American Bar Association
Despite the plethora of wellness resources available to lawyers, the stress of law practice can still be difficult to manage, said Erin Clifford, health and wellness coach and partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago.
“Work-life harmony” is especially challenging for lawyers because of the adversarial nature of the profession
To help ease the pain, Clifford offered up tried-and-true wellness strategies on Aug. 1 during the American Bar Association Annual Meeting session, “Real Solutions for Lawyers to Thrive Even During Stressful Times.”
The ultimate goal is work-life harmony, which blends “all of your life domains” — career, finance, family and friends, community, health, spirituality and personal development, among others — “in a way that personally brings you the most life satisfaction,” she said.
Clifford offered these tips for maintaining work-life harmony during busy seasons:
• Maintain flexible boundaries. Creating boundaries allows you to put your well-being first, enabling you to create more work-life harmony.
• Know your limits. Not just with your career but in your personal life. Saying yes to everything takes up physical and mental space.
• Listen to your emotions. Is the situation making you feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, excited? Ask yourself, if you had to take on something new tomorrow, would you do it?
• Listen to your body. If you feel exhausted, use the “no” button.
• Know your values. Does the decision align with your top five values?
• Assess the adequacy of your boundaries. Are they porous, rigid or flexible? If too porous, the boundaries might need to be reinforced; if too rigid, you might be isolating yourself.
“Setting boundaries is a skill,” Clifford said.
Prioritizing sleep during trials also is a key self-care strategy, Clifford said. “Your body recharges when you have a good night’s rest and will provide you with the energy and mental clarity you will need for the next day’s grind.
“You are worth five minutes” of self-care, especially during trial, Clifford added. “Sit in a quiet place. Pause in your day to do a breathwork, exercise or meditation. Breathe in fresh air and sunshine. Complete a brief workout on an app. Walk to court.”
Using your vacation time also is essential to lessening work-related anxieties, Clifford said.
Use the following strategies to unplug and recharge:
• Communicate with your colleagues and clients about your absence. Share plans and instructions with anyone who is covering your work.
• Establish clear boundaries with clients and coworkers about your availability and what type of urgency will constitute an “emergency” call or email.
• Commit to unplugging by turning off work email notifications and texts. If you feel it is necessary to regularly check your communications, choose a one- to two-hour period each day and maintain this boundary with yourself.
• Give yourself permission to relax. Use this time away to enjoy the moment, the place where you are and the company you are with. Life is short and you cannot get these experiences back.
• If your schedule does not allow for a formal vacation, take a staycation and use your paid time off to relax at home.
• Plan a reset week to get back into your routine. Make self-care a top priority, revisit your routines and re-engage.
“If we don’t practice self-care, we won’t be at our best for our family, friends and clients,” Clifford said.
“Real Solutions for Lawyers to Thrive Even During Stressful Times” was part of the ABA’s CLE in the City series, a unique opportunity for attendees to earn educational credits from industry experts at top law firms in Chicago.
In addition to her development work at Clifford Law Offices and legal background, Clifford is a Corporate Wellness Consultant and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois and a National Certified Counselor. She works with professionals to help them create and maintain healthy lifestyles. She has a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Northwestern University. As an authority figure in the wellness industry, Clifford gives speaking engagements in all areas of wellness – from nutrition, to exercise, to healthy lifestyle management. Her expertise in wellness has earned her media attention from publications such as Shape Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention Magazine, and more.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/ aba-news-archives/ 2024/08/stress-busters-to-achieve-harmony/)
Despite the plethora of wellness resources available to lawyers, the stress of law practice can still be difficult to manage, said Erin Clifford, health and wellness coach and partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago.
“Work-life harmony” is especially challenging for lawyers because of the adversarial nature of the profession
To help ease the pain, Clifford offered up tried-and-true wellness strategies on Aug. 1 during the American Bar Association Annual Meeting session, “Real Solutions for Lawyers to Thrive Even During Stressful Times.”
The ultimate goal is work-life harmony, which blends “all of your life domains” — career, finance, family and friends, community, health, spirituality and personal development, among others — “in a way that personally brings you the most life satisfaction,” she said.
Clifford offered these tips for maintaining work-life harmony during busy seasons:
• Maintain flexible boundaries. Creating boundaries allows you to put your well-being first, enabling you to create more work-life harmony.
• Know your limits. Not just with your career but in your personal life. Saying yes to everything takes up physical and mental space.
• Listen to your emotions. Is the situation making you feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, excited? Ask yourself, if you had to take on something new tomorrow, would you do it?
• Listen to your body. If you feel exhausted, use the “no” button.
• Know your values. Does the decision align with your top five values?
• Assess the adequacy of your boundaries. Are they porous, rigid or flexible? If too porous, the boundaries might need to be reinforced; if too rigid, you might be isolating yourself.
“Setting boundaries is a skill,” Clifford said.
Prioritizing sleep during trials also is a key self-care strategy, Clifford said. “Your body recharges when you have a good night’s rest and will provide you with the energy and mental clarity you will need for the next day’s grind.
“You are worth five minutes” of self-care, especially during trial, Clifford added. “Sit in a quiet place. Pause in your day to do a breathwork, exercise or meditation. Breathe in fresh air and sunshine. Complete a brief workout on an app. Walk to court.”
Using your vacation time also is essential to lessening work-related anxieties, Clifford said.
Use the following strategies to unplug and recharge:
• Communicate with your colleagues and clients about your absence. Share plans and instructions with anyone who is covering your work.
• Establish clear boundaries with clients and coworkers about your availability and what type of urgency will constitute an “emergency” call or email.
• Commit to unplugging by turning off work email notifications and texts. If you feel it is necessary to regularly check your communications, choose a one- to two-hour period each day and maintain this boundary with yourself.
• Give yourself permission to relax. Use this time away to enjoy the moment, the place where you are and the company you are with. Life is short and you cannot get these experiences back.
• If your schedule does not allow for a formal vacation, take a staycation and use your paid time off to relax at home.
• Plan a reset week to get back into your routine. Make self-care a top priority, revisit your routines and re-engage.
“If we don’t practice self-care, we won’t be at our best for our family, friends and clients,” Clifford said.
“Real Solutions for Lawyers to Thrive Even During Stressful Times” was part of the ABA’s CLE in the City series, a unique opportunity for attendees to earn educational credits from industry experts at top law firms in Chicago.
In addition to her development work at Clifford Law Offices and legal background, Clifford is a Corporate Wellness Consultant and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois and a National Certified Counselor. She works with professionals to help them create and maintain healthy lifestyles. She has a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Northwestern University. As an authority figure in the wellness industry, Clifford gives speaking engagements in all areas of wellness – from nutrition, to exercise, to healthy lifestyle management. Her expertise in wellness has earned her media attention from publications such as Shape Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention Magazine, and more.
(https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/ aba-news-archives/ 2024/08/stress-busters-to-achieve-harmony/)
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
