*Originally published in 2022, these tips and strategies continue to resonate.  Happy Holidays!

Cosmo Prof's Artistic Team Members Keon Washington, Brenda Espinosa, and Jon Carlos Delacruz, are all in-demand artists who see clients, while also acting as Cosmo Prof Ambassadors to the industry.  This means they are traveling, teaching, mentoring, and making sure their clients are benefiting from all the latest and greatest.   

Because we know the holidays can be high-pressure, we loved hearing their answers to the questions we posed below.  They each come from a very unique point of view and we know you'll find something to take back into your work and life. 

How Can Stylists Take Care of Themselves During the Holidays...and Always

Keon Washington

Can you share some general tips and advice for managing holiday burnout during busy seasons?

• As a pro stylist, it's important to establish a holiday protocol, one which includes any additions and subtractions. Establish what’s off the table to make it easier to set your hours, prices, and terms. Stand firm on them, make the price points high enough to where it’s fair, but worth your skill and time in busy seasons. Charging more allows you to take less volume and still be satisfied with the draw in. Take on only what you can handle for sure – we always feel like superheroes around the holidays, but truly we are just humans too.

• For clients, I recommend pre-booking as soon as you can, even if you are uncertain of your schedule. Worst case scenario you have to cancel, but if you don’t, you’re great and can ensure you make it in to see your stylist ahead of the holidays. Choose hairstyles that hold longevity and ease of style to counter the longer in-between times. Also, make sure to treat your personal professional like you do all the other luxuries in life, and keep them in mind with your appreciation and joy.

Are there any specific practices you’ve put into place and/or shared with your team members that could help other stylists better manage their calendars and personal wellbeing this holiday season?

• We practice training each other in a way that caters to each other's specialties. Using our real-time clients in the studio to share our methods and processes not only helps stylists add to their skill set, but in the event we need to help out, we are prepared to help balance together as a team. As a leader, I make sure to show by example the importance of family and taking your time needed for you. I show them that in whatever form of relaxation and down time that is, make sure you do it and prioritize it. We are also constantly encouraging our clients to book via our app as opposed to manually. This reduces our likelihood of taking extra appointments that we really wanted to say no to.

Brenda Espinosa

Can you share some general tips and advice for managing holiday burnout during busy seasons?

• I advise my stylists to remind themselves to balance between work life and personal life during the holidays. We must remember to keep that balance so that we can come into work feeling good and ready for our clients, not burned out from too much work mentally and physically.

Are there any specific practices you’ve put into place and/or shared with your team members that could help other stylists better manage their calendars and personal wellbeing this holiday season?

• I find that the holiday season is always a busy time for me. At times, I will find myself working long hours throughout the holidays, and not keeping a balance between work and my personal wellbeing. This year, I have been practicing taking at least 2-3 days off to spend time with my family during the holidays, and still managing to take all of my clients.

Jon Carlos Delacruz

Can you share some general tips and advice for managing holiday burnout during busy seasons?

• Calm down! Holidays are a perfect time to implement a sharing vs. a give and take mentality. My Mom always said ‘if you can do then do, but if you can’t, then don’t’. There is no need for overthinking and stressing. People often overwhelm themselves during the holidays, thinking they have an obligation to others. Calm down and only take on what you can handle! 

Are there any specific practices you’ve put into place and/or shared with your team members that could help other stylists better manage their calendars and personal wellbeing this holiday season?

• I treat the holiday rush like a regular day at the salon, and ask ‘isn’t this what we became professionals for? To be busy, make money, and give back?!’ Well, here you go! Just don’t overbook yourself, and your holidays will fly by seamlessly.