Before setting new goals, take time to reflect on 2025, recharge your energy, and refocus your priorities. This guide helps nail techs end the year stronger and start 2026 with clarity and confidence.
As the year comes to an end and the last Christmas nails are finally top-coated, it’s easy to slide straight into “new year, new goals” mode.
But before we launch ourselves into 2026, there’s so much power in pausing. This isn’t about judging yourself or picking apart everything you didn’t do. It’s about reflecting with kindness, recharging your energy, and refocusing on what you actually want from the year ahead – as a nail tech and as a person.
Let’s break it down into three simple stages: Reflect, Recharge, Refocus.
Reflection isn’t about “I should have done more.”
It’s about asking: What did I learn this year?
Grab yourself a notebook or download our
free workshop and try some of our prompts:
Think about:
- Your favourite sets you created
- New skills or courses you completed
- Clients you’re proud to have attracted or retained
- Times you felt confident, calm, or genuinely excited about your work
Ask yourself:
- Which services were most popular?
- When did I feel most “in flow” at work?
- What am I genuinely proud of from 2025 – big or small?
- Write it down and celebrate it. This is your evidence that you are growing, even when it doesn’t feel obvious.
Now, gently look at the tougher bits – without being harsh on yourself.
- Maybe:
- Some months were quiet
- A new service didn’t book as well as you hoped
- Your boundaries slipped and you felt burnt out
- You said “yes” to too much and your energy paid the price
Ask yourself:
- What felt heavy or draining this year?
- Were there patterns – like overbooking, undercharging, or saying yes when I wanted to say no?
- Did I have any goals that I didn’t move towards?
This isn’t failure – it’s information.
For each “didn’t go so well,” try to finish the sentence:
“Next time, I will…”
“This showed me that…
“I now know that I need…”
Sometimes what didn’t work out was actually a gift:
- That collaboration that never happened? Maybe it wasn’t aligned.
- The course you didn’t launch? Maybe you needed more time, support or clarity.
- The quiet month? Maybe it highlighted that you need better marketing or more structured offers.
You’re not behind. You’re gathering data for a stronger, smarter 2026.
You can’t pour from an empty cup, and in the beauty industry that cup gets drained fast if you’re not topping it up. “Filling your cup” just means doing the things that recharge your energy rather than drain it. This looks different for everyone, so it’s important to get clear on your version.
Ask yourself:
When do I feel most relaxed?
What helps me switch off from work?
Who do I feel safe, seen and supported around?
What small things make me feel like me again?
Make a list with two headings:
Fills my cup:
- Walks, Runs, Gym, Pilates, Yoga, Tennis
- Reading, podcasts, Netflix and a blanket
- Coffee with a friend
- A solo self-care day
- Taking a full day off social media
- Getting my own nails or beauty treatments done
Empties my cup:
- Saying yes to extra clients when I’m already tired
- Scrolling late at night comparing my work to other techs
- Skipping breaks, lunch or days off
- Replying to clients at all hours
- Overthinking every quiet patch
The goal is to intentionally add more of the first list into your week, and gently reduce what drains you where possible.
- Block out one full “me day” before the new year – no clients, no admin
- Treat yourself to a treatment (massage, facial, nails, hair, anything that makes you feel good)
- Plan a slow morning or an early night once or twice a week
- Unfollow or mute accounts that constantly trigger comparison
- Set a “phone off” time in the evenings
Rest is not a reward for working hard.
It’s a requirement if you want to grow without burning out.
Now that you’ve reflected and started to think about recharging, it’s time to refocus.
What do you actually want from 2026? Not what you “should” want.
What feels exciting, aligned and important to you?
Let’s turn that into a simple step-by-step guide.
Rather than writing a huge list of random goals, pick 3–5 key areas. For example:
- Skills & Education (e.g. learn extensions, improve nail art skills, become an educator)
- Business & Money (e.g. raise prices, get fully booked, organise finances)
- Client Experience (e.g. better consultations, spa-style add-ons, smooth booking system)
- Work/Life Balance (e.g. set boundaries, structure days off, limit late nights)
- Content & Marketing (e.g. post consistently, show your face more, build your brand)
Make it specific and doable. For example:
- Skills & Education: Complete one advanced course by June 2026
- Business & Money: Increase average client spend by £5 by the end of the year
- Client Experience: Introduce one new luxury add-on by March
- Work/Life Balance: Have at least one fixed day off every week
- Content & Marketing: Post on Instagram 3 times a week from February onwards
For each goal, ask: “What are the actual steps?”
Example – “Complete one advanced course by June 2026”
- Research courses in January
- Choose course and book by February
- Save or budget for the payment
- Block out revision/practice time in your diary
- Take pictures and videos of your progress for social media
- Update your price list/services after completing
Suddenly it’s not a vague idea – it’s a plan.
- Goals only move when they get time in your schedule.
- Add reminders for course research, content days, admin days
- Block time for practice and learning
- Plan your rest days too – they’re part of your success plan
Think of your calendar as a reflection of your priorities.
If it’s all clients and no “you,” something needs adjusting.
Instead of waiting until the end of 2026 to see how you’ve done, check in every month or every quarter. Ask yourself:
- What moved forward this month?
- What got stuck — and why?
- What can I tweak next month?
Your plan is allowed to change. You’re growing, and your goals can grow with you.
Ending the year as a stronger tech isn’t about:
- Rebranding everything overnight
- Booking out every single slot
- Knowing exactly where your career will be in five years
It’s about:
- Understanding what worked and what didn’t
- Giving yourself permission to rest and refill your cup
- Getting clear and intentional about what you want from 2026
You don’t have to do it all at once.
You just need to keep taking small, aligned steps in the direction you want to go.
Reflect. Recharge. Refocus.
And walk into 2026 as the tech and the person you’re becoming.
Take our
free workshop today & download your exclusive workbook to help you set yourself up for a successful year ahead.
