THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONSISTENT

Consistency is a great characteristic to build in your life and implement in your business to help achieve success, according to salon business expert Liz McKeon

As a salon owner, consistency is a must, especially when it comes to quality of work and providing excellent client service. And when managing a team, consistency will help generate respect as your staff will always know where they stand.

To develop consistency in life and in business, begin by making a list and prioritise what you want to be more consistent about. Over time, you will automatically be more motivated and have an improved sense of accountability.

Follow these steps to help you stay on track:

1 Create realistic, simple and specific goals

Be clear on what you are aiming to achieve. Once you have identified your goals, break them down into smaller steps.

2 Create a schedule for yourself

This will help you plan your days so you get everything done on time. Allocate realistic amounts of time for all your business tasks. For larger, more long-term goals, set small, daily tasks that your can do to work towards this goal. Remember to plan for downtime and breaks.

3 Place reminders around your workspace

It can be easy to forget new commitments and promises when we make them to ourselves.

4 Reward yourself when you accomplish goals

To help keep yourself motivated, recognise that even small goals deserve to be acknowledged and rewarded.

5 Keep going if you make a mistake

Consistency is effort, not perfection. In fact, plan for setbacks. It is vital to pick yourself up and keep going.

6 Take time off to recharge your batteries

Consistency does not mean you have to be at work non-stop. In fact, it is the reverse. By giving yourself time off, you avoid burnout and productivity improves. In your diary, schedule in time for yourself.

7 Use motivational tools to keep going

You must keep going even when you don’t feel like it. For example, when you are tired or stressed, it can be so easy to let your important goals slide, causing you to go completely off track.

Therefore, you have to find ways to stay motivated. When you are faced with a difficult day, learn to compromise with yourself.

8 Be accountable

To be more consistent and disciplined, you have to be completely honest with yourself at all times, recognising when you don’t reach the standards and goals that you have set for yourself. Reconsider if your goals are realistic and decide how best to change them if necessary. If possible, ask a colleague or friend to be your accountability partner.

9 Give yourself time to see changes

New habits take time, and it generally takes at least 21 days doing something for it to become a new habit. Don’t tackle too much – start with small steps and build your way up.

10 Set boundaries for your commitments and relationships

Boundaries make it easier to implement commitments because you then have specific limits in which to function. Before taking on new tasks, establish what you are willing and able to do, and stick to those limits.

11 Build your willpower

Consistency tends to lean towards performing, even when you don’t feel like it. Avoid temptation if possible. But take care of yourself in the process, as exhaustion is the enemy of consistency.

12 Practise positive thinking

Work towards eliminating negative thinking as much as possible. When you think negatively, you are less likely to be able to hold on to your new consistent actions. Positive thinking brings inner peace, success, improved relationships, better health, happiness and satisfaction. It also helps the daily affairs of life move more smoothly, and makes it look bright and promising. When you learn how to think positively, you gain the key to changing and improving your life.

Finally, don’t ever beat yourself up when you don’t quite hit the mark. What matters most is that you keep working towards both your personal and your salon goals. By doing that, consistency will follow.