We work in the spa world to help other people experience a little respite and relaxation in their hectic lives. But if you’re running yourself into the ground every week at your own spa business, do you think that stressed energy will transfer to your practice? Likely, yes.
Work-Life Balance Within Reach
You know that building your own business is time-consuming, but work-life balance is the dream. After all, that’s why you chose to work for yourself – to make your own schedule and leave time for yourself and your family.
On busy days when juggling phone calls, spreadsheets, and appointments, the dream can feel so far away. Next time you’re struggling, remind yourself of these keys to hold onto work-life balance.
Know Your Priorities
Have you ever had a moment when somebody asked you to make a decision, and your head started spinning with all the possibilities? You could see the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
In these cases, you could probably benefit from sharpening the lens of your priorities.
It can be uncomfortable to admit priorities, at first. If you’re a people pleaser, you may feel obligated to prioritize everything. But authentic priorities make clear what’s more important to you at a crossroads.
For instance, let’s say you receive an invitation to a conference that falls on the same weekend as your daughter’s birthday party. Your business is a priority, yes. But you’re also running your own business to be able to make time for family.
In this case, you might look at the details and how they correspond with your priorities. If the conference isn’t very relevant to your practice, then you can cross it off and hold your ground on the birthday party. Or maybe it is an important conference, but rather than attend personally, you can ask a colleague to bring some of your business cards to share at their table.
Knowing your priorities helps you strike that balance.
Form a Strong Network of People You Trust
You may look at some of the more successful business owners whom you know and ask yourself “Family, aesthetics, accounting, marketing… How do they do it all?”
The answer is that they probably don’t!
The strongest business owners and leaders are skilled delegators. They understand when it’s no longer a good use of their time to learn something unrelated to their specialty.
In other words, if hiring someone to do a little bookkeeping for you every week allows you to devote more hours to your aesthetic practice, it might be worth it.
This goes in your personal life, as well. Running a business is hard work. Maintain strong bonds with friends and family whom you can trust to be there for you and support you in the high and low times.
Draw Boundaries
In this day and age, we often hear the word “boundaries” tossed around. But what do concrete boundaries really look like?
- Keeping a set schedule that includes time for work and time off
- Saying “No” to extra requests that will overstretch you
- Maintaining separate work and personal spaces, i.e. a home office that’s not in your bedroom
- Placing a firm limit on how many hours per week you work
You might feel some guilt or “Should I?” self-doubt when you start practicing boundaries. But remember that saying “No” now allows more to flourish in the long run – both for yourself and your relationships, personally and professionally.
Practice What You Preach
On tough days, remember why you got into the spa business in the first place. And talk to yourself like you would talk to a client. Give yourself the same advice: Take a breath. Take a break. You know what to do. You got this.
