Salon owners, we’re sure you’re all too familiar with those feelings of being overwhelmed in your business. Even worse is when that suffocating state translates into procrastination, and seasoned business consultant Phil Jackson from Build Your Salon has seen this occur within salons all too often.

We all know that business can be brutal, life can be challenging, and being overwhelmed can be a frequent struggle for salon owners,” he says. “But many salon owners are making things worse for themselves because, on the surface, their overwhelm looks like procrastination.”

“Perhaps your goals are a little woolly,” he continues. ”Maybe you’re inattentive or you seek distraction when you should be working.

“Or it could be that you find you are constantly inventing excuses not to do something. If that sounds at all familiar, you’re procrastinating and a stern talking to might well be what is needed.”

Phil’s recipe for overcoming this procrastination trap? Focus, focus, focus. “Eliminate distractions, switch off your notifications and find the best time of day to focus on your work. Rekindle the passion for the task by reconnecting with the reason behind it.”

“So many of us are over critical. The way we repeatedly speak to ourselves, in our heads,  is beyond anything we would dare say to someone else. Yet this continual chipping away of your own self-esteem has long-term effects. In fact, it can be devastating if you are feeling overwhelmed.

A more effective approach than this toxic internal monologue? Redirect this into self-care, and take a little of the pressure off by sharing the workload with those around you. “Delegate as much as you can to your team, to outsourcers and even to your children,” Phil offers. But most importantly, be kind to yourself.

Certainly words to live by in a post-pandemic world.