Filling Your Cup: Self-Care for Hair Loss Specialists

By Jarred Wilson, Editor, The Link Magazine, Nashville, TN

Regardless of profession, one of the biggest challenges we face is finding balance between our work and our personal lives, specifically self-care. This is especially true for those in the hair industry, be it a stylist or a hair loss specialist. Hair is often a source of confidence and pride and even plays a vital role in self-identity for some. Salons become a safe space and clients tend to develop a sense of trust, allowing themselves to open up emotionally during conversation. Oftentimes, this environment is the only one where they don’t feel alone or isolated. Those experiencing more intense situations, such as hair loss due to illness, confide in their hair experts not only for hair solutions, but emotional and mental support during these major life changes. Though this is part of the job, hair loss specialists are not necessarily equipped to provide this type of extreme care and support or to process such a heavy load of information. Whether you realize it or not, this can become overwhelming, negatively affecting the quality of your work over time, your life outside the workplace, and your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. To provide care for your clients, you must provide care for yourself.

Know Your Limits

You are a superhero in the eyes of your clients. You have the power to fix all of their problems. You have all of the resources, all of the solutions, all of the information. The simple (and hard) truth is – you don’t. None of us hold every key. Your key may open the door to solutions for alopecia, but it may not open the door to emotional support for a client going through chemotherapy.

While it is important that you learn and understand your power, it is equally as vital to learn and understand your limits and boundaries. Know when and where to draw the line, when to wave the white flag and say “you know what, I don’t have the capacity for this”. There are ways to still provide exceptional support and service to your clients without pushing yourself past your limit. It is OK to set boundaries with your clients, and it is OK to outsource when you don’t have all of the answers.

Dianna from Nuhairlines provided a few tips for setting boundaries with your clients:

• Recognize what’s yours vs. theirs. It’s natural to feel empathy, but remind yourself that you are a guide, not a “fixer”.

• Support your clients without absorbing their pain by providing gentle reassurance. Something as simple as "I see you, and I’m here to listen" can be powerful, without overextending yourself.

• Have resources on hand. Keep brochures or links to local mental health resources for clients who may need deeper support.

Find Release Throughout the Day

When our brains and bodies are under stress, we seek ways to eliminate the excess energy build-up. Have you ever noticed what a rabbit does after being chased? Once they are out of harm's way, they shake. This is a natural means of releasing feelings of anxiety and fear so they can refocus and move forward. What ways can we find release during the work day?

• Shake it Off!: Just like the rabbit, taking a few moments to shake our bodies releases any pent up or excess energy we acquire during the day. While it may feel or look a bit silly, it can be extremely helpful in maintaining stress levels. Amanda from Custom Designs says she takes a few deep breaths and “shakes off the day” while leaving her salon, physically leaving work at work.

• Vent: Having someone to vent to throughout the day - friends, family, coworkers - can help you express any negative thoughts and feelings that may be holding you back or causing additional stress. These people should be a safe space; remember you are often dealing with incredibly sensitive and delicate situations.

• Take a Walk: If time permits, use any breaks in your schedule to go for a short walk. Ten or twenty minutes outside, breathing fresh air, can help reground you and reconnect with yourself and your work.

Schedule “Me” Time

Even though we may find ways to temporarily relieve ourselves from stress and anxiety, it is still important that we schedule time specifically for ourselves to fully expel negative energies, decompress, and hit the reset button. Flora from Unique Hair Concepts provided a few things she does to set aside time for herself:

• “I use my commute home to decompress by listening to my favorite music loudly or listening to a podcast. This helps me to switch my brain from work to relax mode. I want to get home to my family with a smile on my face and not bring home any stress or negative energy.”

• “...I also love getting home, changing into different clothes (again telling my brain that it’s time to switch gears) and doing my strength exercises. There is a fabulous YouTube channel for women ‘FitbyMik’ that focuses on 20-minute strength training. It has made such a difference.”

• “We are closed on Sunday and Monday. I make it a point not to read my emails after I leave the center on Saturday and all day Sunday. On Monday, I will lightly skim through my messages and only answer if it’s something that is highly important. I have made it a priority to make Sunday and Monday for me. I may get a neck and shoulder massage, acupuncture, or get my nails done. The only person that can take care of me is me.”

Don’t Be Afraid

It may be difficult to make time for yourself. Many of us feel like we are neglecting our work, our clients, or even our families by doing so. The reality is that we wouldn’t be able to give our time and energy to these things if we didn’t take care of ourselves first. A monthly massage, dedicated time at the gym, or even taking a couple of hours a day to read a book are all excellent ways to give back to yourself in order to better tend to your business. Your clients will appreciate that you are taking a moment so that you can better serve their needs. Don’t be afraid to set aside time and focus on your well-being. Fill your own cup so that you can continue to fill the cups of others.