10 Tips to Stay Grounded, Recharge, and Prevent Burnout
While an immensely rewarding career, pediatric speech therapy requires a truckload of patience and energy output every day. It takes constant enthusiasm, time management, and a delicate balance of being “in the moment” with critical analysis. Below are ten tips to help school-based SLP’s stay grounded, recharge, and prevent burnout.
1.TAKE AN ACTUAL LUNCH BREAK. It’s tempting to catch up on notes and case management, but honor that your brain needs a break just like your body needs nourishment midday. Consider integrating something enjoyable with lunch like watching a quick YouTube, listening to favorite tunes, or taking a walk around a pretty part of campus.
2.DECOMPRESS for 15 MINUTES as soon as you get home. You, your kids, spouse, and pets will appreciate your commitment to “shifting into neutral” before attending to home-life after a busy day of therapy. I highly recommend holistic practices like Yoga Nidra (i.e. guided relaxation. My fave: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yzrQrQvtsnc&feature=shared) or lying on the floor with your legs up the wall while belly breathing. A quick walk or workout can burn off extra tension if needed.
3.STAY INSPIRED. Speech and language therapy often utilizes drills and repetition, so not only do your students need engaging activities, so do YOU! Make sure you choose materials and activities that are also fun for you and add variation and novel components throughout the year.
4.BE MINDFUL OF YOUR BODY as you move through your day. Notice when you find yourself “sprint walking” and consciously slow down. It’s also easy to find yourself contorted or straining to facilitate play therapy but work to intentionally care for your posture and give your body support. Take bathroom breaks and have snacks/drinks as needed. These tips sound common sensical, but it’s easy to neglect basic needs when focused on meeting practice demands.
5.REFLECT ON PROGRESS. The broad range of progress made between students can be astounding, especially to new clinicians. It is exhilarating to feel effectual when your students make great gains. However, it can also feel discouraging when progress is minimal in severe and/or complex cases. Periodically reflecting on your caseload to celebrate wins and reassess goals/strategies is important for professional fulfillment and burnout prevention.
6.KEEP FUN ON YOUR PERSONAL CALENDAR. Literally schedule fun and pleasurable things to look forward to. A vacation once or twice a year is not frequent enough. Be intentional to include weekly and monthly treats like dinners out, massages, etc.
7.BUILD RELATIONSHIPS with other adults at school. The unpredictable behaviors of kiddos coupled with an ever-changing school schedule can feel chaotic. It really helps to laugh, commiserate, and feel supported by other teachers and staff in your school. Feeling that “we’re all in it together” is much healthier than going it alone.
8.GET CREATIVE. Our profession requires intense planning, organizing, and multi-tasking and being creative can help balance a hyper-analytical mindset. Some ideas include adult coloring books, cooking new recipes, creating new outfits from your wardrobe, dancing like no one’s watching, etc.
9.STAY CONNECTED. No one can truly understand the joys and woes of our field like a fellow SLP. It bolsters the spirit to share field-specific successes and struggles and with someone who can genuinely relate.
10.RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU NEED TO DO NOTHING. Sometimes we all need to be passive for a bit to recharge. Find whatever helps shift you into a state of being and feeling. Watching an enthralling movie, reading a great book, making a playlist, and cuddling a kid/pet/loved one are some favorite ideas.
Suzanne Burleson, M.A., CCC-SLP