Wellness
Are you a Maximizer or a Satisficer? How to make happier choices
The last time you bought a house or searched for a rental apartment, how did you choose, and how did you feel about your choice afterward? Psychologists studying the relationship between how we make choices and our life satisfaction have found that those who put the greatest effort into making choices are rewarded with less… Read More »
Categories: 2017 February Neuroscience, Firm Management, LAWPRO Magazine, LAWPRO Magazine Article Type, Wellness, WellnessPutting your best brain forward
The success of books like Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink and Norman Doidge’s The Brain that Changes Itself, has brought discussion of neuroscience out of the medical lab and into everyday conversation. The potential for what we know about the brain to be used to our advantage in the business and professional realms has spurred a growing… Read More »
Categories: 2017 February Neuroscience, Features, LAWPRO Magazine, LAWPRO Magazine Article Type, WellnessLet technology be your path to wellness
Safety apps People who travel alone, work with violent accused, or find themselves in other potentially dangerous situations may want to try out personal safety smartphone apps. These work in a variety of ways: they can allow loved ones to track you remotely via GPS; send out an alert to friends if you fail to… Read More »
Categories: 2016 September A2J, Articles, Legal Technology, Wellness, WellnessStress management for law students (2016)
We all know what law school stress looks like. Come exam time, we see its physical manifestations: the law student, hibernating in the law library, subsisting on a diet of coffee and candy, sits surrounded by mountains of books, empty cans of energy drinks and an arsenal of highlighters. We recognize the bloodshot eyes and… Read More »
Categories: 2016 Student Issue 4, Articles, Law students/new lawyers, New Lawyer Issue, New Lawyers, Wellness, WellnessThe day-to-day stresses and challenges of being a lawyer
A sole practitioner and single mom is locked in a room in her house. Her young autistic son, outside the room, has put a chair up against the door to prevent it from opening. There is a lot of yelling and screaming. She calls 911 and the police arrive. One of the constables happens to… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Legal Technology, Wellness, WellnessSelf-assessment: do I need help?
Lawyers are used to helping others with their problems. This can lead to viewing others – not ourselves – as the people with the problems. But lawyers are actually more likely than the population average to experience addiction or suffer from mental illness. Many worry that there is a potent stigma attached to being a… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Wellness, WellnessHow unhealthy lawyers affect client service
Almost all lawyers experience stress, but unless it becomes toxic, there is little risk to the client. Occasionally things get truly out of control. That’s when important deadlines are missed, communication with the client diminishes (or ends), and files languish. In extreme cases, the lawyer ‘pretends’ to practice by misrepresenting to the client that work… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Communications Errors, Conflicts of Interest, Firm Management, Inadequate Investigation, Time Management, Wellness, WellnessReading the signs: Stepping in when a colleague needs help
As adults in the workplace, we usually strive to respect our coworkers’ privacy and autonomy. But it’s important to understand the difference between being nosy and being responsive. The taboos that accompany mental illness, substance abuse and interpersonal problems can make it difficult for workers to seek help when they need it. By reacting sensitively… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Wellness, WellnessBeing happier where you are, or getting to a better place
Lawyering is stressful. Lawyers expect to handle the pressures of solving individuals’ high-stakes, emotionally charged problems. What lawyers don’t necessarily anticipate is that they may suffer stress from being stuck in a work situation that is not their first choice. Competition for jobs may mean that a lawyer needs to accept work outside his or… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Wellness, WellnessFind your blue sky
Some lawyers seem to thrive, having found their ideal practice, while others still search for their blue sky. Discovering your values is a journey. As children we are brought up with the values our parents instilled in us. In early adulthood we may have experiences that challenge those family values. Attending university and unfettered from… Read More »
Categories: 2015 September Blue Sky, Articles, Legal Careers, Wellness, Wellness