Musings of a Florist :: visit flirty fleurs on Tuesdays and read a variety of musings by me – Alicia Schwede, editor of the blog.
I’ll be sharing some thoughts of what I’ve learned, what I would do differently, and what I’m thankful for on this flower filled journey I’ve been on since 1998.
Self Care
Being in this business can be all consuming – designing late into the night, waking up before the sun comes up so you can get to the wholesaler and hit the best selection of flowers, waking up at 3am wondering how to build an installation or thinking about a flower order. (I can imagine a few thousand florists raising their hands in agreement right now – granted it’s Wednesday and most are probably receiving flowers for this coming weekend of weddings).
Taking time for yourself is so important- sometimes it can be something big like a vacation, but also try to find little things you can do to keep stress down and take care of your body.
When I had my studio in Denver it was located near a Whole Foods. On Friday evenings after a few long days of designing I’d swing by WF and get a 15 minute chair massage – rub out that stress in my shoulders and arms, and get ready for the Saturday install! Pedicures with extra massage time have also been a great treat after a long week of standing and designing.
Also so very important are shoes – I suddenly feel so old! I know flip-flops can feel so easy and fun in your 20s, give it 10 years and that decision will be regretted…
Get good shoes for long days of designing. Also a thick mat to stand on, I had the type of mat that is often found in catering kitchens and restaurants. My studio was next to a catering company and one day the chef brought over a mat and gave me a lecture – he told me to ‘stand on that mat from now on!’ 😉
As for vacations – I used to work straight thru all of summer, every weekend. Then the light 💡 bulb went off and I realized it is ridiculous to never enjoy summer. So I started taking one week in July to fly home to California and visit my family. Sure I still did emails and phone calls, but a week of no flower orders, designing and installing helped me to recharge and tackle the rest of the season.
What do you do to recharge and take care of yourself?