Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.
by Anne Moratto
Is “Work/Life Balance” Good Advice for Hairdressers?
We read so much about making time for “life” in a society where work can spread into a 24/7 habit. It makes sense—what’s the point of making money if you never have time to spend it? These days even “social” ...
July 13, 2015
John Lund/Marc Romanelli for Getty Images
2 min to read
We read so much about making time for “life” in a society where work can spread into a 24/7 habit. It makes sense—what’s the point of making money if you never have time to spend it? These days even “social” media is a ruse when we use it more to drive business than to be actually social. But every movement has its backlash, and now a voice is emerging to say that maybe this work/life balance thing is not the best strategy for living life to its fullest.
“Think of those who love their job,” says Brian Mohr, co-founder and managing partner of Y Scouts, a corporate search firm in Tempe, Arizona. “For them, it’s not exactly ‘work’ as they exercise their capabilities fully toward a goal that they believe in. Finding the right fit is more important than people realize. The problem of work/life balance starts farther upstream. When the appropriate person is aligned with the appropriate goal, balance is natural.”
If Mohr’s sentiments strike a chord with you, it probably means you’re a salon professional who’s passionate about your art and a good fit with your work. Instead of prioritizing either work or life, you actually don’t mind blending the two; to some extent, your life is your work. Of course, you still need quality time with your family and some time to just chill.
Mohr offers this twist on the work/life perspective:
Don’t buy into the notion of the “work you” as being separate from the “real you.” You can be yourself when you’re working.
When you don’t like what you do, you’re desperate to get to the weekend, working five days each week in order to have two days that you enjoy. A 5-to-2 bad/good ratio is not a healthful way to spend your life. Make sure you like your work!
Just as today’s technology allows you to keep track of your children or communicate with your spouse during the workday, don’t be defensive about the crossover going the other way. It’s okay to use your phone for business purposes, like booking clients, when you’re away from work.
“We should drop the idea that work and life are somehow separate,” Mohr concludes. “They’re not.”
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