SSC: SLP Self Care

Who are we?! SLP’s! What do we want?! A break!! 

Listen,  we’ve all been there. Exhausted, drained, irritable, hungry. Ok, maybe more so hangry. But that’s only because we haven’t had time to use the bathroom, let alone eat! In any setting, us SLP’s are overworked and underpaid. We all know this. However, there are definitely ways we can take back our energy and use our time towards things that bring us joy, and without feeling guilty about it! 

I know the annoyance of guilt, just like most of you. Whether it’s mom guilt, work guilt, spouse guilt, the list could go on. My first step of self care is believing that I deserve a break. That’s because, no matter how hard I tried, I kept feeling guilty for taking a break, because there was always more work that needed to be done. I’m of the mentality that I need to earn my breaks, that I need to have all of my work finished in order to relax and eat that chocolate bar I’ve been saving. My system worked great in college. But a career is not like college. The work literally never ends. Whether you’re working for someone else or yourself. There’s always something else that needs to get done (and preferably now). But that’s not how life works. Life gets busier and busier, and we need to learn how to take a break without the damn guilt (excuse my French). 

As a small business owner and a full time SLP, I’ve been in and still am in the trenches with you. I know what it feels like to work 12 hour days, do paperwork all weekend, not be able to go to the bathroom, drive all over the state (or so it felt like), eat lunch in the car, feeling stressed everyday,  and not get the respect I very much felt like I deserved. We definitely don’t want to live that kind of life. So, what are we going to do about it? I think one important thing we need to do is take care of ourselves. Something we’ve been bombarded with on social media for a while now. Something we always tell ourselves, “yeah I should do that.” Well now, let’s start (and keep) doing it! 

SLP Self-Care: 

1. Put it on your to do list. 

You may not think so, but I’m being dead serious. Think of it as something productive, because in a way it is. When we actually take the time to take care of ourselves (no matter the activity) it boosts our productivity. Once I changed my mindset about it, I found it easier to do. I realized I gotta take care of the goose to keep getting the golden eggs. If you don’t make time for it, you won’t have time for it. 

1. Take a Long Bath 

Baths are underrated. I thought they were only for little kids, I imagined it would feel really weird. BUT I had a jacuzzi in a hotel room when I vacationed in Mexico, and it was BLISSFUL. If you’re a fan of being nice and warm like me, taking a hot bath before bed keeps your body nice and warm. Which works out nicely, because you won’t feel the need to wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt to bed, so when your body temperature naturally rises when you sleep, you won’t wake up sweating and ripping clothes off. Or is that just me? Either way, it’s a benefit! PS If you enjoy reading, it’s really nice to read in the tub as well! I plan to put on meditation music next time, it adds a nice, relaxing touch. Even if you have a shorter tub, it still is nice to sit in the hot water! You don’t think it will make a difference, but it does! And if you have a nice, comfy, fluffy robe to put on after, that’s an added bonus! PSS it feels amazing to fall asleep in a robe. 

1. Reward Yourself 

Just like the carrot at the end of the stick. Reward yourself! Now this, of course, comes in different ways. Everyone has their own idea of what they find enjoyable. I’ve found it helps to make a list of all of the things that I enjoy (big and small). I found myself feeling very agitated when getting ready for bed and thinking that all I did throughout the day was work and work some more when I got home. I needed to feel like I was rewarding myself after a hard day's work. And yes, just because we work inside, in an office, or in a school, we work HARD. I don’t care what anyone says. I digress. I’ve found that by rewarding myself, I needed to decide which reward would equal the amount of work I did. For example, if I did something that required much of my time and effort I would reward myself with something big, like getting to eat as much cookie dough as I want. Childish? Yes. Unhealthy? Also yes. Did it work? Damn right. I gave myself what I wanted after pushing myself to get done what needed to get done. 

1. Be Selfish for a Day 

This may look very similar to rewarding yourself. However, this isn’t just doing  one or two things that make you happy. This is doing whatever you want all day. Like a mini vacation! Now, some of you may not be able to take an entire day to do whatever you want, do a half day, do a few hours. Whatever length of time you can scrap of for yourself, DO IT. And if you need help, make others help you! I’m basing this assumption off of the high possibility that we are very similar in that we do EVERYTHING for literally everyone. Remember that time you helped your mom move? Or the time you watched your kids for your husband so he could go golfing, or watch the game in peace? You helped them do what they wanted and needed. Now they need to help you. Don’t be afraid to remind them of what you’ve done for them, relationships are about give and take. And if they won’t help you, also remember, you’re smart! This profession is all about meeting goals. You’ll figure out a way to get you the time you need. But listen (or moreso read) why this is so important to your mental, and probably emotional health. Giving yourself what you want, rewards your body and your brain. It stops the constant suppressing for once and it really feels freeing. We’ve all done it too, when we constantly suppress what we really want to do, because we have work, or kids, or soccer practice, or this to clean, or that to cook. For one day, or just some time, do exactly, whatever it is you want to do. 

I’m writing more about this topic, because it was a huge help for me and I also realized this eye opening tidbit about myself, and one you might encounter as well. When my “selfish day” arrived, I didn’t know what to even do. I had gotten in the habit, so automatically, that my first thoughts were to get work done. I remember thinking to myself, “How sad is this? I finally get time to myself and I can’t even think of what to do with it that will make me feel recharged and rested.” It was again, eye opening, but also irritating. I hated thinking that I worked so hard to get this time, and I couldn’t even think of what to F**in do. 

Well, this is how I solved it. Let me say too, I’m still working on it. I even read a book called “Have More Fun” (not a fan BTW). So, I started thinking, “Well, what did I do for fun as a child? What things did I want to do?” What I came up with was this: painting, drawing, playing video games, eating cookie dough, being outside, reading, sitting with my rabbit, and watching TV. Funny thing is, when I tried these as an adult, I still enjoyed them! I now paint sometimes, eat cookie dough more than I should, go for walks outside, and play video games. Some new things I enjoy doing that I added to my list are: 

• Have a slow morning 

• Wear my super soft robe

• Take a long, hot bath

• Go to the hot tub at the gym 

• Get a massage

• Get a mani/pedi 

• Eat a chocolate chip muffie from Panera 

This list definitely goes on, but you get the point. Find out what you truly want, what you're suppressing, and do them! It’ll feel so nice to let yourself be selfish. 

That’s all for this time! I hope you all enjoyed my first blog! I enjoyed writing it. Keep on the lookout for more! 

• Ashton Speer M.S. CCC-SLP/Owner