What if we discovered that we already have a strong foundation of wellbeing, regardless of circumstances, and just needed to understand how it works?
Think of a computer operating system. Brand new, its performance is fast and responsive. As time goes on and it needs updates and anti-virus software, its performance becomes sluggish and it struggles to perform at a consistently high level. At its worst, it crashes.
Now think of your mind as your operating system. By having an understanding of how it works, you know which updates to download and wipe any viruses as they appear, keeping it in top condition and working perfectly.
Lawyers' wellbeing - an insurmountable problem?
When people perceive stress as coming from the circumstances they find themselves in - long hours, demanding clients and billing targets are the three most commonly cited causes of stress for lawyers - there are only two options available:
1. use coping strategies such as better sleep, exercise and meditation to reduce the symptoms of stress. However this solution is not always realistic since lawyers often drop these as soon as they become busy; or
2. seek to eliminate stress by removing the factors that seem to cause it. For an employee, that could mean changing job. For an employer, reducing a lawyer’s long hours in an attempt to eliminate stress, could for example, require hiring more staff to enable them to do less work.
Employees can feel like they have a job on top of a job just to stay well, and it is not always reasonably practicable to change a job.
Employers are left with neither option providing a lasting, financially viable or cost-effective solution. The issue of lawyers' wellbeing can seem almost insurmountable.
Bringing a fresh perspective
My work is less of a 'doing' and more about 'being', hence the name 'Being Lawyers'.
My work offers a different way of understanding stress and pressure. Rather than seeing stress as something created solely by external circumstances, lawyers begin to understand the role our state of mind plays in shaping our experience.
As lawyers gain this understanding, stress loses its grip. They become less affected by pressure and are able to respond with greater clarity, resilience and ease, even in demanding situations.
They discover that wellbeing and resilience are not things they need to create, but capacities they already possess.
As lawyers gain this understanding, they naturally experience greater mental clarity, resilience and ease, even in demanding situations.
You will see how this solid foundation of emotional and mental health is always available to you.
A simple, sustainable and economical solution
Understanding the workings of the mind provides a solution that is simple, sustainable and economical.
It is simple: there are no new skills to acquire. There is no “to do” list to fit into an already busy schedule. We learn by insights and so we gain a new perspective and fresh thinking.
It is sustainable: it allows us to unlock our full potential which is by its nature infinite, expansive and always present.
It is economical: every person has free access to it today. Because it addresses stress at its source, rather than simply managing its symptoms, this understanding provides a lasting foundation that supports wellbeing, resilience and performance over time.
Innate wellbeing, resilience, clear thinking, high performance, engagement and strong leadership are natural outcomes of the understanding we share in our work.