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? Also, 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 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:
- Five steps to wellbeing - follow this guidance from Mental Health Ireland
- Educate yourself - Law Society Professional Training in conjunction with the Law School Psychological Services has a suite of Professional wellbeing seminars, workshops and events involving experts from both the professional fields of psychotherapy and psychology as well as the legal arena. Courses include Trauma Awareness Skills - developed to provide hands on practical skills training for those working with children and young people. This CPD course, running September to February, assists participants to learn how to avoid secondary traumatisation of children and develop self-care techniques.
- Hear from others in these Gazette articles:
- Explore other education opportunities and resources: