We get it. Working in this industry often leaves little room for a proper work-life balance. Does that mean you shouldn’t be making time to care for your health and wellbeing? Ab-so-lu-te-ly not. Plus, no one is immune to the holiday season’s plethora of food and drinks, so now is the perfect time to think about a few wellness practices you can add to your salon resolutions! See it as a nice way to get the team involved too.
Related | Wellness Blog Reveals Benefits Of Mindfulness In Salons
As you probably know already, last year saw a massive shift in the importance we, as a society, gave to health and wellness. This is likely to continue in 2018, and even if it didn’t, wellness is something you should be looking into; not only to better focus but also to unwind from the hard and busy days.
Find Focus In The New Year With These Wellness Salon Resolutions
1. Be Mindful Of Your Breathing
It might sound ridiculous, but there’s a proper explanation for the first of these salon resolutions. Scientifically, “Shallow breathing doesn’t just make stress a response, it makes stress a habit our bodies, and therefore, our minds, are locked into,” says John Luckovich, an apprentice Integrative Breathwork facilitator in Brooklyn, New York. Headspace, a mindfulness app, continues: “Diaphragmatic breathing, on the other hand, can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, relax muscles, decrease stress, and increase energy levels.”
Let’s breathe, shall we?
Find more information about this here.
2. Get Loads Of Sleep
Okay, when did it become trendy to be so busy we don’t catch some sleep or eat or essentially, just take care of ourselves? We expect heaps and heaps from our bodies but never give back the same. I’ll spare you the detailed biology lesson, but the body heals and renews itself while we sleep. Not while we’re awake.
So let’s leave that cool-thing-of-not-sleeping behind in 2018. As a matter of fact, bookmark this blog now and go have a nap!
3. Dodge Negative Thoughts & Emotions
Who hasn’t seen the video memes going around about this? In case you haven’t come across any of them, here you go, this is exactly what I mean when I say dodge the neggy vibes.
Life is way too short to get stuck in the negatives. Something to get the whole team to think about too. Maybe even turn in into an adapted version of the swear jar. Get everyone in the salon to throw in $/£/€ 0.25 when something negative comes out. The goal being instead to focus on gratitude.
4. Practice Gratefulness
Studies show that people who practice gratefulness tend to be happier. Sounds like something perfect to add to salon resolutions, no? Plus, what’s handy about gratefulness is you don’t have to change anything in your life except your mindset. Not too sure where to start? Read this article, perhaps you could make a 30-day gratefulness challenge in your salon!
Chris Tip: I was just reading this blog and thought I might chime in (I do love to chime)! If you wanted to maintain that gratefulness feeling even further, you could get your hands on the Five-Minute Journal! I bought this for my wife for Christmas and she is loving it. A perfect little way to kick-off and end the day.
5. Do A Few Media Detoxes, Spend Time In Nature
So much of our time is spent on our phones, tablets, laptops… When’s the last time you went on a hike? Can you remember how serene the view made you feel? In 2018, make a pledge to yourself to turn off the switch on technology and reconnect with nature. Do this in whatever way is best for you: scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, you name it! Ground yourself in the earth. Go out on a team yoga retreat. Just go outside.
* Speaking of which, I watched this movie called Mountain recently and if it doesn’t inspire you to get outdoors, I don’t know what will.
6. Love Your Body
As a pretty committed hip-hop fan, I went to a few gigs last month. One of them was a Portland-based rapper, Aminé, and during his show, he did something I had never ever witnessed at a gig before. Between songs, every time he’d say ‘you’re beautiful’, the crowd had to chant ‘I know!’ I thought this was an amazing thing to do.
Excuse my language, but for once and for all, the h*** with a ‘standard’ beauty type.
You’re beautiful. We all are. It’s our differences that make us unique and powerful beyond measure. Remember that this year.
7. Unwind From A Day’s Work With Yoga
Yoga is a great way to tune into your body, feel how it’s feeling and take the time to let go of any brain clutter. Below you’ll find 5 poses you can do from home, saving you a class membership (you can still get one if you want though, don’t let us stop you). When getting into the poses, be more concerned about your state of consciousness rather than getting into it for the sake of it. Notice the temperature of your skin, the sounds around you, and be mindful of your breathing. You’ll see the most results then.
- Supported Child’s Pose
- Relieves tension in the lower back.
- Learn how to correctly do the pose here.
- Thread-The-Needle
- Detoxifies and calms the body.
- Learn how to correctly do the pose here.
- Seated Wide Leg Supported Forward Fold
- Strengthens the spine, calms the brain, releases groins.
- Learn how to correctly do the pose here.
- Resting Butterfly
- Helps intestine and bowel movements while also removing fatigue from long hours of standing and walking.
- Learn how to correctly do the pose here.
- Savasana
- Helps relieve mild depression, high blood pressure, headaches, fatigue, and insomnia.
- Learn how to correctly do the pose here.
That’s it for me today. I hope you enjoyed this article and that a few of these wellness practices make it into your salon resolutions. Got feedback? Want to share your resolutions? Tweet us @ThePhorestWord!
Thanks for reading! #LetsGrow