Who are the happiest SLPs in the world? What does “happy” even mean? Does it matter if I am happy? If I am not that happy at work, can I change that?
Hello! I am Suzanne. Welcome to my brain. A period of burnout, the questions above, tons of reading and research, and many conversations with Spotlight co-founder, Mark, and hundreds of other professionals, have brought us here.
Here is what we have determined thus far:
- “Happy” is a unique and personal concept. It is subjective and multifaceted and varies from person to person.
- There are three main components; positive emotions, fulfillment and meaning, and healthy relationships. What will mean the most to an individual within each area varies greatly and is affected by past experiences, personal values and beliefs, cultural influences, goals and aspirations and so much more.
- Scientific research on happiness is a burgeoning field exploring various aspects of well-being, positive psychology, and the factors contributing to a fulfilling life.
Investing time in self-care and burnout prevention strategies has been a powerful experience resulting in gaining clarity on my goals and aspirations including how I want to experience both my personal and professional lives. It has also resulted in the ability to revitalize and sustain a fulfilling career.
We all constantly cope with exposure to the leading risk factors for burnout:
- An imbalance between job demands and job skills
- A lack of job control
- Effort-reward imbalance (a discrepancy that exists between resources, expectations, and job reality)
- Prolonged work stress
I am going to share a bit with you about my before and after. I moved through many phases, tools, and strategies. I made a lot of mistakes, but learned from each one. I aim to share this experience with you. I hope this means you can skip some of the mistakes I made and helps you to see the possibilities for making yourself happy or happier and for sustaining that in your busy life!
Below are some commonly reported feelings reported by professionals before and after attending to their work-life balance and happiness at work.
I was feeling A LOT of resentment and frustration and lacked motivation.
I can’t say I don’t still have those feelings, but now they are situational and occasional.
Primarily, I feel ALL of the “after” words. ALL. Most strongly, I feel empowered, balanced, renewed, and balanced. I feel so good. I am SHOCKED. I feel better than I thought possible.
I am EXCITED every day. I know. That sounds like a lie. It is real and you can experience this change as well.
The ways you can differentiate your approach are endless and the approach you choose today likely will morph over time. We are committed to sharing as many ideas and tools as we can with you and helping you with creating your blueprint. Here are just a few of the strategies that had an extraordinary impact on my quality of life.
#3 Mindfulness and Stress Management
Before, stress and burnout were affecting my mental and physical health. I woke up and was immediately anxious. I had daily palpitations. I was resentful and resistant every Monday through Friday. The Sunday blues set in like clockwork before starting a new week.
I rolled my eyes at the suggestion of mindfulness and stress management at first. I needed something to improve so I forced myself to learn a little more. I tried a few a bunch of things and I gradually found success using a holistic approach to recognizing, understanding, and effectively coping with stressors across various aspects of life.
This involves adopting strategies to mitigate the physical, emotional, and mental impact of stress, promoting overall well-being and resilience.
A highlight was exploring hobbies as a key component of stress management.
What? Engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation contributes to a balanced and fulfilling life? Give myself permission to put this on the schedule? Now I was listening.
The options are endless! I am confident you can find something that you would be interested in trying Ultimately, a hobby is any activity that brings you joy, relaxation, and personal fulfillment.
It is a chosen pursuit that allows for creativity, self-expression, and a break from the demands of daily life.
Hobbies contribute positively to mental well-being and can be an important aspect of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
I can’t get enough of hearing about what others have or want to try as hobbies. I cannot come close to listing all that people have shared here.
Here’s a sampling of what hobbies others are interested in to give you an idea of the breadth.
Seriously, you can give this to yourself. Give yourself the time and permission to try out a hobby!
#2 Creating goals and action plans for myself
Before, I felt stagnant, even stuck and powerless, in my professional. What was the point? No one listens. No one cares. Resources are lacking. This contributed to strong feelings of frustration and resentment.
I was never excited about the day.
Now, I am excited almost every day. I know. It sounds like a lie. I didn’t think it could ever be the case for me.
I have set SMART goals for myself! I chose areas that were meaningful to me, rather than aligned with a work initiative. I actively pursue those goals. Sometimes that has meant seeking professional development opportunities, sometimes it meant reading, sometimes it meant getting organized.
Acquiring new skills and staying updated in my field reignited my daily actions. I chose to start this blog. I am 50. It didn’t come naturally to me. I felt exhilarated by each step I completed. I am pursuing what I was lacking, a feeling of impactful contribution. I hope to support others in making the most of their work-life experiences.
I set goals that were SMART and my idea of supporting others became starting the blog. The idea of starting this blog became a task analysis of the steps required.
And here we are at the area that made THE LARGEST SHIFT IN HOW I FELT EVERY DAY BOTH AT WORK AND OUTSIDE OF WORK…..
#1 Time management
This sounded so corporate and unnecessary to me when I first learned about time management. I felt regularly overwhelmed. I was very busy and “always on.” I was productive and accomplished a lot and thought therefore I don’t need time management. I am already managing everything and I don’t have time to add more. I would get to the “should do’s” and the other goals that I envisioned for myself eventually. “Someday” this or “When I am less busy” that!
Well, boy was I wrong.
Learning and implementing just a few techniques allowed me to regain control over my schedule, reduce stress, and create a healthier work-life balance. It facilitated a more sustainable approach to professional and personal responsibilities, contributing significantly to my recovery from burnout.
Aside from setting REALISTIC goals and plans for the time I had, I also greatly benefited from batching tasks, prioritizing by urgency and importance, and time-blocking.
I suddenly had room for what I NEEDED to do AND what I WANTED to do.
I was also more effective and accomplished more. A goal is great and is critical, but you aren’t going to meet that goal without taking action.
Will you give this gift to yourself?
To wrap this up, let me emphasize that I have gone from feeling limited and frustrated to excited and empowered. What I am going to do each day always is or includes something I selected for myself. Something that is aligned with what it is CHOSEN by me and IMPORTANT to me.
All of it was far easier than I thought.
The impact has been extraordinary.
It took time and it continues to take intentionality and effort to maintain this approach, but the process is enjoyable in itself.
I went from frustrated, resentful, and lacking motivation to empowered, peaceful, content, and always learning. It has been worth every second of effort. I am clear on my commitment to this path for myself and for the world around me. Will you make this commitment to yourself?