There used to be a time when I looked forward to the summer. Summer meant a lighter schedule, vacation at the beach, and time to relax. Then I became an attorney. I often cancelled scheduled vacations. I felt like no matter how hard I worked, I would never be able to clear everything off of my desk. And admittedly, I felt a strange sense of pride and warrior attitude when I would explain to friends and family that I simply could not attend [fill in family event or friend outing] because of [fill in work project] that absolutely had to be finished.
Unfortunately, if "free time" and "me time" are ignored long enough, a person is likely to experience health problems much more serious than just lack of sleep. And with the added stress of the economy this year, and that a BlackBerry connects us to work 24 hours a day, I’ve noticed a greater sense of uncertainty and stress among young attorneys. With this in mind, I have a few suggestions meant to encourage you to take time to relax.
(1) Go on vacation: I think we are better at our jobs when we can at least take some time away from them. I strongly suggest that you take a vacation each year that requires purchasing a plane ticket, getting on a plane, and going somewhere with a sandy beach. This doesn’t mean sneak away. Just keep your supervising attorneys, co-workers, and clients aware of your vacation schedule and how cases will be handled when you are out. Even Courts recognize vacations and allow you to file vacation letters.
(2) Go out to lunch: Sometimes it is helpful to eat lunch at your desk, but at least once a week you should get a group together and escape the office. You will still be productive (and probably even more productive) if you can take a break away from your office furniture. This is also a great opportunity to get to know your co-workers.
(3) Exercise: It is so easy to skip a trip to the gym when the projects pile up. However, I’ve noticed that even taking a walk after work with my husband goes a long way in helping me wind down from the day. Even better, spin class at 6 am sweats out all negative thoughts about opposing counsel and difficult clients.
(4) Volunteer: There are so many agencies in Dallas that need help, and so many opportunities for you to give back. One of the reasons I am so proud to be a part of DAYL is because of the time and service DAYL members give to our community.
(5) Assistance Programs: Finally, there are free counseling services available if your stress does become unmanageable. The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program, at www.texasbar.com/tlap is a confidential crisis counseling and referral program that helps Texas lawyers, law students, and judges challenged by substance use and other mental health issues, including clinical depression, anxiety and stress. Although the tone of this article is light, the stress attorneys face every day is very serious.
