Be Mindful of Your Mental Health

Mental Health Day

As professional dog groomers, you have faced a global pandemic, business closures, and reopening after lockdown, with new rules and restrictions.  You’ll have worked longer and harder to accommodate all your clients after lockdown, and to keep your customers, your staff, and yourself and loved ones safe.  All this can take its toll on your mental health.

Everyone is different and some may bounce back quickly from these low moments, but others may feel weighed down for longer by these feelings.

Mixed anxiety and depression have been estimated to cause one-fifth of days lost from work in Britain and as most professional groomers are self-employed or work alone, keeping on top of your mental well-being is so important, not just to keep your business going, but also for your overall health.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO SUPPORT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

1. Me Time - Groomers are focused on looking after others and this can be draining.  It’s important to take time for self-care. Do something you enjoy, something you’re good at.  Take a break and connect with others.  All of these things can help reset your mood and leave you refreshed and ready to tackle a new day.
2. Let’s get Physical – Looking after your body with healthy eating, good water intake, and a great night’s sleep will make a big difference to how your head feels.  Exercise produces happy hormones which will improve your mood. 
3. Sharing is Caring – Whether that is sharing your feelings or your workload. Sometimes chatting to someone, being listened to and understood can help you feel less alone.  It’s important not to let your emotions build up to the point where they feel completely unmanageable.  It might also be possible to share your workload.  Maybe you work alongside another groomer who could assist with your workload, or maybe you are in a position to take on someone to assist with administration or cleaning.  It might even be possible to share your responsibilities outside of work until you feel more like yourself.  Remember you are not alone.
4. Be Practical – Making day to day plans and setting small goals can help focus your mind and keep you motivated.  At this time it’s important to look at how Covid-19 and the restrictions in place are affecting your business, as well as how impending increases in business costs might also affect you.  If you need to reassess your pricing, it’s important you do this.  Remember your loyal customers appreciate the work you do.    
5. Social Media Blackout – It’s important for businesses to keep their social media accounts up to date as these are incredibly important marketing tools, but be aware of your personal social media consumption.  ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ and while it’s great to share your business achievements and before and after transformations with your followers, remember to step away as soon as social media starts negatively affecting your mood.    

We asked some of our Team what they do to support their mental health.

When I feel overwhelmed, unmotivated, or find I’m struggling with sleep there are a few things I do.  Firstly, exercise and music - getting out for a walk or to the gym with my headphones on.  I also find setting day-to-day goals is a simple step to help my mental health and the sense of accomplishing something makes a difference.  Finally meeting a friend and just talking about things can lead you to find out you aren't alone.  Everyone goes through different things at different times in life and knowing someone has maybe experienced something similar and come out the other side can really help motivate you. All this will help you get a really great night’s sleep!

I enjoy going for walks!  This time helps me think things out -I don't listen to music when walking, I love hearing all the wee noises going on around me or acknowledging people as they pass by.  On the other end of the scale, I will bake.  I find when my mind is in overdrive, I need to distract myself and this is a great way to do it and it's something my daughter enjoys too.

When someone says the word 'Yoga' our minds jump to images of bendy, contortionists in weird and wonderful positions. This is just the physical practice of Yoga - a small part of a much larger practice of mental and physical care. One of the things I like to do as my own 'personal yoga' is having an 'intention' for the days (this is something I can easily do on days where the physical yoga just isn't on the cards). An intention can be a positive affirmation or quote for the day - something that you can keep in the back of your mind as you go through your day:  "Struggles are just opportunities to learn" 

Something small and positive. Something to help remind you to swap negative thoughts for positive. 

 Going for a walk, I know it's obvious but it really helps clear your mind.  It gives you perspective.  Going to the beach for a walk especially helps me feel more connected and less bothered by daily stresses.  Having company to talk out anything that is bothering you on these walks help, a little distance from technology and a real conversation.  I think you have to self reflect, don't dwell on the past and stop being so hard on yourself.