One of the hardest things that I have found working in customer service is remembering to take care of myself. We get so busy taking care of others at work, we sometimes forget to practice self-care when we get home. This is one of the reasons for self-care in customer service industries. Learning to take time for myself at the end of the day is one of the hardest things that I have done. But it is also one of the best things that I could have done. I have experienced such a positive impact on my ability to function at work. And it has improved my relationships outside of work as well.
What is self-care?
Self-care is anything that you do to make sure that you are meeting your own needs.
It can be something as simple as taking the time to read a book or watch a movie that you really want to.
Or it can be hitting the Gym or meditating each day. Whatever you do make sure that it is something that you enjoy and can help with the different stressors that you encounter each day.
Self-Care is necessary for everyone because it ensures that your own needs are met. For those that work in service industries, the need for self-care is sometimes even more important then it is for others. Because of the different stressors that you might deal with in a day.
Here are some of the more important reasons that those that work in any service-based industry need to practice self-care on a regular basis.
Irregular Schedule
We often work long shifts on our feet, have irregular schedules and are at work late into the night. This means that your sleep habits can get all messed up, I know mine are.
I still work some nights and don’t get home sometimes until after 10 pm. It takes me at least a few hours to get wound down after I get home so there are nights that I am up till 2 am.
This is not good if you get up and get the kids off to school in the morning. It usually leaves me very drained and tired the next day and has a big impact on my productivity too.
One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to stick to a set night-time routine. Make sure that you do the same routine even on nights that you may work a little later so that you stay consistent. Sticking to a regular bedtime can be hard to start, but once you get used to it, it becomes a lot easier.
Poor eating habits
One thing that I am bad about is what time I eat dinner the nights that I work. I usually eat dinner after I get home, so I am sitting down and eating a full meal at 10:30 at night. This makes it a lot harder to wind down and get ready to go to sleep each night.
One of the things that can help with eating late is to eat before your shift at night and eat a small healthy snack when you get home later.
The snack should still be balanced with fresh fruits or veggies along with some cheese and crackers. This helps because you are eating your dinner early in the evening and not trying to digest a big meal late at night.
Drinking Alcohol
One thing that some of us do is go get a drink with friends after work or have a few when we get home. There is nothing wrong with having a drink or two, but more then that and you are just making it harder to settle down at night and get quality sleep.
Even just one drink can have a negative impact on the quality of sleep that you have. It is best to find another way to relax after a long day, especially if you work late and get up early. Some options for this are meditation, reading or taking a hot bath.
These are just a few things, but there are others that you can try. The most important thing is to make sure that it is something that YOU need to feel better, not what other people tell you that you need.
Hectic days/long nights
If you have worked in food service or retail you know that there are times when you seem to be going at a dead run all shift. It can be non-stop from the moment that you hit the door till the time that you close. This can leave you exhausted and stressed out at the end of the day.
Days (or nights) like this can leave you feeling so drained that there is no room for anything or anyone. All you want to do is just sit and stare nothing for hours. This can really have an adverse effect on those around you and your relationships with them. Whether it’s your friends, partner or even your kids, by being so drained from work every day you are sacrificing your time with them.
But by taking time to care for your self you are making it easier to be able to spend quality time with those that you love and that love you. One of the biggest things that you can do to help this is to learn to say no. It can be hard to say no at first, but once you learn to do it you will see how big of an impact it can have on your life.
Some of the things that you might need to learn to say no to in order to take better care of yourself are extra shifts at work. Staying later than your scheduled time, going out with friends/co-workers after work. And staying up late at night (this is you telling yourself no).
Learning how (and when) to say no to certain things makes it easier to start taking better care of yourself and start to do things that make you feel better in the long run.
Related Reading: Memory tips for servers, 6 Changes to improve your mindset.
High-Stress work environment
Foodservice and retail are two very stressful environments to work in. The main reasons that they are high stress are because you are constantly on the go and are multi-tasking in order to do your job effectively. If you have waited tables you know that there are nights that you turn around and have 3 or 4 new tables at a time. This is on top of the ones that you may already have. When this happens it can be frustrating and overwhelming because you feel like you are already stretched to thin as it is.
Retail can be the same. Suddenly you have a slew of new customers that need to be rung up or that need to be helped all at the same time. Sometimes the line at checkout seems to never end and you feel like you just can’t move fast enough. When you have days/nights like this it can leave you feeling both emotionally and mentally drained and just need to decompress.
Some good options for this are to read, take a bath or to mediate. Any of these can help to unwind you and forget about the stress of the day.
It’s physically demanding
Waiting tables often means that you are lifting heavy trays and walking at a faster pace than you normally would. Both can lead you to feel more tired than normal. A good habit to get into is to stretch your arms and legs before you go into work so that you can avoid muscle fatigue that is common in those that work long hours on their feet.
If you work in retail, there are times that you will have to lift heavier objects as well. By doing small stretches or workouts you can keep your body loose while building strength and endurance as well.
Human Contact overload
Even if you are normally very social you can sometimes experience the feeling of being overwhelmed around too many people. Sometimes the number of people that you end up dealing with on a day to day basis can get to you. Which can cause you to be more stressed out than normal from work.
When this happens you just need to be away from people for a little bit. Taking time to take care of yourself is even more important so that you don’t inadvertently hurt your relationships outside of work.
Final thoughts
By getting into the habit of practicing self-care in customer service industries you perform your job better and more effectively. And you will feel better about being there in general.
This will also allow you to take the time to spend with family and friends without feeling drained. Whatever you do to take time for yourself, whether it’s meditating, reading a book or anything that relaxes you.
If you choose activities that are specifically for your own mental and emotional well-being you will feel better about yourself and those around you too.
If there are any other reasons that you know of for those that work in customer service industries, let me know in the comments!