Maintaining motivation as a freelancer

Mindset and wellbeing expert Cally Borg shares some top tips for feeling your best as a freelance hairdresser

Freelancing can be a difficult road to navigate without the structure of salons, colleagues, and routine. Once you take the leap into independence, you may feel the weight of responsibility getting a little heavier. So, we spoke to award-winning hairstylist, home salon owner and freelance educator Cally Borg to get her expert advice on maintaining motivation and wellbeing as an independent stylist.

“Know your WHY! Being an independent stylist is hard work, we don’t have anyone to do it for us, so we need a good reason to get up every day and give it our all. Once I began to set quarterly goals, I noticed a positive change in my productivity and motivation. I have found that having goals every three months keeps me on my toes – it makes it easier to focus on those set in a shorter amount of time giving a sense of accountability. Yearly goals seem so far away that they get forgotten about, and monthly goals often feel too frequent that they become difficult to maintain.

Set boundaries. You are the CEO of your business, therefore it’s your responsibility to set your working hours while ensuring you consider the time for annual leave, hobbies, and anything productive that will help you reach your goals. It can be difficult to walk away from work when you’re surrounded by it, but in the same way you would treat, recognise, and care for employees, you have to direct that focus on yourself and managing your own time.

Motivation is something that can be fleeting until you find a source of inspiration that you can relate or latch on to. I find my motivation through podcasts, following the journey of people I aspire to be successful like. I also practice consistent personal development and gratitude. Gratitude is very powerful. When you are grateful for what you have, you can shift into a much stronger mindset. Instead of thinking you’re not where you want to be, you allow yourself to appreciate that success is a journey not a destination and you open yourself up to more opportunities of fulfilment along the way.

I believe the only way for you to properly manage your wellbeing, particularly in an industry like ours, is to make it part of your routine. Your physical and mental health should be a priority; not only is it essential to your body and general wellbeing, but it also plays a vital part in your work, from your own personal day-to-day organisation to appointments and communicating with clients. It’s a no brainer, and it can look different to every person.

Exercising regularly, having a balanced diet, and drinking lots of water are good practices for everyone but recognising and being grateful for your health, reading, breathing techniques or even something as simple as watching your favourite TV shows and movies can all be great ways to centre yourself. Stay grounded and present while you switch off from freelance life and stepping away from your work schedule for a short time.”