The Must-Break Habits Every Cosmetologist Needs to Know About
Break These 4 Bad While-You-Work Habits ASAP
Nervous ticks. Idiosyncrasies. Things we do out of straight-up boredom. Annoying, teeny-tiny little actions that drive others crazy and totally derail your productivity.
Any idea where this is all going?
Yep, you guessed it, we’re talkin’ about something we’ve all got and need to totally get rid of—bad habits.
As unpleasant as it is, we’ve all got bad habits, and while we wish we could help you break all your little day-to-day time-sucks and nasty, annoying ticks (we’re looking at you nail biters, loud chewers, nose pickers, etc.), what we’re really diving into today is your bad work habits.
The blunt reality of what we’re about to say is that even if you’re a badass cosmetologist, stylist, manager, assistant, or beyond, you’ve got bad work habits—and you’ve got to break them if you ever want to reach peak productivity.
Don’t get us wrong—not every habit you have is necessarily bad. But you do probably have at least one habit that can seem harmless but can affect the way you work, how you deal with customers, and even the overall quality of your work.
We’re laying out a list of some of the most common bad habits that cosmetologists deal with every day on the job (no matter what type of cosmetologist they are). Then, we’re giving you some of our expert tips to try and break them.
Bad Habit No. 1: Sequestering Yourself During Breaks
Another break, another day hiding away in the staff room to isolate yourself. Sure, sometimes this is necessary, but ultimately, if you’re not looking to recharge and you’re simply looking to lean into your introverted tendencies, you might want to seriously examine your choices.
There’s nothing wrong with taking some time to yourself during your break (that’s what a break is for in the first place, right?), but if you’re doing this simply to stay away from everyone, you’re not setting yourself up for success in your salon.
How to Break It: Take the plunge, get out of the staff room, and put yourself out there ASAP. Sure, it’s tempting to get some “me time” during your break (and don’t get us wrong, some days this is going to be a must), but if you’re hiding away, scrolling on your phone, and basically doing nothing, you’re missing out.
Get out on the floor if you can—chat with your mentor, get to know clients in the waiting area, and learn from someone!
Bad Habit No. 2: Bad Communication
Sure, some of us weren’t taught to be effective communicators—but that excuse has got to end now. You’re a professional—and a talented one at that. It’s time to stop your bad or limited communication habits and make changes. Share your expertise with your clients, inspire your fellow staff members, and make recommendations!
You’re the professional—start acting like it!
Communicate your ideas, your knowledge, and your recommendations. Trust us, your clients will appreciate t.
How to Break It: Stuck in a bad communication rut? We get it. Start bettering your communication with baby steps. Don’t just walk out on the floor, head to the chair, and let the client lead the interaction. Walk up confidently, introduce yourself, and lead-off with your recommendations.
You’re the pro, after all—you should be inspiring them!
This small baby step—and the subsequent ones you’ll take after—will begin to snowball into better communication skills before you know it.
Bad Habit No. 3: Scrolling on Your Phone
We’re probably not the first people to tell you that being on your phone in a professional setting is a huge turn-off. Don’t get us wrong, we know that sometimes you kind of have to be on your phone—maybe you’re showing your client a photo for inspiration, maybe you’re looking something up, or maybe you’re multi-tasking, booking an appointment, or updating your business Insta page.
But if you’re just sitting around the salon or shop mindlessly scrolling, your clients—and others—will see that. And trust us, this habit bred from boredom won’t look good for you.
How to Break It: Straight up don’t keep your phone on you while you work. If you’re not a person who can just set it down, lock that baby away in a drawer.
This move might sound a little extreme, but it’s a great way to start busting that bad habit. We realize you probably can’t lock it away all day (you likely need to be reachable by your family, friends, or partner), so make sure you’re setting aside specific times (in private) to check your notifications and catch up.
Bad Habit No. 4: Shifting the Blame
This is especially prevalent in a salon, spa, or shop where multiple cosmetologists, MUAs, stylists, or estheticians work. Why? Because it’s super easy to shun the responsibility when something goes wrong when no one can really pin it back on you. Look, we get it—mistakes make you look bad.
But ultimately, if you make a mistake, curbing the responsibility and passing it off to whoever else was working at the time (c’mon, we’ve all blamed the shampoo girl or guy for something) is a bad move, both for your conscience and for your development.
How to Break It: Start by being accountable. It doesn’t need to be this big, momentous thing, but if you set the example of being accountable for your mistakes, others will follow your example. Take charge for what you create and own your mistakes—in the end, this is going to help you, your career, and your overall development.
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