Battling Burnout: Top Mental Health Tips

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As industry professionals, we have all experienced running back-to-back with a full day of clients and no time to eat, let alone time to use the bathroom. Once in a while, it’s fine to have a fully booked calendar, but when you over schedule yourself everyday, burnout can set in quickly. 

These days, it might be tough to give yourself a break due to difficulty finding good staff members to join your team. It seems especially challenging to find help for the front desk to take calls and schedule appointments. Either way, scheduling breaks is a must for your mental health, well-being and happiness.

It’s only fair that you give yourself time to rest. After all, you probably preach this practice to your clients, right? Your clients are paying for your services, so you must insure you are able to provide the quality they are expecting to the best of your abilities. As a spa professional, I know the importance of scheduling buffer time between each client. We all know that our clients can run late, we get overly chatty with them, or they might need extra time and support from us. Whatever it may be, giving yourself that buffer time is a lifesaver!

Here are some tips that have worked well when my schedule is full. These will ensure your busy work days flow better, so you don’t have to waste energy overthinking or starving yourself.

Practice Proper Sleep

Getting the proper amount of rest at night will rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit to get you through another full day of serving clients. Get to know your body, and how much rest you need each night in order to be a fully functional human.

I’ve polled my clients in the past and some reported they only need six hours of sleep, others said they must have eight to nine in order to have an energetic day. I use my phone’s alarm system to keep me on track. I like to sleep between seven to eight hours per night, so I’ve set up a schedule to remind me to start winding down at least 45 minutes before I should ideally be in bed. About one to two hours before bedtime, I recommend to dim the lights, turn off electronics, take a warm bath or drink hot tea (without caffeine). These practices will soothe your mind, and let your body and brain get prepared for a restful night.

Pre-plan Nutrition & Hydration

Pre-planning your schedule for the day is your best friend. Keeping your blood sugar steady will support your energy for those long, marathon days. This means pre-planning small snacks and liquids to keep yourself satiated and hydrated. I know food prep can sound daunting, but if you take a few hours on your day off to go shopping, cook and portion out meals and snacks, it can become a fun part of your weekly routine. If that’s not your jam, consider ordering meals from a meal service. This way, you will have leftovers to bring with you for lunch the next day.

As for your hydration, purchase a large, reusable water bottle to bring with you for the work day. Drinking half your bodyweight in ounces daily is a good gauge for staying hydrated.

Block Out Time for Breaks

If you work in a spa setting, block out at least 15 minutes between each client or session without any excuses. Block out 30 minutes or longer if you want to get outside for fresh air, eat a meal, do some meditation, stretch or take a nap.

These activities must be scheduled into your daily routine. Breaks and downtime between clients are important for your health and well-being. Believe me when I tell you the 15 minutes will probably end up being five minutes by the time you set up, greet the client, provide the service, say goodbye, clean up and use the bathroom. Whew, you’ll be glad you set up that buffer time for yourself.

Since I’ve added these tips and other break time techniques into my day, I have been able to serve my clients with more energy and intention. I am able to be fully present with them,  and in turn, they are experiencing more profound results. If you want more rave reviews from your clients, start implementing more break time habits into your busy days.

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