| THE ONTARIO LAWYERS’ ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Mental Health Seasonal Tips for Stressed LawyersSubmitted to The Advocates’ Brief “Attitude is everything. Give thanks for the good things in life and watch your anxiety level plummet.” Katherine Gibson The end of a year brings the holiday season and reflection. It also brings rushing, pressure and meeting expectations….our own and others. Lawyers are not immune from these challenges. In fact, lawyers in general live a pressured existence. Some lawyers have observed that they feel they are contracting out their personal and family life in order to meet work expectations. Anxiety thrives in the legal environment. These suggestions can help busy lawyers put a temporary halt to the hurried life. Try to pause during this season and take a bit of time away from the bustle and make the season a rich and wonderful time with friends and family. Create memories. Appreciate: Take a moment to consider the good things that surround you. Joy flourishes when we feel and then express gratitude. Throw away tiresome traditions: If there are activities that have lost their meaning or are creating stress replace them with other activities. Simplify your life. Smile and Laugh: Take a moment to say something light hearted. You can find a moment to share a smile with a colleague, friend, senior partner or another member of the firm. Unclutter your life at home and the office. Clutter includes things that are duplicated, negative feelings and meaningless people. Take charge of the season by not spending time with those who take up space in your life without contributing anything positive. Choose positive people over toxic people. Take time for yourself. Take time to be silent—turn of electronic devices and take a walk or meditate. Clear your head of the demands of work and home. Think green. Look for seasonal flowering plants or boughs when decorating. Take a moment to bring something to the work environment that recognizes nature. Pause: Visualize an ideal holiday moment. What does it look like to you and how can you make it happen. Expect the Best: Envision situations that create happiness and joy and think of the positive situations. Try to discard draining activities and meaningless commitmentes. These tips work throughout the year—not only during holiday season. If you need some help with putting anxiety and worry behind you remember that OLAP has resources to help. When things are overwhelming or stressful there is help available. For more general tips “Pause: Putting the Brakes on a Runaway Life” by Katherine Gibson. In addition to individual face to face counseling and peer support other services are available. Career Counselling, Child and Elder Care, Financial counseling, Online stress management, Nutrition counseling and Smoking Cessation. Check our website for links to these services. The staff and volunteers at OLAP wish you a peaceful and joyful season.
Legal Profession Assistance Conference (LPAC) |Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) | Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia (BCLAP) | Nova Scotia Lawyers Assistance Program (NSLAP) | Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) | The Lawyers Assistance Program (LINK) | The Alberta Lawyers Assistance Program | Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (Saskatchewan) | The Lawyers Professional Indemnity Company (LawPRO) | Law Practice Consulting |
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