As a massage therapist you take care of others. You help clients relax, relieve their tension and stress, and make them feel good. It is quite easy to forget to take care of yourself in the process. Being a massage therapist can be strenuous both physically and mentally. It is important to remember to take care of you and having a good self care regimen in place is a must.
There are several elements of self-care from mind and body care to business management. Happy and healthy therapist is the recipe to a long and rewarding career.
Self Care Techniques
Some of the self care techniques can and should become of your standard practice while “on-the-job”. During a massage treatment be mindful of consistently good body mechanics, your breath and movement. Eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated. You may find quiet meditation during a massage session keeps you in a mindful state, calm and connected with your client.
When you are not hands on massaging a client it is good to engage in physical exercise, meditation/spiritual practice and getting regular massages yourself. Take time to do something that you enjoy whether it is taking quiet time off with a good book or spending time with friends and family or going on a vacation.
Business Management
To avoid burn out and getting stressed out, time management for your massage business is imperative. There are 24 hours in a day, that’s it. Balancing out the day with work and other activities is not necessarily easy but you can find balance following a few time management tips.
Make a to-do list. Prioritize your must do and “want to do” items and break down larger items into smaller sections. We are often our own worst critics. If you don’t accomplish everything on your list, be kind to yourself, re-write the item/s that didn’t get accomplished and tackle them the following day. It is also important to schedule time for yourself. Taking a short break or a day off can do wonders for your productivity and longevity of your business.
Self care may not come naturally to many of us, however it is important for our health and well being and for a long and lustrous career as a massage therapist. Take time, schedule if you think it helps you, to take care of yourself. You and your clients will appreciate it and thank you for it.