One mistake people often make—in areas of life all across the board—is allowing themselves to fall into a routine. We could be talking about the couple that ends up trading local adventures for time on the couch in front of the television, or perhaps the exercise enthusiast who never tries anything but the treadmill and a few of the same old weight machines.
The working world is no exception, and a vast array of professionals run the risk of falling and staying in a routine that may have negative effects. The danger of sitting in such a rut is certainly something professional massage therapists and bodyworkers must watch out for as well. After all, doing the same thing day in and day out—even if it feels so comfortable and convenient at the time—can contribute to burnout among career touch therapists.
The hard part about preventing a productive routine from turning into an energy sucking rut is the fact that these things tend to creep in gradually. Before you know it, that massage sequence you were so excited about is routine to the point that you can perform it without even thinking. In the massage therapy and bodywork world, such a lack of presence could hinder the effectiveness of each session.
To help prevent a rut from creeping up on you, it can be helpful to install a few external reminders. One method is to base your reminders around your massage cream and the seasons. This is simple enough, yet it should be able to help jar you out of any lull you may have hit within your practice.
Basically, what you can begin to do is change up the massage cream each time the season changes. Even if you live in a place that stays about the same temperature all year long, you can still change your massage cream when you reach the months that traditionally mark a turn of the seasons, or you could even use calendar holidays as your external reminders.
By switching your massage cream with the seasons, you are forced to begin thinking beyond your current routine as you search for a new and effective massage cream. As you consider the various massage creams, allow your mind to wander and explore how you might also change up some of your massage therapy or bodywork sequences and aspects of your session room to best mesh with both the new season and the new massage cream.
As an example, if winter is right around the corner, and you live somewhere that gets cold and windy, you could seek out a massage cream that will provide your clients with the extra benefit of skin hydration. The purchase of the new massage cream might also lead you to ideas about heated pillows or thicker blankets for the session room, and other ways you might create a cozy and seasonal environment for your clients.
By using the seasons and your massage cream as tools to get your “wheels” turning, you can help prevent a worthwhile routine from turning into a rut.