Think of your last few weeks of work. How have they been? Likely you’ve been working long hours, skipping lunch, taking work home, and missing out on social obligations. This is not good.
When you work in the legal profession, these kinds of habits are considered to be the norm. However, we want to change this. Working long hours, missing out on vacations, and becoming consumed with work – is simply not good for anyone.
In this article, we take a deep dive into stress and give you some stress management tips that we hope can help you change your work and home life. Remember, when it comes to stress management, the small things such as outsourcing work can make a big difference. Consider asking Google, the following: find a court reporter near me – and take advantage of the professional legal help that can help ease your workload.
What is Stress?
Stress is how you react mentally and physically to life demands and changes. Stress can range from minimal to extremely high. Some stress is good for us – it can help people push themselves to find solutions to problems or to provide motivation. However, many people are dealing with intense levels of chronic stress.
Chronic stress can lead to serious health problems, including depression and heart disease. This is the stress that you need to avoid – at all costs.
What are the Symptoms of Stress?
Because chronic stress and negative stress manifests differently for everyone, the symptoms of stress can be wide-ranging. However, we want you to be aware of these common symptoms of stress:
- Frequent headaches.
- Tight muscles and overall body tension.
- Overwhelming fatigue, even when you’re sleeping a lot.
- Chest pain that is not heart burn.
- Gastrointestinal problems such as stomach aches, diarrhea, etc.
- Feelings of anxiety. These can be associated with work or even with the thought of missing out on work.
- Feelings of hopelessness – that nothing you do will be good enough.
- Lacking motivation to do your job or to connect with friends.
- Feeling sad or depressed.
If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself or a colleague, it’s very important that you speak up and get help. Chronic stress can have very serious health consequences – ones that can be prevented, but only if you speak up and ask for help. We know this is not easy to do, particularly considering your career, but you need to put yourself first and look out for what is best for you.
Top Stress Management Tips for Legal Professionals
The following stress management tips can help you with managing stress in the work place and away from the office.
- Focus on sleep. Sleep is amazing for how it allows your body and mind to rest and recover. You need a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night. Consider using a sleep app to track your sleep habits. The less rested you are, the more challenging it is to respond to stressors and handle the work day.
- Move your body. Yes, you have time for this. Get out for a walk before work. Meet up with friends for a game of basketball or soccer. Exercise has a positive impact on your brain chemistry and can help alleviate stress symptoms.
- Talk to your friends. Be honest with your friends about what is going on with you. You’ll likely discover that you’ve got friends who are going through similar situations. It’s important that you remain connected to your friends and have a strong social support system.
- Do more than work. Let’s face it, there will always be more work and more deadlines. It doesn’t matter how long your work days are, you’re not going to get ahead. So, give yourself a break and participate in the activities that you really enjoy. Go to the movies, meet friends for supper, chill out with a good book – do whatever makes you happy and helps you relax.
- Talk to your boss. Be honest with your boss about what you’re going through. Stress in the legal profession is an open secret, as revealed by a recent study into the work pressures of legal professionals.
Stress shouldn’t be part of your day-to-day. Reach out and get the help you need. Remember that you’re more than your job – you are a complete person who has interests and friends outside of the office.
