So, what can salons do to thrive, rather than just survive? According to Leah Durrant, salon owner and business coach, the answer is all in your head. Leah believes it’s about having the right mindset. She says: “Your mindset affects so much of how you run your business day-to-day; a positive outlook will impact your relationships, time management, productivity and creativity. In turn, this will improve your revenue, team retention, client loyalty and overall salon success.”
The morning is the perfect time to set your mindset for the day. Leah regularly practices what she calls a Magic Morning, which is five small tasks that will help you cultivate a positive mindset in line with your personal and business goals:
M is for Meditation
Taking a few minutes to mediate when you wake up will help you to focus and feel grounded for the day ahead.
Leah says, “There’s lots of really great guided meditations available online. Choose one that aligns with your goals, such as improving your health, relationships or financial security.”
A is for Affirmations
A compliment can be hard to take, even harder when you’re giving one to yourself, but Leah swears by positive affirmations.
She says, “Being nice to yourself is so important and if you feel good, you will make others feel good too. It takes minutes to say something positive to yourself. The more you do it, the greater effect it will have on your daily outlook.” Try it while washing your face or brushing your teeth!
G is for Gratitude
While getting dressed say three things that you’re really grateful for. This is a great way to practice humility and appreciation for all that you have. You can show gratitude for anything, from the blue sky in the morning, to good health, great friends or something business related such as full columns and a loyal team.
Leah says, “Gratitude helps you to reflect on what you have and how lucky you are to be in your position right now. This is a great tool to translate into business as it will help you to see the things that are going well rather than only worrying about things that haven’t worked out.”
I is for Intention
Leah says, “Setting your intentions for what you want to focus on that day really helps you to stay on track with your goals. Intentions help you to prioritise your to-do list and feel more in control of your day.”
While eating your breakfast, try writing down the things you want to get done that day, or something you want to achieve. For example, your goal for the day could be to send out a marketing email to your client database or putting a personal development plan together for a team member. You can have, daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly intentions.
C is for Commitment
A commitment is the honest attempt to fully deliver on your intentions for the day. This can take practice and will get easier over time.
Leah says, “A strong commitment to yourself will give you that boost you need to tackle your day head on, full of positivity. You will feel calmer and more grounded because you have a focus for the day.” If you find that you are not getting your intentions done or you can’t commit, that may be because your intentions list is too long. Start small and build from there.
Magic Mornings are a simple guide to help you feel focused, grounded, calmer and happier in your approach to business. A morning routine like this will also help you to feel more in control of your day, week, month and beyond.
Leah adds: “What you put out there, you will attract. You don’t have to be part of the 5am club to get stuff done. A few simple tasks that focus your mind need only take a few minutes to have a big impact.”
