This post is crucial to your mental health.
Wellbeing has become a major concern in the legal profession, especially, so please pay attention.
Picture this:
I was having dinner in Beverly Hills at a sidewalk café with my friend. The food and setting were wonderful; the company and conversation were scintillating; the temperature and golden late afternoon sun were perfect, and the people watching was fabulous – it was Beverly Hills, after all!
Even more interesting was the parade of dogs accompanying the passersby. There were many tiny, pampered pooches, most on leashes, but some carried either in designer totes or purses, or even cradled in their owners’ arms. Occasionally, there was a gorgeous, giant member of the canine community. Curiously, they were very few middle-sized dogs.
Even more fascinating was the people-pooch pairings. Some gave proof to the saying that owners come to resemble their pets. Others seemed completely mismatched. I guess there’s no accounting for love or attraction!
I greatly enjoyed the passing parade. Even these many days later, simply remembering it brings me joy.
Did you enjoy that little mental vacation?
The lesson:
The lesson here is to fully appreciate unexpected delights. Take a break to seek them out, welcome them, savor them, and store them for future enjoyment. Taking a real—or even virtual—break from the stressors of practice allows you to feel reenergized and recommitted with a fresh perspective when you get back to work.
Jarrett Green, Esq., M.A., Psychology, a well-being, stress resiliency, and peak performance consultant to law firms, legal organizations, and corporate legal departments, teaches that neuroscience has proven that a true break means getting away from “language and logic.” So reading something fun, scrolling through social media, or watching entertaining videos won’t give us the break we need. He likens those typical workday break activities as being akin to a professional athlete spending time-outs during a game playing a different sport. It might be diverting, but not rejuvenating.
Our brains need a different kind of rest. A few minutes with a pet or taking a short walk without your cell phone will do the trick. Green says that being in nature, even looking at a plant—or a picture of a plant—for a few minutes are good brain breaks. Indulge in art or listen to music (without lyrics, preferably). Even folding a load of laundry or washing the dishes, if you work from home, will provide the right kind of mental rest break. As I demonstrated above, just spending a few minutes vividly recalling the feeling a positive experience will do the trick.
You may find that some part of your brain has been working on a thorny business problem in the background. Often a creative, out-of-the-box solution occurs to you that would not have without that time “away.”
We all deserve a balanced life, and our clients deserve the best version of ourselves that results. Rather than being a distracting waste of time, these short mental health breaks to savor unexpected delights—either actually or virtually—can enhance your legal career.
What unexpected delights have you enjoyed lately?
