Whether you’re wining and dining clients after hours, flying interstate on work trips, or doing Zoom meetings at odd hours of the day with your international team, no doubt your work schedule is starting to play havoc on your skin.
So if your career requires you to look your best, whether attending an in-person meeting or presenting on an online conference, here are some strategies you can use when you don’t have time.
Clean up Your Makeup and Beauty Habits
Chances are there might be some habits you have formed that are doing more damage that good.
For example, on those late nights at work, when you come home exhausted, do you make time to wash off your makeup or do you end up sleeping in your makeup? I’m guilty of doing this, so it’s okay if you are too.
The other thing is many women don’t regularly wash their dirty brushes they use to apply makeup. Ask yourself, when was the last time you washed your makeup tools?
Working in the city, we’re exposed to pollution that’s just not conducive to healthy clean skin, so it’s even more important we protect and clean our skin frequently.
The skin on your face is a lot different to the skin on your hands, but some of us are as vigorous washing our faces as we wash our hands. Scrubbing your face too hard can cause skin damage and irritation.
Become Blemish-free While Sitting at Your Desk
Something that many women forget is that our skin is our largest organ! The good thing is that there is so much you can do while sitting at your desk.
It’s natural for women to rush out and look for a new product during their lunch break while they pack on concealer and foundation in the meantime in the hope no-one will notice.
The thing is, your skin can be affected depending which season we are in, your menstrual cycle because of the changes in your hormones, the impact of chronic stress, and the food you eat.
There are Three Things You Can Do:
- Hormones: Hormone imbalances can result in issues like painful and irregular cycles, mood swings, breakouts, and adrenal fatigue. If you suspect your hormones could be imbalanced, book an appointment with a professional and get tested.
- Mindfulness: It may seem counter-intuitive to stop what you’re doing and engage in a mindfulness activity, especially when you’re busy and on a deadline. However, taking small blocks of time to do some breathing exercises, short meditations, and simple stretches can rejuvenate the mind, give you more clarity and focus, and ultimately, help you become more productive while reducing stress. Tip: Use an app like Insight Timer and do a 5 minute guided meditation between projects as a transition activity.
- Nutrition: Whether you’re eating leftovers or takeout, what you eat is going to show up on your face. When people are busy, they want to look at food as fuel and the nutrients to help nourish and calm their skin. If the bulk of your lunches aren’t comprised of lots of colorful vegetables, healthy proteins, and healthy fats, then that’s your first warning sign.
When You Feel You’re Stuck with Your Work Schedule
Chronic stress is a major contributor to the health of your skin. However, it’s an area that can be overlooked because you may feel there is nothing you can do to change your circumstances with your work schedule. That may be true, but there are still things you can do that are within your power to reduce stress such as using some of these strategies on 5 ways to stay positive at work.
In my Conquer Chronic Stress Playbook, I share how you can hack your stress cycle. Have you ever heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? It’s a motivational theory in psychology composed of a five-tier model of human needs. At the bottom of the pyramid, our basic human needs include rest, security, and safety.
It’s a reminder that we need to make sure we’re resting when we’re not working and prioritizing sleep whenever we can to reduce stress.
Saying Affirmations to Yourself
Here is a list of positive skin affirmations you can say to yourself as you start to heal your skin:
- I take good care of my skin and my skin is happy.
- I eat healthy food that is good for my skin.
- I treat my skin gently and with love.
- My skin heals blemishes and irritations with ease and grace.
- I completely love my skin no matter what.
- My skin gets clearer every day.
- I accept my skin for exactly how it is with no judgment.
Some women struggle with saying affirmations because it’s in conflict with what they believe to be true, therefore, it feels fake.
The way I like to use affirmations is like a circuit breaker. Whenever I catch myself saying unkind things, I use an affirmation to re-program my thought process. This takes time. Just like going to the gym, it takes a while for the “muscles” in our brains to develop.
At first, it may feel unnatural but in time, you will begin to start believing and realize how powerful you are at being able to choose your thoughts. Choosing more empowering thoughts will ultimately lead you to make the dietary and lifestyle changes to help heal your skin.
Tell us in the comments what’s been the hardest part of your work schedule that’s made it challenging to prioritize your skin’s health?
Merly Hartnett
Merly Hartnett is a certified Health Coach and Holistic Career Specialist, working with career mums to conquer chronic stress and balance their hormones naturally. She has a corporate background in occupational rehabilitation, runs her own coaching business from home and is a full-time mum. Merly believes when women are living in flow with their cyclical nature, they can begin to lift themselves out of emotional and physical exhaustion and thrive in both their personal and professional life.
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