If you’re a salon owner, there’s a good chance that fronting up to the salon is a habit you’re finding hard to break. What to do, now that you’re home? How can you organise your day and remain productive when there are no clients to tend to, no staff to direct and no credit cards to charge?
Regardless on whether you’re spending your days negotiating terms with your landlord, hosting Zoom training sessions with your home-bound staff, or working out hope to keep your business afloat for the next couple of months, there are some tips and tricks to ensure that your new working-from-home arrangement is as productive as possible.
Start it right
Set your alarm, get up and hit the shower. Sleeping in until mid-morning was forgivable in the first few weeks of the lockdown while you came to terms with the restrictions, but now it’s time to get on with it.
“it’s east to get into bad habits and they can lead to a lack of motivation, before it even gets to 9am,” says HR expert, Janice O’Brien. “Make sure you have a routine that involves some exercise, getting dressed and clocking on to your work day.”
Have a work place
Create a work nook and use it. Find a space in the office that you can call your own, where you can set up and be happy and comfortable. “Ideally, steer clear of relaxation or recreation spaces, so that’s a no to the bedroom and the dining table,” says Janice. “Make this space for work only; away from noise, kids, Netflix and the fridge!”
Use your calendar
Your work day at the salon was split into blocks of time. Your work day at home should be too. Create a list of what you want to achieve for the day, and schedule it. “You might want a two-hour window to focus on admin, another hour for training and development, and an hour to respond to emails and enquiries,” says Janice. Make sure you also schedule time for your lunch, and make sure you don’t eat it in your work space. Get some fresh air, and stretch your legs.
Be connected
Whether it’s with your staff or a friend, make sure you have some contact with the outside world every day. Zoom meetings give you a chance to see each other, while social media allows you to remain connected to the industry contacts you have, as well as creating new ones.
For more news and updates, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.