Stress Less : A Guide for Lawyers
In the demanding world of law , stress is a familiar companion . The relentless pace , high-pressure cases , and long hours take a toll on your well-being . It ’ s no surprise that the legal profession faces alarmingly high rates of burnout , deteriorated relationships , and anxiety . A staggering 52 % of lawyers reported experiencing burnout , and 46 % reported a deterioration in their well-being , including loss of sleep , anxiety , and personal relationship issues . 1 This gives a clear picture that the negative impact of ongoing stress goes far beyond office walls , and unless something changes , even the brightest talent will burn out .
The Neuroscience of Stress
Imagine your brain holding two toolboxes : the Sage and the Saboteur . “ Sage ” is controlled by positive emotions like creativity , curiosity , joy , peace , gratitude , ease , and acceptance , while “ Saboteur ” is fueled by negative thoughts such as criticism , hyper-achievement , fear , anxiety , and overthinking . Your brain can only open one toolbox at a time . When the Saboteur is open , your brain resorts to its negative tools as motivators , all of which multiply stress . However , when Sage is activated , it employs positive emotions to meet the same goals and deadlines . Stress cannot exist at all when Sage is open .
Teaching Your Brain to Choose Sage
Eliminating all stress may be impossible , but what if you could reduce it by just ten percent ? Imagine the impact even slightly less stress would have on your goals , relationships , and mental well-being . Retraining your brain to open Sage instead of Saboteur is the key to this shift . There are many ways to begin the shift from Saboteur to Sage , and most are easier than you ’ d expect .
By Kelly Abanda
Reducing Stress in Three Minutes
No matter how long you ’ ve been dealing with high stress , these three simple steps will shift you into Sage in just a few minutes .
Breathe : Inhale and exhale deeply for 60 seconds to trigger relaxation in your nervous system . Slow , deep breaths signal to your brain that you ’ re out of danger , allowing the Saboteur to disengage . For the full minute , direct your brain to focus on counting your inhale and exhale , aiming to expand by one count on each .
Neutralize : After 60 seconds of breathing , spend the next minute focusing thoughts on something neutral . Give your brain a task like counting or observing for something
MARCH / APRIL 2024
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