Buh-Byeee: Setting Boundaries as a Lash Artist
Welcome to Setting Boundaries as a Lash Artist 101! AKA how to not overwork yourself, and how to avoid burn out, which in this industry, can be no small task. You have probably heard it numerous times, that the only way to set boundaries for yourself is just to know when to say NO! But it goes beyond that, and if you’re anything like me, you can find that “N-O” word a very hard one to say. So grab your notebook & pen, get comfy with a coffee or tea, and let’s dive in.
IDENTIFYING YOUR NEEDS
The first step in building very strong boundaries for your work/life balance is determining all aspects of your business that require your time. If you are a lash artist, this may include the time spent lashing clients, creating social media posts, online advertisements, business administrative tasks, replying to emails, etc. Knowing what tasks are required of you allows you to plan for the amount of time each task will take and therefore allows you to work within the confinements of your scheduled tasks. Setting a time frame for each task will allow you to work more efficiently and also prepare each week with a schedule that you can stick to; any potential tasks that may pop up (ie. a client asks to be *squeezed* into your schedule) will then have to be pushed to the next day or week, or you could offer alternative solutions (ie are there any other lash artists available at the client’s requested time). Having an understanding of what needs your attention, and the amount of time each task requires allows you to successfully choose your schedule and divy up the tasks day by day. So now it’s your turn! If you struggle with thinking of all of your tasks on the spot, bring a notebook with you to work for a week. Whenever you do even one little thing each day that relates to your business, jot it down and include it in your task list. This will be so helpful in making you aware of how much time you are truly spending on your business! Or take a look at the example list I’ve created below to get you started.
EXAMPLE TO-DO LIST
TASK - TIME SPENT (PER WEEK) - TASK DUE DATE
Lashing clients - 20 hrs - Daily task
IG content - 2 hrs (8hrs) - Spend one day prepping for the week (or month)
Facebook ads - 1 hr - End of the month
Monthly email - 1 hr - End of the month
Payroll - 1 hr - End of the pay period
Ordering product - 30 mins - End of the month
Replying to emails, DMs, missed calls - 1 hr - Daily
ME-TIME: HOW TO SET BOUNDARIES
Now that you’ve had a chance to identify the areas of your business that require your time, and have allotted how much time you need to spend completing each task, you can begin to plan your work days around those requirements. This will vary from person to person as we are all different! Do you prefer taking clients in the mornings and completing other work in the afternoons? Do you like to have set days for clients and set days for administrative work? Do you get your social media content done WHILE your students are working on models? Knowing what works best for you and how your brain works when it comes to getting work done will help you in setting these work/life boundaries that actually allow you to maybe even get a day off!
If there comes a time in your business when many of the smaller, more tedious tasks become too time consuming for your ever growing to-do list, this is when it can be a good idea to start outsourcing those aspects of your business. If you own a salon and time with clients begins eating into all of your other administrative tasks as a business owner, you could limit your clientele, hire (more) staff or hire someone who can help with tasks such as responding to emails, etc. By doing this, you are both giving yourself more time to balance the tasks that have to be completed in your work day, while also ensuring that you get some time for yourself to relax, unwind, and enjoy time out with friends and family. If you can hire someone who can do a job better than you, and/or the same as you can within a shorter time period, your time is better spent handling the tasks that only you can tackle. Because as they say, time is money, and we could all use more of both.
SAYING NO: MAINTAINING YOUR BOUNDARIES
Now that you have determined what needs to get done within your business, roughly how much time each task will take, and have created a schedule that will work best for you, it is time to determine how you will stick to these work boundaries! There are two main obstacles that may stand in the way of you sticking to your scheduled work: one, additional tasks pop up that require your attention in ways that you did not prepare for, or two, you are asked by others to complete tasks that go above and beyond.
If tasks that you have not accounted for come up during your work week, you could consider leaving a couple of hours or an afternoon free in your schedule for these additional tasks, or in the case that a certain scheduled task takes longer than expected. In this case, if you do not need to use that scheduled time you now have some free time to handle the tasks from your personal life, or even head home early!
If you are asked by others to complete tasks that go above and beyond, this is where it is important to learn to say no for tasks that you simply have no time for. The most challenging part of setting these boundaries is recognizing that though you may theoretically have the time to take on another client or put in additional hours aiding others in whatever they may require, if it does not fit into the hours of the work days that you have allotted time for, you don’t have time for them in actuality. Your mental health as a lash artist, educator and/or business owner is so much more important than anything that may be gained by taking on those additional tasks. So for example, if a client is asking to be squeezed into your schedule, and you have filled up all of your lashing hours, then it is so important to stick to your schedule and fit them in at your next availability in order to maintain your work/life balance and avoid burnout. Or if anything opens up in your schedule due to other tasks taking less time than you originally planned for, you may choose to fit them into that time slot. It all comes down to what you feel comfortable with and how you are feeling in regards to the ever-growing to do lists we all feel pressured by.
Alright lash artists, educators, and salon owners alike, let’s identify, set & maintain our boundaries and work towards a healthier work/life balance! You’ve got this!
