5 tips to preserve your mental health if you work in fashion

As every year we have begun to prepare ourselves psychologically for the fateful questions that parents may have asked us during Christmas lunch and New Year's Eve dinner. On a par with vaccines and boyfriends, professional results were announced among the most popular topics for family interrogations and, according to various sources, the social networks were not wrong. It is very likely that many have found themselves trying to divulge convincing explanations that justify frenetic, alienating and often completely underpaid rhythms. The Italian data confirm that feeling tired, frustrated and little considered is one of the most common phenomenons among recent graduates so lucky to found an internship in the third European country for the number of unemployed young people. In this regard, the fashion industry is one of the most demanding, turbulent and difficult working environments, and the reason is to be found in the "more is always better" approach. In a world often regulated by pressure and narcissism, even before the discourse on minimum wages, the ideal would be to have flexible hours, work towards sustainable goals and in stimulating, non-judgmental environments. At the time of jop hopping and the psychological bonus debate, the human side has become the most important aspect of work for every single employee in the sector. To start 2022 "on the right foot" we can learn to listen to our every need, organizing a self-conscious thinking work plan and adopt a schematic work plan that will certainly take our performance to the next level: below, a small list of advices to apply in the new year to avoid burnout.

Have time for yourself

People who work a lot, in smart working or otherwise all day long, often hear that they don't have to «live to work» but «work to live». As if it was easy to fit everything into the day's schedule, because no matter how focused, ambitious and determined a person may seem, you have our word that he or she would gladly avoid taking work home and spending the entire week at the PC. To be ethic in front of your responsibilities is important, as to accomplish your daily mission; but in order to keep high performances over the long distance, and not end up hating the job you've always dreamed of doing, resting and doing the things you love – with the people you love, is just as important as having resoluteness, maturity and consistency. There are plenty of ways to recharge your batteries: from doing sweet nothing to movie marathons and skincare nights with friends. Remember: unplugging is key.

Go deep into the topics (and know when to stop)

Probably, caught up in the rush to reach the various goals within the set timeframe, you forgot to continue studying - or think you don't have the time to do it. Those who work in fashion know that no one should ever stop updating, enriching themselves culturally and get accurate and updated information: producing effective and original content would in no way possible in the long run without doing the adequate in-depth study, just as intercepting consumer tastes without knowing trends and behaviors; not even creative work is excluded, since to create new imagery stylists and designers need to know all the details of references, styles and inspirations. And if the best time spent is to deepen a particular topic, there’s no mystery that it could go on forever. About this, you need to be able to recognize when it's time to put a stop to it in order to correctly balance time and energies.

How to say no

Why is it so hard to say no? Many would answer, especially those who are just starting out, thinking they might lose their jobs or want to prove themselves, with a kind of subliminal message behind that «any girl would kill to get your job» like in The Devil Wears Prada. One of the main effects of the «more is always better» method is that it is pushing young people beyond their limits. The recommendation is not to underestimate the risk of burnout, but at the same time, as far as your working environment is concerned, try to think positive: the advice to avoid being crushed under the weight of a job that suffocates you and does not give you respect, is to always try to establish an ethical dialogue with your employer.

Conduct healthy lifestyle

The year 2021 has been an extraordinary year, during which we've lost some sense of order and our daily schedule. Thinking about the lockdown, we've established that going on a lunch break doesn't jeopardize an entire work contract and that we can allow ourselves a few hours of sleep – the famous 8. In a nutshell, it's time to get back to a healthy and regular lifestyle, to wake up at the same time every day and go for breakfast at the bar even  if you'll be back to work on the couch soon after. Contrary to what it may seem, stopping fora moment to eat, rest or take a walk will definitely benefit your work. If you are so absorbed by your work that you don't notice the time passing, remember that after taking a break you will only be more lucid, energized and productive. As they say, «everything in its own time».

Stay focused

It could easily happen that, receiving huge quantity of emails as well as tight deadlines you could give lead to a result often opposite of stimulating those who are supposed to meet them. Experience shows us that, in order to keep the threshold high, balance the pressure and meet all the deadlines, the first tip is to followa defined roadmap, which should be organized well in advance according to your needs and timing. The second is not to get caught up by anxiety. To avoid going haywire and not being able to think anymore, you need to clear your mind of external concerns and interferences – as much as possible, and keep working as if you have whole weeks to spare. Come what may, you'll still have to deliver: at least you work in peace.