Mental Health Awareness Week begins on 13 May. We asked Marcus King from King & I in Norton, an evo concept salon, to give some ideas about looking after your own mental health.
“As salon owners we are always looking out for our team,” says Marcus King from King & I in Norton, an evo concept salon. “We make sure everything is in place to help their working day run smoothly. We are also aware of spotting signs of issues concerning their mental health. However, this can mean we often forget about our own.
“It’s great that more people are talking about it now and like many, I’ve had my own battles. Running a business is all-consuming, but if you work, sleep, repeat you’re going to eventually burn out and then look for a coping mechanism to get through it. We’re people pleasers but it’s OK to put ourselves first – put on your own oxygen mask before anyone else. If you’re not right, no one around you is going to be either.”
Marcus offers business owners his top tips for your mental health:
- Make time for meditation. Many people say they can’t do it, but it takes practice so 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, you’re not keeping up with other salons or 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 loved your job in the first place. Spreadsheets, managing and juggling may have taken over, so talk to people and share your concerns and re-introduce the bits that make you happy.
- Get involved with a product company that feels like family. I work with evo who a family-owned business who care about the same things I do – planet and animals – and are there every step of the way. It’s important to work with people who you feel have got your back in business, creativity and as an individual.
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash