It can feel difficult to focus on personal well-being in the legal profession — but personal well-being is key to sustaining a successful career. Our top blog posts published by LCL MA in 2019 can help — find them below.
Over the past few years, the spotlight has been moving toward lawyer well-being across the nation, with the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being formed in 2016 and publishing The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change. Working with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court formed first a Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being (see its report here) and then announced a new Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being in the 2019 State of the Judiciary Address.
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers operates as the sole Lawyer Assistance Program in Massachusetts, as well as our services as the Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program. Our LOMAP and LAP services very often address corresponding elements of any given challenge individuals encounter in the legal profession. Just as you need practical tools to manage your law practice successfully as a professional, you need practical tools to help you sustain facing challenges as a human. Earlier this year, we republished a couple basics from LCL MA’s LAP/Well-Being Blog:
- Practicing Self-Care: Tips for Lawyers + Law Students to Avoid Burnout
- Mindfulness Essentials for Lawyers + Law Students
And we’ve aggregated 10 of our top blog posts from 2019 that offer tools for personal well-being in the legal profession below. Reminder: Lawyers, Law Students, and Judges in Massachusetts can schedule a Free & Confidential consultation with one of our licensed clinicians — Find more on scheduling here.
Bonus ‘Top from 2018’ Throwback! Anne M. Brafford, Task Force member, Chair of the American Bar Association Law Practice Division’s Attorney Well-Being Committee, and of author the Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Law Firms, presented Quick Tips for Lawyers to Beat Stress, Build Happiness, and Boost Productivity in our ongoing (FREE) Webinars for Busy Lawyers series.
1. Risk Awareness.
In the legal profession, ignoring personal well-being can create risks to your career. Find 5 Risks to Your Career as a Lawyer (and 3 Rules to Avoid Them!) here.
2. Resilience.
Resilience helps you feel stronger after adversity — rather than weakened by it. You can build resilience with the right focus. Find Tips to Start Becoming More Resilient in the Legal Profession here.
3. Managing Anxiety.
Whether you suffer with anxiety disorder or just want to manage your experiences with anxiety better, a few techniques can help. Find Tips for Lawyers + Law Students to Reduce Anxiety here.
4. Overcoming Perfectionism.
Perfection is impossible to achieve, and focusing on it will limit your ability to learn from failure and grow intentionally in response. Find Overcoming Perfectionism: How Lawyers + Law Students Can Accept Failure here.
5. Boundaries.
Setting boundaries is a critical skill to prevent burnout. Find 3 steps for How to Say NO: Boundaries for Lawyers + Law Students here.
6. Ending Stigma.
Too often, individuals in the legal profession struggle privately because of stigma when help can make all the difference. Find more on the Anti-Stigma Campaign the ABA launched for the Legal Profession in 2019 here.
7. Facing Fear.
It isn’t healthy to make decisions based on fear — you need to focus on positive outcomes. Find Facing Fear: What Lawyers + Law Students Need to Know here.
8. Overcoming Isolation.
Lawyers are the loneliest of all professionals, and social support is critical to personal well-being. Find Lonely Lawyers: Feeling Isolated + Identifying Support here.
9. Handling Conflicts.
Workplace conflicts are common, necessary, and can have positive results. Find How to Handle Conflicts with Colleagues in the Legal Profession here.
10. Helping Others.
You might not know how to help when you’re concerned about a colleague’s well-being — that’s where LCL comes in. Find out What You Should Do When You’re Concerned for a Lawyer (or Law Student) here.
