We think in words -- often without thinking about the words as we choose them. Start focusing more on your words to harness your own power. Words shape our thoughts. Wait, but why? Tim Urban brilliantly simplifies the complex evolution…
The average human spends almost half of their waking hours thinking about something other than what is actually happening, according to a Harvard University study. HOW IT HELPS. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, intending to be…
Workplace conflicts among colleagues are both common and necessary. Find out what you need to focus on to get better results from yours. Despite most people’s desire to avoid or minimize them, conflicts are normal. In fact, conflicts are not…
Unless you’re one of the rare lawyers already advanced in practicing self-care, you probably think a digital detox can wait — and anyone waiting for your work product can’t. Find out how to get off the path to burnout before…
Even if you're not blazing new trails of justice as a lawyer, you can still prioritize taking time to support real life trailblazers and the work they do to improve the world for us all. Merriam-Webster defines a trailblazer as “one that…
High stress in the legal profession is old news confirmed with recent research sparking the formation of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Find out how to handle stress better by changing how you understand threat perception. The dictionary…
96% of law students experience significant stress, compared to 70% of med students and 43% of grad students. But it doesn’t have to be debilitating. We're covering how to evaluate your stress level, how to know when to get help,…
Your first question might be whether there really is a problem. Start with the warning signs below and you can have our help from there. Our clinicians can help anyone -- a colleague, family member, or friend -- who…
The holiday season is not unique in terms of the various hot topic conversations that often come up between friends and family members. However, this season may provide more opportunity for such discussions given the nature of getting together with…
New research published in 2016 illuminated the need to improve Lawyer Well-Being, and the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being assembled in response, publishing The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change. The Task Force Report offered recommendations for all stakeholders in the profession, with specific action steps for Judges, Regulators, Legal Employers, Law Schools, Bar Associations, Liability Insurance Carriers, and Lawyers Assistance Programs (that’s us!). Forming a Well-Being Committee ranked among the Task Force’s most advised action steps for stakeholders as a group and individually — for the obvious reasons that collective awareness, attention, and action are more effective than we can expect to see from isolated efforts. Earlier this year, the ABA House of Delegates resolved to support well-being goals and to urge all stakeholders to consider the Report’s recommendations.
Observing the influence the Judiciary holds in our profession, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court confirmed its commitment to creating positive change by forming a Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being. The Committee “will explore ways to reduce stress on attorneys, help restore work-life balance, increase professional satisfaction and better support those who are confronting mental health and substance use disorders.” Members of the Commonwealth’s Steering Committee on Lawyer Well-Being were announced by Chief Justice Gants in his annual State of the Judiciary Address on October 24th. The steering committee is coordinated by Honorable Margot Botsford (ret.), who served as an associate justice on the SJC from 2007 to 2017.