Burnout in the salon doesn’t usually arrive all at once. It creeps in quietly. One day you notice you’re more tired than usual, a bit shorter with clients, or counting the hours until closing time. The work you once enjoyed starts to feel repetitive, your body feels heavy, and even your days off don’t quite recharge you. I’ve been there more than once.
These aren’t miracle cures, but they’re five simple things that have helped me step back, reset, and find some balance again when salon life starts to wear me down.
1. Get Outside and Into Nature
I find being outside is almost the perfect antidote to the sometimes intense environment of the salon. The stillness, natural light, and fresh air are in complete contrast to the busyness, noise, and stuffiness of a bustling shop.
If I can, I try to get off the bus or train a stop or two earlier, take a short walk at lunchtime, or head out after dinner in the evening—whatever suits my schedule that day. Ideally, I like to get it in before work. I’ve found it clears my head and sets me up far better for the day ahead.
2. Read
I’ve always loved reading. Books were a constant in the house I grew up in (a library room is still one of my dreams).
That strange, bittersweet feeling of wanting to finish a book to see what happens, while also not wanting it to end because you’re enjoying it so much, never really goes away.
Books have an incredible power to transport you to different times and places—or even let you be someone else for a while. The world outside drifts by, problems fade into the background, and your mind gets a proper break. For me, it’s the perfect disconnection, and it often leads to great conversations with clients later on. A win-win in my book.
3. Activities or Hobbies
Nothing focuses the mind quite like trying not to belly flop from a 7-metre diving platform—believe me. Or trying not to step on your partner’s toes at a salsa class, so I’m told.
When you’re doing activities or hobbies like these, it’s almost impossible to think about anything other than the task at hand. You’re in completely different surroundings, with people from different backgrounds and jobs, and the repetitive nature of the salon floor is left far behind.
Whether I’ve had a good, bad, or indifferent day behind the chair, the headspace this kind of activity gives me is invaluable—not to mention the endorphins and the chance to build new friendships.
4. Gratitude / Journaling
Firstly, an admission. A few years ago, at the mere mention of gratitude, I would have laughed and scoffed. It was “woo-woo” nonsense as far as I was concerned.
Fast forward to now, and I see it very differently. It’s not, and never will be, a silver bullet—but it is a powerful and effective tool. I still have rough days, but practising gratitude helps me realise that maybe it wasn’t a bad day after all. Perhaps there were one or two speed bumps, but most of those 24 hours were actually pretty good.
Seeing more wins than losses helps put things back into perspective.
5. Break the Routine with Something to Look Forward To
“How has that week flown by?” “Where has the year gone?” How often have you said something like that? I know I have—more times than I can count.
When we settle into routine, the brain learns to systemise it to save energy. Can you remember the first haircut you ever did on autopilot? Or the details of your commute home from the salon yesterday? Unless something unusual happened, probably not. Routine becomes habit. Habit becomes forgotten.
For the last few years, I’ve tried to break my weeks, months, and years into a series of mini adventures: a city break, a hike, a concert, even a simple lunch with a friend or loved one. It breaks the monotony, disrupts the rhythm, and creates experiences to remember. Instead of wishing time away, it’s helped me stay more present—both inside and outside the shop.
Burnout doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong job, and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. More often than not, it’s just a sign that something needs adjusting. None of these are big, dramatic changes, and they don’t need to be done perfectly or all at once. They’re small ways of stepping outside the rhythm of the shop, creating a bit of space, and reminding yourself that there’s a full life happening beyond the chair. The salon will always be busy. The days will always be full. Looking after your head and your energy is what makes the work sustainable—for the long run.