The holidays, work, and anxiety

Evan Koslow//December 11, 2017//

I’ll start with the disclaimer: my wife made me write about this topic. I want to acknowledge that because this is certainly not a “holier than thou” post. I do not know everything about dealing with stress and anxiety, and over the years I have realized that one of the many things we weren’t taught in law school is how to manage anxiety and stress.

While law school and taking the Bar exam was certainly high-stress, as new attorneys and litigators you face a new level of stress and anxiety that can seriously affect you and everyone around you if you do not take care of your mind and body.

Of course the holidays bring extra financial obligations, conversations with extended family and friends, and indulgent eating and drinking.

So what can you do to manage the stress and tame the anxiety? I have a few recommendations that have worked for me:

Exercise and eat healthy. Easier said than done, right? Make the time to go for a run, go to a yoga class, and plan a few meals to make at home. Building this habit is always a struggle, but breaking it down to day-by-day choices certainly makes it manageable.
Meditate. Did you know there are THOUSANDS of meditation apps for your smartphone? This doesn’t have to be a lengthy exercise. There are meditations that are as short as 2 minutes. Why do it? To calm your mind. It won’t chase away the worry of “what if I don’t get a new client” or “what if my client doesn’t pay their bill this month” but meditation allows me to acknowledge my thoughts and feelings, check in with my body, and always leaves me feeling better. A few apps I recommend are: Insight Timer, Headspace, and Calm. Give it a try!
Keep a gratitude journal. I learned this a few months ago from a clinical therapist. A gratitude journal is such a simple way to take 5 minutes to acknowledge a part of our day, everyday – and re-train our mind to focus on what is truly positive and important.

Enjoy your time off from work, and remember to take the time to practice self-care. Being a good attorney is not just about what you do in the courtroom, but taking care of your mind and body as well.

If your anxiety and stress feel like they are too much for you to handle on your own, MSBA has a Lawyer Assistance Program: Director Jim Quinn can be contacted directly at 443-703-3041, or LAP Counselor Lisa Caplan at 443-703-3042.