FINDING BALANCE
An Anecdote About Attaining Wellness
# wellness
Wellness may have different meanings to each of us . As busy practicing attorneys , wellness may simply mean getting our work done without succumbing to stress .
Merriam-Webster defines wellness as “ the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal .” For me , wellness has meant being a functioning and productive attorney , husband , and father who can be effective at work , present at home , and still find time to enjoy my non-work-related passions . I cannot say that I have always achieved the coveted “ work life balance ” we hear so much about , but ultimately , as noted by the definition above , wellness is and can be an ongoing project . Here I am sharing some personal experience with my personal pursuit of wellness and the wrench thrown into that pursuit by a newborn baby . I am not purporting to provide any good advice , just sharing my experience in the hope that maybe it can help others think about what will work for them if or when they encounter a similar issue . And such similar issues may arise not only from a newborn but any life altering event .
Part of my approach to wellness has been striving to maintain a general physical wellbeing . Historically , doing so meant going to the gym three days a week , running with our dog once or twice a week , and playing some recreational basketball . Those activities have permitted me to enjoy the indulgences we all love , such as pizza and that beer at a bar event , you know the one . However , nothing has altered my lifestyle as much as welcoming our first born to the world last June .
As most everyone knows , having a baby alters your schedule , and that of your spouse . Compromises must be made to ensure that all responsibilities are satisfied along with the paramount task of caring for the newborn . Time is suddenly at an extreme premium . In my case , the first thing sacrificed to free up time , and hopefully get some more sleep , was exercise .
It is well documented that exercise is not the only key to health , perhaps more important are eating well and sleeping well . Sure enough , not only did my exercise regimen suffer , but my sleep and eating habits did too . Suddenly my pants felt tighter , and I just generally did not feel as good as I used to . I knew a change was due .
Thus , I set about figuring out how to balance exercise , eating right , and getting proper sleep with a newborn . Probably something I should have investigated beforehand , but as the saying goes , hindsight is 20 / 20 .
Infants are known to copy their parents . With that in mind and knowing that I hope my son will be healthy and active , I figured it was time to show him some activities to copy . I created a workout space in our shed with some dumbbells , kettlebells , resistance bands , a pull-up bar , dip bars , and a rowing machine . Doing so was a time saving decision given that the drive to and from the gym suddenly felt much longer . Proximity also provided flexibility to my exercise schedule . There was also the added benefit of having my son watch as I exercised . I can only hope that doing so will encourage an active lifestyle for himself .
Keeping in mind that I was setting an example for my son , I have tried to excise the admittedly excessive amount of fried food , sweets , and red meat I would otherwise enjoy . I cannot say that I am always successful at eating well or exercising , but I am trying , and as busy attorneys know , sometimes trying is the key . In fact , just having a goal , such as losing my “ baby fat ,” and working toward it will result in better health related habits . Overall , just adapting to a new situation can be difficult , but what I learned above all else , is that there is a plethora of options available to us to strive toward the never-ending goal of wellness . Just set the goal and you will figure out what works for you ! �
THE DOCKET - JANUARY 2022 | 19