How to Stay Motived as a Nail Tech
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When working in the beauty industry, we don’t have set hours that we work by. Some days go by where we forget to eat and don’t even have time for ourselves or our family. As a nail technician, it is in the best interest of your business to be available to clients on weekends, seeing that most people work during the week, and weekends will most likely be your busiest time of the week. Burning out can happen quite easily.
Taking time off on public holidays or during the festive season is a thing of the past. You’ll quickly realize that times of relaxation can quickly become a busy nightmare for people in our industry.
Sometimes people won’t care about your time and your personal needs. They might book very late in the evening. Some people might even be late. This can be quite frustrating, especially when it’s your last appointment for the day. Everything is made worse when you have a husband and children waiting for you.
Therefore, if you’re not careful, you can easily become overwhelmed and burnt out. Your health and wellbeing, and that of your husband and children should always come first. In this article, I am going to list some things that you can practice to keep yourself from burning out.
Always keep time for yourself and do things you want to. Don’t let clients dictate when you work, have set working hours. Have some days off especially when you are feeling sick, also to avoid some stresses like overbooking. Remember to always look out for number one which is you.
Take at least one day a week off
No one can keep up working every single day of their lives for long, before burning out. As a nail technician, you will be faced with many clients who would want to make an appointment at the most inopportune times. It is your duty to stand strong and listen to your own needs first.
For me, my off days are Sundays. I work from Monday through Saturday, but Sunday is where I draw the line. Not only do me and my husband go to church on Sundays, but it’s the one day a week we can really spend time together and relax. The one day we use to recoup and recharge for the new week ahead. I can’t tell you how many times this single day off has kept me from burning out and totally losing my mind! One day is really not that much if you think about it. Don’t push yourself to the limits for people who won’t do the same for you.
If your clients blame you or choose to go to other nail technicians because of it, that’s their choice. You will quickly learn that good, devoted and kind clients will understand and will likely not expect you to work yourself to the bone. These clients make being a nail technician worthwhile.
Have an occasional free weekend
Unheard of, I know! But why is that? Giving yourself a weekend off should not be considered a sin! Sometimes all one needs is to take a weekend to relax. You will be astonished at how refreshed you’ll be after taking a weekend away from your salon.
You don’t have to go all out and book a weekend getaway at a five-star spa, spending time at home is fine too. Just refrain from doing anything regarding your job. Don’t even think about it. This will cause your brain to relax, and it can make such a big difference in your productivity for the week ahead.
Spending time with family and friends is also very important and should never be put on the sidelines. We as humans are social beings, and limited social interaction can really take its toll. Not only that but you might miss out on important events, like birthdays, graduations and weddings.
There is also no harm in taking the occasional romantic weekend getaway with that special someone in your life. Don’t neglect the important things in life by chasing after money. Wealth is fleeting, but memories and love are forever.
Force yourself to have down-time
Having your own business is a never-ending story of work, advertising, and research. But it is very important to make time in your day for doing things that you love. Even if you just sit and watch a movie or an episode of your favourite series. It can have such a positive impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing.
As nail technicians we tend to have the obsession of going on social media and viewing other nail technicians’ work and creations, getting ideas and editing the perfect photo to post on our own social media platforms.
This is great, but it should not be the only thing you do in your spare time. It can easily become a rabbit hole. You might think you still have time to do something fun, but before you know it the clock strikes midnight, and it’s time for Cinderella to go to bed, just to do it all over again tomorrow.
Do not feel guilty for going on holiday
Going on holiday is not something that comes often for the average person. Nail technicians go on vacation even less, seeing that we have to work when everyone else can enjoy their time off. This is relevant especially at the end of the year when most people choose to go on holiday, as most businesses close for the festive season.
You have to understand that it’s not a crime to take time off and go away on holiday as well, even during the festive season when it’s the busiest time of year for nail technicians. We are human beings too! So don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for taking time off and enjoying your life. Your business will still be there when you get back.
Just arrange with your clients beforehand if you intend on going away, so that they can make early bookings, and so that they won’t be able to say that they didn’t know.
Stop being a pushover
Some people are under the wrong impression that nail technicians are robots, who don’t need rest or food and whose sole purpose is to serve their clients. Unfortunately for the clients, this is not the case. In your career, you will most likely be faced with a couple of people who have this very specific outlook on your profession.
People will want you to work miracles, like “squeeze” them in when you have already told them numerous times that you’re fully booked, or help them even though you are deadly ill and in bed. Some people won’t care that you actually stop working at six and have a husband and children who need you. Clients who want insanely difficult and intricate designs, but book on your closing time AND end up being late!
There are so many more scenarios, and I’m sure that at least one has resonated with you. Don’t allow people to walk over you, and trust me they will try and do just that. Everyone has their limits, so stop giving in before you reach yours! Set your boundaries and stick to them.
Don’t work when you’re ill
As a nail technician, it can be very hard to stay in bed when you’re ill, seeing that we don’t get sick leave and paid sick days off. Unfortunately, when you work when you’re ill, you won’t only most likely end up feeling much worse afterwards, and take longer to get better, but you also run the risk of spreading your ailment to your clients. I can assure you that they won’t appreciate that!
Your health should always be your top priority. Don’t push yourself to your limits. You might end up making a simple illness that would have passed in a few days, much worse. You can even end up in the hospital if you don’t take care.
Refrain from booking clients back-to-back
This can be an issue for multiple reasons, seeing that you need time to clean in between clients, it’s not healthy to sit for such long periods of time without stretching your legs and walking around, and also, when you work with back-to-back bookings, you can easily forget to eat and take care of yourself. It is overall not advisable, it might save time in the short term, but it is not the best for you.
You have to take breaks in between clients so that you can get some fresh air and move around. I speak from personal experience when I say that prolonged exposure to the various product fumes, even in a well-ventilated area, can cause a splitting headache. This will render you incapacitated for further appointments anyway. Remembering to eat is also very important for obvious reasons. I can assure you that none of your clients will appreciate your fainting during their appointment.
Put the needs of yourself and your household above your job
You should never neglect the needs of yourself or your household members, to fit in with another client.
It is very important to remember, that even though hard work and dedication is needed for running your own business, your family is more important. You can always get more clients, but neglecting to be there when someone close to you is in need; can cause irrevocable damage, not only to your relationship but also to your mental and emotional state.
Being a nail technician is an amazing job. The world is your oyster, and every set of nails a canvas. You should, however, be vigilant to take care of yourself, seeing that if you’re burnt out you won’t be good to anyone, and will most likely cause damage to, not only yourself but also your business.
Take care of yourself and put your needs first. Tomorrow is another day. You don’t need to get everything done today.
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