So what can you do about it now?

Be mindful of it.

There is still hope, even if you are feeling completely suffocated by work at this point. By being mindful of how you are feeling now, you set the intention to try to work through it, as well as prevent it from happening the next time. When you aren’t mindful of it, you stay stuck in the victim mode or in the moment of anxiety, without seeing a way out. Your only option is to make it through to the next break, then start the cycle over again. With mindfulness, you become aware of what may have caused you to feel this way, or at least contributed to it, so you can change the cycle on your next break. It also gives a picture of what you might be missing from your life or day currently, so you can start to fit it in, even without being on a break.

Mindfulness sounds simple, almost too simple to be the answer, but you might find it is actually very difficult to do. I like to think of it as teaching articulation placement to an older student. They know how to do it, but sometimes they just can’t make it happen without SLP guidance. Mindfulness practices are just like that. You often know that you need to do something for yourself, such as a mindfulness practice, but it can be difficult to start doing or figure out where to start.

Here are a few ways to get started with mindfulness:

• Stop pushing through.
  • If you want, you can absolutely keep pushing through until the next break comes your way. This way of thinking will help you get through the next few months until the summer comes and you have a full break. You can tell yourself there are only 2 moths left and then you an finally relax and spend some time off, not doing reports and billing and scheduling, etc. Pushing through will help you reach this point, but that is all it will do.
  • What happens when the summer ends? If you haven’t found tools and practices to help you feel better and manage stress, you are likely to feel that bit of stress and anxiety creep back in at the end of summer, or after Thanksgiving or winter break, or one your next spring break. Without really learning tools and techniques to manage stress and prevent burn out, you are likely to just keep pushing it back more and more until one day you completely break down from the stress.
  • The first thing to do, which if often the hardest, is to stop pushing through and to take time to see what you really need to enjoy the time until your next break. It’s not easy, and can be quite messy and uncomfortable, but once you do the work, you have the tools and practices to help you any time it happens again.
• Know that it is ok to feel this way.
  • You are not alone. The SLP field is full of people who are stressed, burnt out and just plain freaking out on a daily basis. I have been there, and occasionally find myself there again, and many others are constantly there. Part of it is the nature of our work and part of it is how we are wired. Combined, these can really take a toll on you and make you feel like you must be crazy, lazy or downright ungrateful to not appreciate all that you have or just be able to make it through a work day.
  • By knowing you are not alone, you are taking one more step into becoming more mindful of what you need and how you are actually feeling. It brings awareness to your stress and allows you to reach out to others, without feeling separate or less than. This helps build community and support, which can help you feel more in tune with your mindfulness practices and give you the accountability to keep on practicing and going deeper.
• Take care of you and take more breaks if needed.
  • As you head back to work, take time to sit and reflect (you can think about it or write it down) on how you are feeling. Is it nervous, bored, suffocated, anxious? What about your day or life is triggering this the most?
  • Then look in the other direction. What might be missing that could make you feel the opposite of this? Are you lacking in time, flexibility, creativity? Or are you feeling a lack of self-care, nourishment, replenishing?
  • Take another pause and notice your breath when your thoughts start to wander. It is probably short and in your chest. Take 5-10 rounds of full, deep breaths to start to bring more ease back into your body and mind.
  • Then make a plan for some time just for you during the week and on the weekends. It might seem impossible, but it is the probably the very thing you need most. Try to think of an activity, class or alone time that would help you move away from the stressed feelings towards how you want to feel.
  • Repeat this meditation and journaling practice as needed. If you are short on time, just do the breathing portion.

You might be thinking that mindfulness isn’t enough to change how you are feeling and thinking or make work more enjoyable. It often seems too simple to be able to create the big changes you are looking for. Mindfulness practices help you to create small changes that lead to big results. As you tune in to what is not working and what you are needing, you are able to start creating more of that in your life. The more you are able to enjoy the moments in your life, without wishing for the next break or future event, you are able to stay present and focused. his allows more space in your mind and less exhaustion, which helps you to thrive in the moment, instead of just “making it” through.

For more on this and other mindfulness practices, make sure to check out theSLP Stress Management FB group. You can also sign up for the “SLP Toolbox” to receive access to free resources and monthly guidance that iwll help you manage stress and reduce burn out. You can sign up below.

Much Love,