We all know what the legal industry is like. There are long hours with extremely tight deadlines. The culture of perfection is overwhelming. It’s baked into the training for lawyers to be ultra-focused and on the top of their game. But what does that look like for the people working in the profession? How can in-house legal professionals protect their mental health?
I suffer from mental illness. I’m also an extremely successful lawyer.
Ian Jones
The high-pressured nature of the legal profession is synonymous with stress and burn out. Mental wellbeing is rarely at the top of the agenda. However, if Covid-19 has reinforced anything it’s the importance of wellbeing and a healthy work-life balance. In light of Stress Awareness Month, here are some of the key takeaways from previous Crafty Counsel on mental health on ways we can deal with mental health, wellbeing and stress in the legal profession.
Ask people what they need
As someone with mental health issues, Ian Jones reminds us that people are individuals so don’t generalise. Everyone will have different needs when it comes to managing their illness or looking after their wellbeing. So ask them.
Champion mental health at senior levels
Leaders championing mental health and wellbeing is vital. With someone more senior speaking up for these issues and sharing their experiences, it allows people to feel more comfortable talking and makes the conversation more dynamic.
Looking after yourself at work? It’s about looking after yourself full stop.
Claire Carless
[Related content: Mental Health Training: The investment that pays dividends]
Keep your perspective
Perspective is everything. Everyone has different ways to do it, but learn how to put the bad days into context and don’t beat yourself up over the things that didn’t go right. If you’re getting too wrapped up in your work, or taking it home with you then recognise it and find a way to shake yourself out of the ultra-focused tunnel vision that lawyers can find themselves in.
Set healthy boundaries for your mental health
Being highly organised and good project managers means that lawyers often absorb a lot of work outside of the framework of a legal role. Part of the challenge to maintaining a healthy state of wellbeing is knowing when to say no. Set boundaries within reason to protect your wellbeing.
[Related content: Tips for lawyers on protecting their mental health]
We’re not saying that there won’t be long hours and all-nighters, but where we can take stress out of the system, that’s where we should put our effort.
David McCahon
Make sure that work is part of your life, not the entirety of it. Having external interests or fulfilment that are just as important stop work from becoming your main focus. By maintaining this ‘work-life balance’ allows you to disconnect from work and manage stress so you can come back to do better work.
Culture of psychological safety
Making sure your workplace feels psychologically safe is incredibly important for wellbeing. There is also evidence of creating a culture of psychological safety having direct benefit to the business. Adopt a culture, leadership style and HR process where people can speak up with ideas, questions, mistakes or concerns.
The legal world is an industry with perfectionism and focus at the core. It is common to find yourself burnt out or even damaging your mental health. It isn’t easy to stand up and prioritise your mental wellbeing. However, as Karen Glass says, ‘It’s important to protect yourself… because nobody else will.’
[Related content: Spotlight on mental health charity LawCare]