Ontario Lawyers' Assistance Program- OLAP

Stress is a fact of life but excessive stress can cause major problems. Many lawyers feel that they are in a constant state of stress. There is often increased stress following the holiday season. When dealing with stress it is important to know your coping style and what works for you. Those who ignore signs and symptoms of stress will find that it only gets progressively worse. Here are some suggestions for coping with stress.

There are five types of coping skills: physical, mental, social, diversional and spiritual. We should aim to set aside 20 minutes each day to relax.

Breathing exercises. You can calm yourself by consciously controlling your breathing. Two common breathing exercises are exhalation breathing and deep breathing. Exhalation breathing slows down your breathing to help you calm down. Deep breathing provides extra oxygen to the blood and causes the body to release endorphins that re energize and promote relaxation.

Progressive Relaxation. This is a technique to help relax tense muscles.

Stretching. If done correctly stretching can promote relaxation and reduce stress. Never bounce when you stretch.

Walking. Going for a walk can clear your mind, reduce tension and increase energy. Walking can help by providing a needed escape and it may increase the produce endorphins as well.

There are things that you can do in your mind to help you cope with a stressful situation.

Meditation: Meditation helps settle the mind so you can think calmly throughout the day. The goal is to increase calmness. Meditation puts you in control of your thoughts by forcing you to be present in the moment and to observe your thought processes. There is no point in starting to meditate unless you intend to make it a habit; you won’t reap the benefits unless you practice on a regular basis.

Social skills involve relationships. Other people are an important source of comfort; spend more time with those you care about.

Diversions are distractions and sometimes doing something completely different can take your mind off the stress and help you to focus more clearly when you return to the difficult situation.

Spiritual skills involve understanding what you see as the meaning in your life. Take some time to connect with yourself and with nature.

Other tips:

Don’t exercise in the evening when you should be winding down

Avoid caffeine after 2 pm

Try drinking a mug of hot milk before bed.

Remember there are many things that you can do to relieve the pressures you are dealing with. You can take more control of your work life.

For more details on these and other techniques contact The Heart and Stroke Foundation 1888 HSF-INFO or www.heartandstroke.ca

If you experience ongoing stress, overwhelming sadness, or distress, remember that confidential help is available for lawyers and their families.

The Advocates’ Brief Dec. 2002

OLAP understands lawyers. OLAP reaches out to lawyers.
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