When we consider our health, we often think about what we eat, how much alcohol we drink and how many steps we walk or run per day. We reason that if we find a happy balance of these each day, we can reduce our risk of illness. However, what about our psychological health? And what about the relationship between our psychological health and our physical health?
You're not the only one
Work can be overwhelming - clients, colleagues and managers have high expectations and we often hold ourselves to the highest standards. Nearly half of respondents from the Law Society's research into solicitor wellbeing indicated that their mental health has been impacted to a significant degree by stress in their working life. Stated impacts of workplace stress amongst respondents included insomnia, anxiety, physical problems, irritability, depression and self-doubt.
Accepting that we need to look after our psychological health is the first step in staying well. Recognising your own warning signs will allow you to manage your psychological wellbeing and develop your coping skills and resilience over time.
Steps to take
If you feel your stress levels increase, you can take some positive steps to calibrate the balance and restore your wellbeing, such as:
1. Five steps to wellbeing - follow this guidance from Mental Health Ireland
2. Sign up for Shrink Me Online - LegalEd Talks - to support solicitors during these challenging times, Law Society Finuas Skillnet has launched LegalED Talks. This is a series of free CPD weekly talks from expert speakers that covers a variety of topics, and gives members access to the Shrink Me Online Programme, designed by the Psychological Services Section of the Law Society Education Department. Below is an example of some of the sessions that are already available to you:
- Coldshock - Unlocking wellbeing (Trish Howard and Níall O'Murchú)
- Wim Hof Method - Unlocking Wellbeing (Trish Howard and Níall O'Murchú)
- In a Pandemic - At Home with the Feelings - Unlocking Wellbeing (Trish Howard and Lauren Gourley)
- Legal Lives - Love, Lies and Justice (Prof. Phillipe Sands, QC in conversation with Fintan O’Toole)
- From International Legal Business Rainmaker to Mental Health Champion - The life of Chris Parsons (Chris Parsons and Antoinette Moriarty)
For more information, and to access course content, visit LegalEDTalk
3. Hear from other experts in these Gazette articles:
4. Explore other valuable education opportunities and resources: