When you hear the phrase “risk management,” the word “happiness” probably doesn’t leap immediately to mind.
Instead, you probably think of things like calendaring procedures, staff training, and malpractice insurance.
And yet, if your mood is rotten and your attitude poor, the risk of errors and bad outcomes in your law practice will increase.
“The number of unhappy lawyers is rising,” writes lawyer and certified health coach Jamie Spannhake for Attorney at Work. “The current state of the world is jeopardizing nearly all our fundamental needs.”
Spannhake offers five simple things you can do today – at zero cost – to boost your mood.
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Mood booster #1: Go outside for some exercise. Even better: ask a friend or workmate to join you. You’ll get a triple benefit from the (1) exercise-induced endorphins, (2) sunshine and fresh air, and (3) social contact.
Mood booster #2: Take a Facebook break. “The use of social media is linked to loneliness and feelings of social isolation,” says Spannhake. “Social media is largely an exercise is comparing ourselves to others. It’s been said that ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ Add to that the misinformation and fearmongering that are often present on social media, and we have platforms that make us feel worse, not better.”
Mood booster #3: Turn off the news. We’ve all experienced it. One glance at the latest headlines makes our hearts pound and spirits plunge. If you can’t go a day without watching the news, try confining your consumption to a specified block of time in the morning or afternoon. Stop watching a few hours before bedtime.
Mood booster #4: Practice meditation and quieting your mind. Start slowly, maybe five minutes in the morning. “Not every problem can be solved with meditation, but every problem can be helped with meditation,” says Spannhake. “Benefits include calm, ability to shift perspective and see the bigger picture, less reactivity, lowered blood pressure and anxiety, decrease in depression, and increase in creativity. It’s free. You’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a try.”
Mood booster #5: Celebrate even small wins. Lawyers like being in charge, but much of life is beyond our control. “Each day, focus on what you can control, which might include what time you wake up, what you eat, how much you exercise, when you schedule conference calls, and what you wear,” suggests Spannhake. “When we focus on all the decisions that we make each day, and how much control we have in many situations, we begin to feel more empowered. This sense of empowerment gives us self-confidence and reduces stress. The same is true when we cherish the everyday moments, like seeing a hummingbird, or watching our child learn to ride a bike, or hearing the sound of a favorite wine being poured into a glass.”
Bottom line: “It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.” (Henry David Thoreau)
Source: Attorney at Work
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