• It gets dark early. Every day, the sun seems to set earlier and earlier. The lack of sunlight can take a toll on people’s mental well-being and cause sluggishness. It makes it harder to stay motivated and productive.

• Working extended hours to accommodate the holiday rush. When you’re pushing yourself beyond a healthy amount of work, it takes its toll on your mind. You may start to feel overwhelmed, distracted and exhausted. Your stress levels may rise, along with frustration and anxiety. Not only do these negative emotions hurt your mental state, but they can also lead to physical symptoms such as headaches and digestive problems. We may not even notice problems because adrenaline starts to take over. Sleep quality becomes affected, along with poor dietary choices, thus compounding the problem.

• We still have our holiday preparation to deal with. It’s no fun working a 12-hour day and then dragging our tired bodies to stores for shopping and prepping. Between shopping for gifts, decorating the home, planning dinners and ensuring everything is running smoothly, the holidays can quickly become a source of stress instead of joy.

Tired and stressed groomers make mistakes and may cause injury to themselves or pets in their care. So how can you help yourself, your co-workers and grooming friends get through the sometimes no-so-joyful holiday season?

• Have realistic expectations. Groomers should not have to groom more dogs than they are physically able to or work 16-hour shifts. And no one should bear the brunt of abusive clients.
• Have healthy snacks available. Instead of a candy bar and soda for lunch, make sure you’re making healthy food choices. Unhealthy food can decrease your energy, making it harder to get through a busy day.
• Have a place to get away and chill. While a break room is excellent, it’s not feasible for all shops. You may have to mprovise. Maybe use a storage room or partition off a section of the shop by hanging curtains. Make it fun. Hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign and call it the “Holiday Season Anti-Stress Room.”
• Recognize when someone is at a breaking point and step in. Sometimes all someone needs is five-minute break.
• Replace fluorescent lighting with natural or LED. Fluorescent lighting is harsh and can cause glare, eye strain, headaches and fatigue, leading to decreased efficiency.

• Have co-workers’ backs when problems with clients arise. Assign someone who can handle client interactions without stressing over the encounter if possible.
• Encourage communication. If you are having trouble, open up that dialogue with friends and co-workers. If you see someone having difficulties, start the conversation.
• Order lunch and have everyone sit down and eat together. It will reduce overall stress and encourage camaraderie.
• Hire cleaning or towel services to reduce the workload of an already overburdened grooming team.
• And always remember that a kind word goes a long way.

In addition, it’s important to be aware of warning signs that are out of the ordinary for anyone, including yourself, such as:

• Mood swings. We all have our ups and downs, but mood swings can get out of control. Increased irritability may be the first indication of mood swings. Minor things may get a reaction resulting in snapping at people or erupting into rage. Then there is the inability to concentrate. The slightest distraction can send a mind spinning, leaving someone unable to focus on any one thing for long. As a result, tasks that once took minimal effort now take longer than ever. Lastly, watch out for changes in sleeping habits. If you used to sleep like a log and now toss and turn every night, it could be due to fluctuations in your mood. Similarly, if you suddenly start sleeping far more than before, that could also be a sign that something isn’t quite right.
• Burnout. A lot of goomers experience burnout at some point in their career, and the stressful holiday season often brings it to the surface. Signs would include someone doing a less than adequate job or putting themselves or the pets in harm’s way due to rushing through their work or having a careless attitude. Other indicators would be threatening to quit or walking out on the job.

• Depression. Depression can be a complex subject to discuss, as it affects everyone differently. Those who suffer from depression often find that they cannot enjoy activities they once found pleasurable and struggle to get through the day-to-day tasks that make up life. Depression can also cause physical symptoms like headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and changes in appetite. It can also impede concentration and memory, making it hard for those suffering from depression to stay focused or motivated. People who are depressed tend to isolate themselves. Anyone struggling with depression should seek help, especially if someone talks about suicide or alludes to the fact that the world is better off without them. This time of year can also highlight the loss of loved ones, increasing depression.

While this time of year can be physically and mentally draining for pet professionals, being aware of our limitations and those of the person standing next to us will go a long way in keeping the season joyful.