More Than Just a Job

I’ve written this because I feel it’s important — and I hope it might help fellow hairdressers who are going through the same feelings I’ve seen (and experienced) in this industry.

Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of stylists say they’re struggling or falling out of love with hairdressing, or that they’re constantly frustrated with clients. And honestly, I get it. Some clients can test your patience, push your limits, and leave you doubting yourself. But here’s the truth I’ve come to learn over the years: there are far more clients who value, appreciate, and truly admire what you do. Sometimes it’s just harder to see them when the stress piles up.

The Pattern of Stress

I’ve been in hairdressing for 26 years now, and I’ve noticed something about myself. My hardest point — my most drained, my most tested — always hits around Christmas. The weeks leading up to it can feel relentless: long hours, squeezing in extra appointments, trying to please everyone so no one gets left out. Psychologically, it’s exhausting. You tell yourself, “Just one more client, just one more day,” but the weight builds until it feels like too much.

The Stress Cup Theory

This is where I’ve found the stress cup theory really resonates. Imagine your stress levels as a cup. Every little thing — the late nights, that one difficult client, the pressure to say yes, even the personal stresses you carry outside the salon — drips into the cup. Eventually, that cup fills up. And when it overflows, that’s when burnout, resentment, or even the thought of walking away from hairdressing creeps in.

The trick is learning how to release the pressure before the cup overflows.

My Own Release Valves

For me, I’ve learned to build my own taps into that cup. I now plan my big vacation at the start of November — just before the Christmas chaos begins. That way, I’ve already given myself something to recharge with before heading into the storm. Then, when January and February come, I always plan a photoshoot. That photoshoot isn’t about clients, money, or the salon schedule. It’s about me. It’s about my creativity, control, and reminding myself why I fell in love with this craft in the first place.

Because if I’m honest, I don't think any of us became hairdressers for the money. We all started because of that spark of creativity, the transformations, the ability to give someone confidence they didn’t have when they walked in. And yet, it’s so easy to forget that when our stress cup is overflowing.

A Reminder for Hairdressers Everywhere

When you were an assistant, it was never easy. You worked long hours, took the tough jobs, and pushed through because you loved the art of it. That passion is still there inside you — but sometimes you need to step away from the daily salon grind to find it again.

So here’s my advice: change the scene.

Create something just for you — a side project, a photoshoot, where you can let your creative mind run free, a vision you’ve had in your head and want to see it physically.

Give yourself milestones throughout the year that break up the pressure points.

Find your own ways to open the taps on your stress cup so it doesn’t overflow.

It won’t stop difficult clients appearing, and it won’t take away the demands of the job, but it will give you a way to fall back in love with hairdressing and yourself again.

So protect your energy, keep your cup from overflowing, and never forget to give yourself moments. Because when you look after your own creativity and well-being, you don’t just become a better hairdresser, you fall back in love with the reason you picked up those scissors in the first place.