Health is one of the most crucial and most overlooked areas of wealth in most stylists’ lives.
Think about it: how often do you go without breakfast because you’re trying to get out the door or lunch because you’re back-to-back with clients? Or maybe you work more than eight hours a day behind the chair after barely getting six hours of sleep.
We’ll be honest: if our health fails, we have nothing at all…yet we often work ourselves physically and emotionally to the bone without refilling our health cup.
Chances are, you know at least one stylist who has had to retire in their 30s because of carpal tunnel or somebody who has experienced neck, back, shoulder, or foot work-related injures.
But if you want to have a solid career in this industry, you have to take care of your physical and mental health.
It might feel like it’s just one more thing on your list, right? It doesn’t have to be! Add these small changes to your routine to prioritize your health today.
Plan (and eat) your lunch
When you’re trying to level up, it feels counterintuitive to take a break to eat lunch, but let us put it this way: if you take a break to sit down, eat a healthy meal, and actually enjoy it instead of scarfing it down while your client processes, imagine how much more energized you’d feel.
Whether you like to pack your lunch or eat out, take a few moments to plan a nutritious meal. If you like to DIY it, find some recipes that you can’t wait to cook and eat. If takeout is more your style, find some healthy options near you.
It’s tempting to head to the drive-thru for a quick boost, but trust us. You’ll feel so much better after a healthy meal than fries.
Stretch
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a sore arm after blow-drying a client with long, thick hair?
…pretty much everybody.
Incorporating a stretch after the end of your day or before bed is a great way to relax, get more blood in your muscles, improve your posture, heal and prevent back pain, and more.
Here’s one of our favorite stretching routine videos you can do in 15 minutes (because everybody has 15 minutes!).
Drink your water
Did you know feeling thirsty is one of the first signs of dehydration?
According to Kaiser Permanente, staying hydrated is key to keeping your body running at peak performance because it helps keep your cells hydrated.
A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day (so if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water a day), but always check with your doctor to find a good number for you.
How do you fit so much water in? Start your day with a glass of water before your coffee, sip on a cup during the day as you take clients, and have one before you go to bed. If you want to make it even easier, grab a giant water bottle and refill it throughout the day.
Wear good shoes
This one is a little more personal, but many salon professionals spend upward of 30 hours a week on their feet. It’s time we took care of them, right?
We’re not here to tell you what styles of shoes to wear or even which ones are best. But there are a few key things to keep in mind:
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Consider how your feet feel. Do your arches have enough support? Are your toes feeling smashed? What can you do to feel better?
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Put your feet up when you get home as much as you can.
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Stretch often to keep the blood moving.
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If you’re experiencing pain, reach out to your doctor.
Eat more vegetables
Your parents were right: vegetables have a huge amount of nutrients you need to feel your best.
But sometimes (okay…most of the time), you just aren’t in the mood for a big ol’ bowl of broccoli, right? Instead, find small ways to sneak them in throughout the day.
Add spinach or frozen cauliflower to your breakfast smoothie. Throw extra veggies in your lunch salad or sandwich. Try a sheet pan meal for dinner for a quick, easy way to eat the rainbow. (The Kitchn has some great ideas!)
Easy way to eat more vegetables today? Add spinach to your morning eggs. Order a salad for lunch. Pop a sweet potato in the oven to have as a side with dinner.
Schedule your annual medical appointments
You are worth taking care of.
Hold on, we’ll say it again: You are worth taking care of.
One of the best ways to keep up with your health is to schedule regular annual medical appointments. So pull out your phone right now and make an appointment for your annual physical, dental appointments, and any other medical or bodywork appointments that will keep you feeling your best.
Then make a list in your planner or a new note in your phone to keep a running list of any pain, when it happened, and what you were doing at the time so you can bring it up at your appointment and get help.
Get moving
Elle Woods said it best: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” So make the time to get moving.
That doesn’t mean you have to start training for a marathon, become a pilates master, or bench 150 pounds. But it does mean finding the time in your schedule to do an exercise you love will help boost your mental and physical health.
Consider your schedule
If you’re working tons of hours behind the chair at max capacity all day long, skipping meals and rest breaks, your body is going to be mad.
Hard stop, no ifs, ands, or buts.
But if you stop to refill your cup and rest, you’ll be stunned at how much more love and energy you can pour into your clients and business.
You need to set and stick to your boundaries so you can take care of yourself and have more love to give to your clients.
So today, take a lunch break. Take your rest breaks. Don’t answer client questions during those breaks. Read a book, watch a show, talk to a coworker, listen to a podcast. Do something to fill up your cup.
You deserve to live a wealthy life full of health, friend. Prioritizing your health is key to this.
Take one tip from above and implement it today. Then maybe next week, do another. Keep going until your health is a main focus in your life. Because you are worth taking care of.