Do you ever have those moments, as an SLP or just as a human, where you need to pause and maybe even hit a reset button? With a lot of chaos and uncertainty going on, now and even before, it can add to the feelings of overwhelm and stress that happen for many SLPs. And it can make you feel like you aren’t able to be present to the moments you are in.

On a really long day, one that has me pulled in a lot of different directions or is just mentally draining, I like to take a brief moment of self-care to check in and hit “reset”, before I leave my office and head into family time. One way to do this is to go on a walk or practice yoga. These help me feel refreshed and clear my head.

But one other thing that helps, especially when I am limited in my time and need a reset on the go (or even in the midst of therapy sessions, family time, my kids, my dogs, or just stress from the day and the world) is to stop, close my eyes, slow down and take 10 breaths.

In those 10 breaths, I can check in with myself and see how I am feeling underneath it all. Those 10 breaths allow me to slow my breath and calm my nervous system. And in 10 breaths, I can take a mini-break before I jump back in.

For you, these 10 breaths can help you to feel more grounded and steady throughout your day an an SLP, even in the middle of chaos, hectic schedules, and life at home.

Here is how to take 10 breaths:

• Find a seat or stand still
• Close your eyes or soften your gaze
• Maybe bring one hand to your belly and one to your heart (so you can feel your breath moving in and out)
• Take a deep breath in and then a deep breath out
• Repeat 10 times

That’s it!

If you prefer a guided meditation, or want to follow along and learn this practice, you can check out 2 of these “10 Breath Meditation Practice” in the SLP Toolbox.

Not a member of this FREE resource for SLPs? You can subscribe below for access to these meditations audios, as well as other meditation and movement audios, and more.

If you are looking to dive even deeper into managing your stress, look for the upcoming SLP Stress Management Course, enrolling Summer 2020, and check out these CEU/CMH Professional Development courses:

• Work from Home for SLPs: Create a Less Stressful Work Day During Stressful Times (1 CMH)
  Rethinking Your Daily Routines to Reduce Stress on SpeechPathology.com (1 ASHA CEU Hour .10 units)
• 3 Common SLP Stressors and How to Manage Them on Xceptional ED (1.5 CMH Hours)
• Managing Common SLP Stressors before Burn Out Occurs on Northern Speech Services (2.5 ASHA CEU hours .025 units)
• 3 Biggest Stressors for SLPs and What to do About Them on SpeechPathology.com (1.5 ASHA CEU hours .15 units)
• SLP Stress Management: Using Mindfulness to Reduce and Manage Stress on SHAV Webinars (1 ASHA CEU)

Much Love,