Let’s not kid ourselves—in a COVID-19 world, you’re working harder than ever.
We’re not saying that you didn’t kill it or bust your butt as a lash artist, student, esthetician, or beauty business entrepreneur pre COVID-19, but let’s be real, we’re all doing a whole heck of a lot more now that we’ve returned to work/school in the midst of a pandemic.
You’ve likely had a flood of to-do’s after returning back to life- a new life that is. Adjusting to this new normal comes with a lot of changes and can leave you feeling exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. You’re likely a little out of practice when it comes to maintaining that balance and you know - self-love.
While things like taking a vacation are likely not in the cards for most of us, and traveling far is still a not highly recommended, we do have some helpful tips for reinvigorating that work-life balance we all desperately need.
Establish You Time
Stop sacrificing your me-time! If you have the mindset that focusing on yourself is selfish - it’s time to change that. Self-love is in fact a necessity. If you are not giving yourself the time to breathe, and be happy doing something other than work or school you will burn out and everyone around you will notice.
If you’re constantly giving yourself, your time, and your energy to everyone else, you’ll never put time into yourself. So, do the things you love. Get yourself a fancy pedicure. Put your phone down and go to the beach. No matter what you like to do, or whatever makes you happy - just do it. You deserve it.
Set Boundaries
We’re not saying that you have to cut back on your work hours, just set your hours and stick to them. Clients will always want more, be okay with re-directing them.
It can be hard to say no to potential clients and a boost in your income—especially after salons, schools, and all businesses have been shut down because of COVID-19. But you can’t just burn yourself out trying to make up the money you lost during the shutdown—you need to think about your health and your career’s longevity.
Make Your Health a Priority
If we are being honest, we have all had some mental health shifts due to the pandemic - it would be abnormal if we didn’t. It’s hard to not worry about the future based on the past. If you’ve been feeling strong shifts in your mood, or are feeling burnt-out, don’t ignore it. If you don’t address those feelings, they can build up and can really take a toll on your physical health in a big way.
Physical activity is so important to your overall health. Don’t miss your morning runs, swims, or cycles. Stop skipping your veggies. Do what you need to do to keep your body in check. Balance your physical, mental, and emotional health and we promise, the rest will come much easier than you think.
Connect with those that Elevate You
If there’s one big thing you can take from all of this besides being good to yourself, it would be to find people that elevate your life goals, respect your boundaries, and encourage you to be a better you in work and in life.
If you have clients that constantly break your boundaries, or never seem to appreciate your work, we hope you’ve already chosen to disconnect from them. Balance isn’t easy - it takes effort to be your best self. Surround yourself with those that have a positive mindset, and that encourage or inspire you.
There’s no such thing as a perfect work-life balance, so throw that expectation right out the window. But we hope you can use these tips as a jumping-off point for your own situation to manage the stresses of work and the joys of life.