Looking after your mental health in a high-stress job

It’s 9pm: your phone pings and without even looking at the message, your heart starts racing 😰.

• Is it a client requesting an appointment?
• Do they want to cancel or reschedule at the last minute?
• Will this affect the staff schedule?
• Is it a complaint?

You look, and it’s a message from Grubhub giving you $10 of your next order.

Panic over…for now.

This is just one example of work induced stress in the pet grooming industry, and if this scenario resonates, it’s a warning sign that it’s time to start looking after yourself.

Here are our top 5 tips for looking after your mental-health:

1. 1
   

   Don’t overbook yourself, it’s not worth it 📅

   It’s important to create a gap between appointments so that you aren’t rushing between bookings. Take a few moments between appointments to get off your feet or step outside for a quick breath of fresh air.

1. 2
   

   Make sure you eat lunch and drink plenty of water 🍲

   You hear it all the time, but even something as simple as this will help you to stay mentally fresh and more level-headed throughout the day. So give yourself permission to schedule a lunch break, you deserve it!

1. 3
   

   Turn off notifications on your phone 📱🔇

   Set a schedule for your notifications so that you don’t get alerts beyond your core working hours. This will enable you to switch your mind off once the day is done. It’s easier said than done but this small change could make a huge difference to your mental well-being.

1. 4
   

   Don’t work on your day off 🌴

   This is hard, but it’s important that you have at least 1 day off where you can do something you enjoy. Go out to eat, visit family & friends, or take a walk outside. It doesn’t matter what you choose to do with your free time, just make sure it is nothing related to your business. This also means no checking work emails!

1. 5
   

   Accept help when you need it 💪

   Delegate tasks if you need to, but don’t try to oversee everything. You’ll end up hurting yourself and burning out. Trust the team you have to alleviate some pressures.

Yes, grooming matters, but so do you 💛

In the pet grooming world where your feet barely touch the ground from opening to close, how can you ensure that you are looking after your mind? So much pressure and such a tight schedule is bound to lead you to some sort of burn out if you don’t set some boundaries for yourself.

That being said, a little bit of adrenaline is good; it keeps you moving and striving to make your business better. But, if you find yourself starting to question if this job is worth it, it’s time to act before it’s late!