Lawyers and Stress
I have known many lawyers in my life, from family members to dear friends. They are the nicest, smartest and funniest people to spend time with. They tend to be the most fun people to be around because their jobs are so stressful that they are very good at knowing how to blow off steam, sometimes in healthy ways and frequently in unhealthy ways.
Because being a lawyer can be so stressful, their jovial demeanor can mask a great deal of conscious, subconscious and unconscious suffering. A very dear friend of mine lost his life in his early 30s due to drugs, and another wrecked his brand new sportscar from drunk driving the very week he got it. Often to their own detriment because they know how to get out of legal trouble for free, they can play a bit fast and loose with the rules and their safety.
All the lawyers I have known have been incredible people — selfless, defending the little guys, prosecuting justice, helping families, protecting personal and business interests, and even served as public defenders at great personal cost.
They may get a bad rap and a lot of lawyer jokes, but from what I’ve witnessed, their good humor and dedication make them stalwarts of a society built on justice and the rule of law.
It is not easy to pour through thousands of pages of the most boring documents on the planet. It is not easy to sift through the subtleties of legal codes and make sure every “T” is crossed. They often wear many hats, like lawyer, business manager, marketer, writer, public speaker, and more.
Being an attorney is one of the most stressful jobs there is. Heck, any citizen having just one legal case looming over their head is incredibly stressful, and lawyers have multiple cases day in and day out, sometimes for free. And thank God they do. I hope this article can be some small way of giving back to this most important job in our free and fair society.
Can Meditation Help in Reducing the Stress in Lawyers?
There is no practice on Earth that fundamentally transforms the mind quite like meditation. It’s one thing to reduce stress. It’s another thing to stop internalizing stressful situations all together.
There are a million healthy ways to blow off steam. Like swimming, dancing, walking through the park, and spending time with family and friends. But these activities do not stop us from accumulating stress in the first place. They are wonderful activities that make life worth living, but they don’t rip out the roots of stress. For that, we need meditation.
If we don’t get to the roots of our stress, then we will constantly be a slave to the ups and downs of our lives. And if we have too much stress and can’t get to the park to calm down, we’ll explode, either internally which manifests as back pain or chronic disease, or externally in fits of rage or anxiety or depression.
To get to the roots, we have to get to the deepest parts of our mind without any distractions or other activity taking place. That is meditation.
What Does Meditation Do for Lawyers?
We don’t just want to reduce stress. We want to be able to handle stressful situations with peace, calm and clarity. Meditation does this by quite literally shrinking the part of the brain responsible for fear, and increasing the portion of the brain responsible for mood regulation.
By focusing the mind on a specific object or activity, such as the breath or a mantra, it increases our awareness and focus so that our mind isn’t jumping around wildly and imagining the worst possible scenarios. It improves overall well-being, increases patience and presence, and reconnects the mind and body through the doorway of our breath so that we can regulate our nervous system — the body’s fight or flight stress response.
We need to be able to stay mindful of our thoughts and our body in order to not let those heavy emotions and destructive thoughts take us over. Just a few minutes of meditation everyday can become the foundation that builds that lifelong habit of mindfulness and presence.
There is a reason we are all drawn to lawyers and politicians who are said to have a tremendous presence. The more present we are, the less stressed, anxious, and depressed we are. Presence improves our attention and cognitive function. And it helps us speak more confidently, argue more effectively, be more creative, think more clearly, and retain information more easily.
How Can Lawyers Meditate?
Attorneys can meditate in a variety of ways, including:
Guided Meditation for Lawyers: Guided meditations are a great way for beginners to get started with meditation. They involve listening to an instructor’s voice and following their guidance on how to reach a relaxed mindset. Here is a free guided meditation to help you start your day right.
Mindfulness Meditation for Lawyers: Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment and becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. This practice can be done anywhere, at any time, and only requires a few minutes of quiet reflection.
Breathing Meditation for Lawyers: Breathing meditation can be done anywhere, anytime, and involves focusing on your breath as a way to quiet the mind and reduce stress. This practice can be especially helpful during busy or stressful times throughout the workday.
Walking Meditation for Lawyers: Walking meditation involves being mindful of the physical sensations of walking and the environment around you. This practice can be done outside or indoors and can be a good option for lawyers who want to incorporate mindfulness into their daily routine.
Mantra Meditation for Lawyers: Mantra Meditation is a specific type of meditation that involves repeating a mantra silently to yourself, such as “Om.” This practice can be done for 20 minutes, twice a day and has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
Lawyers can experiment with different meditation techniques to find the one that works best for them. It’s important to note that regular practice is key to experiencing the benefits of meditation. Even just a few minutes of meditation per day can make a big difference in reducing stress and improving focus.
How Lawyers Can Unwind at the End of the Day
As much as we want to watch our favorite show, consume our favorite foods or drinks, or check social media, take a moment first to just breathe and check in with your mind and body. Then, as you go about your regular evening activities, make it a habit to periodically check in with how those activities affect your breath, thoughts, and tension in the body.
When mindfulness becomes a regular habit, we can remain present and at peace through anything. All problems happen when we lose ourselves to emotions and thoughts, or get so caught up in some activity that we let unconscious worries stimulate our body’s stress response.
Mindfulness is the habit, meditation is the practice.
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How Lawyers Can Fight the Immense Pressure They Feel at Work
All pressure is self-inflicted. It’s not real. It is our primitive brain falsely sensing danger, which is only good if we need to fight off a bear.
So we have to practice redirecting our focus, thinking with conscious intention in a productive way, calming the breath and relaxing our muscles.
The mind is like a bull in a china shop. Meditation tames the mind so that it can focus on what we want it to, instead of wildly jumping around and knocking everything over.
When the pressure does rise, take some deep, slow, fully belly breaths. Focus on only this moment. Don’t carry the weight of the whole world and the future on your shoulders. And instead of thinking about everything that is wrong, think about all your strengths and the positives in the situation.
Can Meditation Help You Become a Better Lawyer?
Meditation has been shown to help lawyers:
Improve focus and concentration: Meditation can help you develop stronger powers of concentration and focus, which can be invaluable in the legal profession. With improved focus, you can more easily stay on task, avoid distractions, and be more productive in your work.
Improve decision-making: Meditation can help you cultivate a greater sense of awareness and intuition, which can be useful in making better decisions in your work. By learning to be more present and attentive, you can better assess the situation at hand and make more informed decisions.
Reduce stress and anxiety: Lawyers are often faced with high levels of stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact their performance and well-being. Meditation has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing stress and anxiety, which can help you perform better in your work and improve your overall quality of life.
Increase empathy and compassion: Meditation can help you cultivate greater empathy and compassion for others, which can be useful in the legal profession. By developing a greater understanding of others’ perspectives and needs, you can be a more effective negotiator and advocate for your clients.
Overall, meditation is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, and can help you become a more effective and fulfilled lawyer. By incorporating meditation into your daily routine, you can develop the skills and qualities that are essential for success in the legal profession.
Can Meditation Improve Your Law Practice?
Meditation has helped lawyers:
- Improve communication skills with clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
- Improve conflict resolution skills to remain calm and centered in challenging situations.
- Enhance creativity by quieting the mind and allowing thoughts to flow freely, thereby generating new ideas and approaches to complex legal problems.
- Increase resilience and develop a more positive outlook, which can help to better navigate the ups and downs of a law practice.
How Can Extremely Busy Lawyers Find Time to Meditate?
As a lawyer, finding time to meditate can be challenging, but there are ways to incorporate meditation into your busy schedule. Here are some tips:
Start small: You don’t have to meditate for long periods of time to experience the benefits. Even just a few minutes of meditation per day can make a difference. Try starting with just 5-10 minutes per day and gradually increase the time as you become more comfortable with the practice.
Find pockets of time: Look for small pockets of time throughout your day where you can meditate. This could be during your commute, a lunch break, or before you start your workday. First thing in the morning is the easiest way to make any new habit stick, before the problems of the day start to come our way.
Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine: Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, at any time, and doesn’t require any special equipment or preparation. You can practice mindfulness while walking, eating, or even while brushing your teeth. All you have to do is notice what you’re noticing. This expands our awareness and takes us out of our head.
Make it a habit: Consistency is key when it comes to meditation. Try to make meditation a daily habit, even if it’s just for a few minutes per day. By making it a habit, it will become easier to incorporate into your daily routine.
When Will Meditation Show Results?
It’s not easy to undo decades of habits. We all have a very ingrained habit of thinking constantly, so be patient, relax, and don’t stress about the stress not going away right away.
The amount of time it takes to see results from meditation can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as how often you practice and the specific techniques you use. Some people may notice benefits right away, while for others, it may take several weeks or even months of regular practice to see significant improvements.
This one activity will greatly improve every single aspect of your life, but it’s important to note that meditation is not a quick fix or a one-time solution. Like any other skill or habit, it requires regular practice and dedication to see lasting results. The key is to approach meditation with a consistent and patient attitude, and to be open to the process of growth and change that it can facilitate.
A 2-Minute Meditation for Lawyers
Here are some steps you can follow to start meditating:
Find a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. This could be a room in your home, a park, or any other peaceful location.
Sit down in a comfortable position. You can sit cross-legged on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. The most important thing is to find a position that feels comfortable and allows you to maintain good posture.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale. Try to slow down your breath and make it smooth and even.
As you focus on your breath, try to let go of any thoughts or distractions that may come up. This can be difficult at first, but with practice, you’ll get better at quieting your mind.
You can also try focusing on a particular word or phrase that has personal meaning to you. This is known as a mantra. Repeat the mantra silently to yourself as you breathe.
Continue meditating for a set amount of time. You can start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the amount of time as you become more comfortable with the practice.
However long you decide to meditate for, stick to that time. If you give up at the first moment of discomfort, boredom or impatience, you won’t break through to the peace that lies on the other side.
When you’re finished, take a few deep breaths and slowly open your eyes. Take a moment to notice how you feel and try to carry that feeling of peace and relaxation with you as you go about your day.
Remember, meditation is a practice, so don’t worry if your mind wanders or you find it difficult to quiet your thoughts at first. Just calmly, peacefully and without judgment or frustration bring your attention back to your breath or mantra. With regular practice, you’ll get better at it and experience the many benefits of meditation. Good luck and happy meditating!
How Can I Enjoy My Life as a Lawyer?
Being a lawyer or an attorney is a hard-earned and rewarding profession. It gives us the challenging mental stimulation we all crave.
Instead of focusing on the boring paperwork or mundane details, turn your focus to your motivations for why you are a lawyer: helping people with their problems, making society safer and more fair, and providing for yourself and your family.
Just like with meditation, don’t necessarily focus on how each meditation is. Focus on your motivations and reasons for meditating. Some meditations will be peaceful and beautiful. Some will be hard and there will be a lot of mental resistance. That’s OK. Remembering why you’re meditating, and why you’re a lawyer, will get you through the difficult moments.
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