Issue 5: The Goal Getter!
The Cre8tive Collective
Welcome back again to yet another edition of The Nail On Sunday. I guess you know by the title of this issue that the theme this week is about goal setting and attaining your targets.
A goal is something to work towards. whether it be a personal goal, a business goal, a creative goal, a fitness goal or a development goal. A goal is something you move towards in order to progress in some way. You may not realise it but you set goals everyday!
Do you ever write a to do list? Do you ever say things like " I must wash the car" and so on.......
All of those little common thoughts are a form of goal setting. We all want to move forward to some way.
With the pandemic dulling down a little in some parts of the world, lockdown restrictions lifting and people slowly getting back to normality as we know it, I'm sure the goals and aspirations in your head are a plenty. Even more so than ever I presume! This week we talk about setting goals that are attainable, planning and not setting yourself up for disappointment with me Leo.
The Heff discusses how to make your dreams a reality. Carly gives us an insight into how she sets creative goals and Sam gets us ready for the looming April 'back to work!' by setting targets to work towards in order to 'get it right.'
How important is setting a target or a goal to you? How can you channel goal setting into your creativity?
Carly Dorman
For me setting targets or goals helps keep me focused and to always strive to do better in myself and what I create. One goal for me this year was to enter competitions and push myself to be more creative adding old techniques and new techniques together pushing my skills all the time. I have found I have really enjoyed pushing my creative side and being more brave each one I do it pushes me more to hit that personal goal for myself. Over a year ago I was so nervous that I didn’t think this goal was achievable, but with the support of friends and family they helped me believe in myself more to achieve all this my self belief and confident still needs to grow more but that is another personal goal to reach.
Being creative fits well into targets and goals even though sometimes we don’t see it, attempting to get that certain creative flare just right is a target and when we reach it the goal of our achievements mean so much more. Targets and goals are very personal to me each little moment when you unexpectedly hit that goal no matter how small it is will always mean the world to me. It doesn’t have to be big steps the goal of getting that one line straight or a flower petal that you have being trying for ages to get right is a goal for many. Reach for the stars and believe in your own magic.
Setting goals as a team is also a great driving force. Creating with others allows for looking at different ideas and collaboration. Here's a piece myself and Leo created as an example for our recent #collaboratetoinnovate Competition.
This week my challenge is to set yourself a new goal or go back to goal you started but gave up on, something you have put off thinking you couldn’t achieve it, get creative and believe in yourself you can do this. It would be great to see some photos of work or hear about your targets and goals that have meant a lot to you or you have planned. Believe you have what it takes and even if you take small steps to achieve them that is ok remember the hare didn’t win the race. The moral of that story is that you can be more successful of your goals by doing things slowly and steadily.
PPE
Sam Windsor
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. It is something many of us have always used to reduce the risks of overexposure to products, however, now with the added risks associated with Covid-19 it is something all nail technicians need to wear. So this week we will talk about the various items of PPE available
Gloves - With an ever growing epidemic of allergies hitting the industry it stands to reason that you should wear gloves when dealing with products to protect yourself from developing allergies, as well as for hygiene reasons when working on clients. Gloves should be powderless disposable Nitrile gloves (unless there is a known allergy to Nitrile), with a thickness of at least 0.8mm. Gloves with powder in should be avoided as there is an increased risk of allergies to the powder. Likewise, Latex gloves should be avoided due to the risk of an allergic reaction for both yourself and your client. Vinyl gloves are not suitable as they can melt when they come in to contact with the chemicals used in the nail industry.
Safety glasses/Safety goggles- Safety glasses/goggles should be worn when decanting products, or carrying out an actions that could result in flying debris or chemical splashes. They should be made of polycarbonate and should cover the sides of the eyes as well as the front. In relation to Covid-Secure working practises, safety glasses have been removed from the PPE listings, instead showing tight fitting goggles or visors as alternatives.
Dust Masks - Nail extensions and infills can create a large volume of dust, so as well as an extractor system you should also have a suitable dust mask of at least FFP2 grade of higher. Employers should arrange for Fit-Testing to be carried out to ensure staff are adequately protected. (Sole traders are not currently required to have their masks fit-tested.) To ensure the best protection, manufactures instructions on use and lifespan should be followed accordingly.
Aprons - Aprons are useful to protect clothing both from excess dust created during nail services, and from splashes and spills of products or chemicals. Reusable ones should be laundered on a high heat to maintain hygiene.
Visors - These have been introduced as part of Covid-Safe working practises. They should cover the forehead, go below the chin and wrap around the sides of face. They can be disposable or reusable but if reusing they should be thoroughly disinfected between uses.
Desk Screens - Although not essential they are preferred by some. They provide an additional splash barrier, but are dust magnets, and therefore will also potentially attract pathogens. It is vital that they are disinfected correctly.
Note: This information is correct at time of writing, however Covid-Safe working practises are constantly evolving and you should ensure you check the most up to date information of the .gov.uk website!
Coming Next Week!
Over the course of the pandemic it has become apparent to me that many technicians do not feel confident in Infection Prevention & Control. With this in mind, I have put together a free download, which will be available next week, to help refresh existing knowledge and offer some hints and tips of managing your infection prevention and control measures.
I hope it helps some of you regain your confidence in preparation for returning to work (whenever that ends up being) xx Sam
How to Make Your Dreams a Reality
Dave Heffernan
Think back to when you were a kid? Did you have dreams? Of course, you did. All children dream. The sad thing, over time well-meaning people convince us that are dreams would never come true. No longer did we have the vision of having tea on the moon or becoming that train driver because we believed the well-meaning people that they were mere fantasies, we didn't even try to make them come true.
Believe it or not, your dreams can be reality! However, you won't get anywhere by simply making a wish. You have to take specific actions to increase your chances of living that life you always dreamed of.
Who would like some tips and techniques that will help? Well, I’m going to give you some anyway 😊 It is easier to seek forgiveness than ask permission 😊
1. Passion and desire are 2 things you must possess. Both go hand in hand – you can’t have one without the other. In order to realize your goals or dreams you need to really crave that ‘something’ in your life so much (The desire part) and for the right reasons (The passion part)
· A great example to illustrate the difference, would be, for illustration purposes only if you always wanted to be a professional Nail artist and Global competition winner. You know you have the talent and all you want is to grace the global competition stage (desire). Your focus isn't the money, fame, or prestige; but you just have a true love for creating beautiful pieces of Nail art . It's all you think about all-day, every day (passion).
2. Patience. This can be a real toughie. But we are in a Walt Disney film – Dreams don’t tend to come true overnight. It would be nice though. Hard work is key – This is where the passion and desire will really come into its own and see you through.
Though it may take longer than you hoped, once you're living your dream, you'll realize that practicing patience was worth the rewards. Also. (and this is an important point) Too many people set a goal and then immediately focus on HOW they are going to achieve it?
Take a new car journey for example. You are going somewhere you don’t know the way too, so you place your trust in the Sat Nav. You don’t spend all journey focusing on all the different A and B roads and motorways travelled on to get you too your destination. No – you trust in the process – you trust the Sat Nav to get you there so you relax.
The brain is your SAT NAV. Set your destination (Competition winner) and visualize the end game – You walking up to the stage to collect your prize – Feel the emotion of that event – soak in the applause – If you can see it you can achieve it. The more consistent you are in visualizing your dreams and goals, the better.
If you just take one thing away from this blog then please take this: It is life changing.
There is a specific part of the brain whose sole purpose is to store the vital information that is important to you and in short, the only way it knows what this is, is by what you consistently think and feel. It will then open up opportunities that were always there to feel that way but now your mind is open to those opportunities and with the patience and hard work you are onto a winner.
Just remember to remain positive, focus on your dreams, and keep taking action to make those dreams a reality. After all, patience is a virtue!
3. Sacrifice. Achieving your dreams will require some kind of. Sacrifice. This is usually where most people realize just how serious they are (or not ) about turning their dreams into reality. Whether it is giving up your TV time to work toward your goals, or spending extra hours at your nail desk, you have to be willing to sacrifice something.
· If you're truly passionate about your dreams, this shouldn't be too difficult. If you do find sacrifice extremely difficult, it may be that you don't possess enough desire, passion, willpower, or self-discipline to see your dreams through.
4. Confidence. If you truly want to make your dreams real, you have to believe they can happen. As mentioned earlier – if you can visualize it then you can achieve it. You must possess an intense confidence in yourself and your talents; otherwise, your dreams will remain dreams forever. If you lack belief at the start but have the desire, passion and patience to see things through then borrow a colleague or peers’ belief in you – Surround yourself with people who have walked the path you are hoping too. Most people are giving – I have found this in the Nail industry – I have spoken with many influencers and Educators and they all want to help push people upwards not bring them down. Take full advantage of this – Remember you are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. If you surround yourself with competition winners and soak in their energy – By default you will end up just like them 😊
Final Thoughts on Achieving Your Dreams
No one can steal your dreams away from you except you. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy, biggest obstacle, and harshest critic. But that's not what you need! You need to remember that, by taking action and implementing these simple tips and suggestions, your dreams can come true.
Also remember there are other dreams than being a competition winner – I just had to pick one 😊
Please share in the group what your dream is and lets keep each other accountable 😊
As always
Said with Love
Making your goals SMART
Leo Ko-Nkengmo
Too often we don’t spend enough time clarifying what we’re really aiming to do before we move to action. It’s all too easy to set objectives that are so general that we don’t know exactly what we’re trying to achieve, or whether we’ve achieved it. The difference between an objective and a goal can be confusing so lets clarify. Goals are the outcome you intend to achieve, whereas objectives are the actions that help you achieve a goal. Having clear goals and objectives helps in making effective decisions.
SMART- making an objective or a goal smart has the same principle. The SMART way of doing things, I feel is the best way to ensure you are monitoring your objectives and goals in the correct way for success.
Specific – is it clear what the objective or goal is? Is it clear exactly what we mean?
Measurable – how will we know if we have achieved the objective? How will we measure our success?
Attainable – is it possible to achieve this objective or goal? What do we need in place to make it attainable?
Relevant or realistic – is this objective or goal one that we consider appropriate. Does it deliver wider priorities? Is it worth doing? Is it actually attainable or is it impossible?
Time-bounded – by when are we going to achieve this? Setting a timescale provides focus and urgency, clarifying when you intend to achieve the objective. The objective or goal has a deadline and is therefore more than just a wish!
Writing a SMART goal or objective entails working through each of the five components to build a measurable goal that encompasses exactly what it needs to be accomplished and when and how you will know when you are successful.
This approach eliminates guesswork and sets a clear timeline which makes it easier to track progress and identify missing milestones and goal attributes.
So lets try. I have a challenge for you! Think about the month ahead! Are you getting ready to open your salon, beauty room, mobile business up? I want you to think about firstly a set of 3 goals.
one may to to put a PPE station in place ( remember Sam's advice). Think about as many SMART objectives a s possible to get you to your SMART goal.
Here's how we are going to document this.
Goal: To set up a PPE station in my workplace
How is this goal SMART?: its specific as has a clear aim, its measurable because there are various steps that need to be attained to achieve it. Its achievable because there is PPE at the moment and its not so hard to set up. Its realistic and relevant because it is now needed to comply with Covid compliancy and its timebound as the target date is the opening date (whenever that may be)
Objectives towards this goal:
To attain information about PPE needed to protect, staff, customers and the work area.
To research where to purchase said PPE, looking at the best price and quality
To set up an area that is spacious and easily cleanable in your work area for your PPE area
To buy all PPE for your work area, staff and customers.
To organise all PPE in the work area set
To log down what PPE you now have, stock take and documents what PPE is now available and what it does.
Advertise that you now have that PPE in place.
Use this format for 3 or more goals you have ahead of operation "get back to some sort of normality." Every time you achieve an objective, cross it off. You will then get to your goal and would of followed the SMART way of doing things without you even knowing it.
Let me know how you get on, ill be happy to support
Until next time xx Leo