Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/213903
how to survive… an off-day We all have them. You spill paraffin on the floor, your salon owner yells at you, you smudge a client's nails. Here's how to handle it when everything that can possibly go wrong, does. If you identify the problem: …and it's an overwhelming schedule. Enlist the help of others to balance your workload. This goes for both salon and personal issues. Remember that you don't have to do it all — and you probably shouldn't. a salon inspection You'd rather pull your fingernails out than have any more scheduled disruptions today. Lucky you, today is the day the government gods have looked down upon you and sent out your friendly state inspector. / / / / / According to Marianne Light, former California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology inspector, there are five things you can do to help you pass your inspection: …and it's you're running behind. Shorten services for a client if she's late to her appointment. Say no to a tech who asks you to help out with one of her services, or tell her today's not the best day, but you're happy to help her out a different day of the week. Don't volunteer for that extra task, just this once. …and it's you're too tired to focus. Being tired can make you drop things or cloud your thinking, so start giving yourself more down-time and more time for sleep. "I make a point to turn off the computer and go to bed by a certain time," says salon owner Erin Snyder-Dixon. Be knowledgeable. "You have to know the rules and regulations of your state," she says. "You can't be in compliance if you don't know what you're supposed to do." She adds that most people don't read their state's rules and regulations, but they just assume what they're supposed to do. You know what they say about people who assume. She also stresses the importance of reading the rules and regulations yourself. "Don't trust others to tell you. Look for yourself." Become a super self-inspector. "Conduct your own self-inspections of the salon," says Light. "Don't always trust your operators to be doing the correct thing." She suggests that even in booth-renting contracts you have wording that allows you to look through renters' workstations for violations. Always be prepared for a visit. "Most states have inspections every day of the week, all hours of the day," she says. Telling the inspector that this is a "busy time" for you won't cut it. Welcome them in, even if you are in the middle of something. Be nice. Although we sometimes get an authority complex, now is no time to let it loose. "Listen to what they tell you," she says. "Make sure you understand everything — they may be visiting you to re-inspect, and you want to make sure you've done everything they told you to do." Hire outside help. If you find the rules and regulations to be too difficult to understand — or something you just want a little extra guidance on — hire a consultant who can make sure you're up to salon snuff. 90 | NAILS MAGAZINE | 2013-2014 THE BIG BOOK TAKE A STEP BACK. It's possible you've been working too much. "Everyone needs a work-free vacation every now and then," Snyder-Dixon says. "I'm an incurable workaholic, but even for me, there is a point of crash and burn. The idea is to head it off at the pass and get that vacation or mini-break in before becoming too stressed out." STUFF HAPPENS. Sometimes, bad stuff happens. But, as a general rule, it's only temporary. "People will get happy again, the messes will get cleaned up, and we will have those awesome days where we are able to nail everything we do," Snyder-Dixon says. "When those bad days crop up, I try to take a break, slow down, and see through the clutter that has my nerves jangled." PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE. Sometimes you need the bad days to appreciate the good ones. >>>