SPs how much work do you put in both before and after a session that is essentially invisible?
The whole social aspect. I wasn't one to really follow any social media regularly before, or for the first year.
Before becoming available as a SP I didn't socialize at all with other people outside of my home and work.
*Sorry realizing part of my social exhaustion might be that when I communicate I have too much to communicate. * (apology added in after I realized how long this got.)
Do myself. Cut (2min) & color (1-2hrs). every few (3-9) months. Hair dryer out of the shower (15min) +2 leave in products to keep it healthy and anti frizz.
*Before an appointment, all I have to do is brush it to remove knots.
If I have something special like a photoshoot. I like these sticker style detailed polishes. Not fake nails, just the sticker polish, that I use nail glue to make it last 1 week instead of a single day, and a nail file to remove the extra overlay. Cheaper and looks better than most nail salon designs (I can't do plain anything, not even just a flat 1 color nail, it needs extra.) since I don't like the feeling of fake nails. Sticker were faster than the hour it used to take me to do designes with multiple colors on my own nails.
Otherwise, I cut them when they annoy me for being different lengths, and forget to pay attention to them, except to clean, until one day I realize they are long and pretty, and start taking care of them again.
Less than 5 minutes. Often just mascara and/or eyeliner.
but also client/potential client communications
Whenever they contact, between doing things in my life. Some days are quiet without any contacts, and some days can spend up to 4 hrs in messages to accept seeing just 1 or 2 people.
I find texting socially exhausting, and when too many contact that result in a non-appointment, can ruin my mood and and I shut down socially eventually unable to look at my messages any more.
Calling this editing and social media, other online promotionals, I get sidetracked every time. I intend to take pics and post, but pulling out the tripod and taking my picture each day seems to be something I never get around to, no matter how cute I feel I look each day. Admin work, often turns into doomscrolling, and self promotion falls to the side. (Even here I waist time writing messages and before posting erase everything written. Realizing its an overshare. This was my 3rd time trying to answer from scratch, because it was even more TMI before. But wanted to give you the respect of your question not going unanswered.)
and incall tasks, parking/transport etc etc.
Driving wherever I need to, can take 5- 50 minutes depending where. No incall because I hate cleaning/tidying, and refuse to be responsible for making a place look nice. It's a job enough trying to take care of myself without having a thing, like a room, to maintain as well. Also realizing my driving is a sort of social buildup, if they came to me, I wouldn't be breaking out of my introverted state.
Personally, when I start to think about it, and what my hourly rate actually is, it makes me not want to think about it anymore.
My hourly rate is what it is, because I know I'm inflexible, and will do things my way reguardless. Like cbj, refusing most clients, taking my time to respond to messages. Avoiding rush type people. I need enough people to reach out, so I can be picky about who I see in the end.
I don't go to salons, spas, or luxury places. I do everything myself.
In my civi job I have to do a lot more under higher time contraint, stress, and constant workload. It drains me, and I have what social battery I have left after that for this, which isn't much. And earn a lot less than I do doing this. (I did burn out from the civi job before) approximately a days wage doing that high stress inducing job, is what I charge doing this.
Out of the 2 this is my fun job, while the other fills a structure need, and need to be needed.
With how I am choosy with who I see, in person for me is the fun part. Everything behind the scenes is what I struggle with. But I think daily living is a struggle that I'm tired of. I forget about that when I'm spending time with another, and a more bubbly outgoing side emerges, to forget about the introverted side that didn't want to head out to begin with.
It would be nice to not have admin to do, but that would mean including someone else, when I'm a control freak and refuse to let someone else set up intimate encounters for me. A compatible personality is a mandatory. And familiarity, my sweeties (regulars), make it easier, because they give me energy boosts rather then draining, but I still aim to get back to my safe zones, my vehicle or bedroom at home. Where I can revert back to introverted.
My life at this point is a delicate balancing act to keep me going and holding on, and satisfying both sides the introverted side, and extroverted side. They both shine best when a proper balance is maintained.
