Now decide what you want to do for yourself in the next 24 hours, in the next week and in the next month.

Conclusion for all beauty professionals
And to pick you up as a beautician with a beauty example: Work-life balance is not about constant exfoliation until the skin is irritated. Rather, it is about facial care that is well tailored to your skin type and your needs. Sometimes it takes a mask with a resting phase to take effect, sometimes an exfoliation with a tailored moisturiser. It's about finding your own treatment plan for life – with moments of activity and regeneration – with what gives you energy and recharges your batteries. First, give yourself the attention and care that you give your customers every day. Only then will you shine from the inside out in the long term. And this radiance will also be transferred to your customers.