Practical Self-Care Tips for SLP Entrepreneurs (That You Can Start This Summer)

When you made the leap into private practice or started a business leveraging your speech-language pathology expertise, you likely had big goals in mind—flexibility, autonomy, impact, income. But somewhere along the way, the lines between work and life may have started to blur. You might find yourself answering emails during dinner, thinking through client programs during your walks, or designing your next course at midnight. Sound familiar?

If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. The truth is, entrepreneurship can be all-consuming. Especially when you care deeply about the work you’re doing.

But here’s the reality check: You didn’t go into business to burn out.

Summer is a perfect time to pause, reflect, and reset. Longer days, a (hopefully) lighter schedule, and the natural change of pace all invite us to rethink our routines. It's a golden opportunity to assess your self-care practices and set yourself up for a more sustainable way of working and living. 

Here are five simple, sustainable self-care practices to help you recharge and build a more balanced work-life rhythm this season:

1. Create a Summer Schedule That Respects Your Energy

Start by blocking off time for actual breaks in your calendar. Whether that means a 3-day weekend, one day off per week, or tech-free evenings, treat your time like the valuable resource it is. If you find yourself saying, “I don’t have time for a break,” that’s exactly when you need one.

Try this:
Schedule a weekly “CEO Hour” every Friday morning to reflect, plan, and review your business and personal wellbeing goals.

2. Use Habit Stacking* to Build Micro Self-Care Routines

Instead of overhauling your life overnight, pair small self-care actions with routines you already have.

Example habit stacks:

• While brewing your morning coffee, jot down one thing you're grateful for.

• After your last client session of the day, take 5 minutes to stretch or breathe deeply before switching to home life.

• During lunch: take a short walk without your phone

3. Set (and Stick to) Boundaries Around Your Time

Decide what your working hours are—and then communicate them. To your clients, your team, and most importantly, yourself. Turn off notifications outside of business hours and use tools like autoresponders or scheduling apps to maintain those boundaries.

Pro tip:
Add “office hours” to your email signature or your website to set clear expectations.

4. Celebrate the Wins—Big or Small

Running a business can feel like an endless to-do list. Make it a habit to celebrate progress. Did you finish that blog post? Get a kind word from a client? Take a real day off? Celebrate it.

Bonus Tip:
Start a “Success Jar.” Write down a win each week and drop it in. At the end of the summer, look back at how far you’ve come.

5. Build in Joy   OR Prioritize Joy—On Purpose

What’s one thing you love that has nothing to do with work? Summer is the season of joy, and your happiness is not a luxury—it fuels your success. Whether it's getting outdoors, reading for fun, spending more time with loved ones, or doing absolutely nothing—make time for it.

Challenge:
Choose one fun, non-business activity each week for the next month. Treat it like an appointment with your best client—you.

Want More Self-Care Strategies Made Just for SLP Entrepreneurs?

Check out our book, The SLP Entrepreneur: The Speech-Language Pathologist’s Guide to Private Practice and Other Business Ventures. It’s packed with actionable tips, including how to structure your business and your life in a sustainable, fulfilling way. It’s a perfect summer read for recharging your mindset and your business plan.

You can purchase it from Plural Publishing or on Amazon—whichever works best for you!

The Bottom Line

You didn’t build your business to feel overwhelmed or exhausted. You built it for freedom, impact, and fulfillment. That starts with caring for the one person your business can’t function without—you.

This summer, challenge yourself to build a business that supports your life—not one that consumes it. Revisit your “why,” set boundaries, and make space for joy, reflection, and growth.

It’s not only good for you—it’s good, and necessary, for your business.

What’s one self-care practice you want to try (or get back to) this summer? Let us know in the comments—or better yet, share this post with another SLP Entrepreneur who needs a summer reset!

*Scott, S. J. (2017). Habit Stacking: 127 Small Changes to Improve Your Health, Wealth, and Happiness (Most are Five Minutes or Less) (2nd ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.