If someone had told me 10 years ago when I graduated hair school that in 2020 I would be navigating not only myself, but a business and a team of stylists through one of the biggest world pandemics of our time, I probably would have laughed it off…. because let’s be real, none of us could have seen this coming.
While this has been an extremely challenging year for most, there have also been a lot of silver linings to discover. One thing that really stood out was the newfound relationship I had with myself and my team. It brought out an undeniable amount of growth and gratitude between us and created clearer boundaries between work and home life. It has truly solidified that communication is the key to getting out of this lockdown stronger as a team. We keep up to date with weekly check-ins, and have an open door policy so that our team feels safe, informed and supported.
My city has entered its second lockdown this year. We have been forced to close our services yet again, this time overlapping the busiest time of year… the holidays! Luckily for us and our clients, we are permitted to still sell product for curb-side pick up. Many salons, in addition to selling product, have started offering at home root touch up kits. While not everyone will agree with this, it’s important as an industry to be kind, open minded and supportive as we are all doing our best to stay afloat during this pandemic.
Having this time off has been a great opportunity to take a step back from the hustle and bustle and prioritize things around my salon and business that needed cleaning up and refining. It has been very gratifying tackling to-do lists, cleaning up inventory, organizing paperwork and spending time brainstorming new ideas for our team and brand to launch when we reopen. For me, the key to staying productive has been keeping a positive outlook on the closure and using it to my advantage.
With that being said, as much as being productive is amazing, enjoying some rest and relaxation is also vital. Some days it’s having a glass of wine in my bubble bath, or ordering in from my favorite local restaurant. These types of days are just as important as your productive ones. Remember to strive for balance in all aspects of your life, business and personal.
One thing I feel we can all agree on is that this pandemic tested our mental and emotional health more than ever before. We must all be gentle on ourselves, keep in touch with our loved ones and start each day with gratitude. Everything in life is temporary, good and bad, and before we know it this pandemic will pass us by and be part of history. We’re in this together.
