With this week being Mental Health Awareness Week, Marcus King from King & I in Norton, an evo concept salon, knows exactly how important it is to look after your own mental wellbeing…
“As salon owners, we are always looking out for our team; we are constantly making sure everything is in place to help their working day run smoothly and we’re aware of spotting warning signs of poor mental health. For many of us salon owners, however, we can often forget to look after our own minds.
“It’s so great that more people are talking about mental health now and, like many of us, I’ve definitely had my own battles. Running a business is all-consuming, and working too hard can eventually lead to toxic coping mechanisms and burnout. Many hairdressers are people pleasers by nature, but it’s OK to put ourselves first when it comes to wellbeing. It’s like how they tell you to ‘put on your own oxygen mask before anyone else’ – if you’re not right, no one around you is going to be either.”
Here are my four top tips for looking after your mental health as a business owner:
- Make time for meditation. Many people say they can’t do it, but it takes a lot of practice. Don’t give up. Set yourself some time on your own, soak up the peace and quiet and listen to the sounds around you.
- Turn off social media. Checking, scrolling and comparing yourself to others is not a good place to be. It’s easy to sink into a spiral of not feeling good enough or that life is moving too quickly. Put down your phone and step away from platforms that promote false impressions.
- Don’t retract into your own world. Talk to your co-workers, friends and family. Hairdressing is social, creative and fun, so don’t forget the reasons why you fell in love with your job in the first place. Spreadsheets, managing and juggling may have taken over, so talk to people, share your concerns and reintroduce the bits that make you happy.
- Get involved with a product company that feels like family. I work with evo, which is a family-owned business that cares about the same things I do – the planet and animals – and they’re there every step of the way for me. It’s important to work with people who you feel have got your back in both business and creativity.
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