I’m working on a new podcast with some friends, and our topic yesterday was the idea of ”self-care” and what that means. One mentioned that she hadn’t even heard the term “self-care” until 18 months ago, and although it was more familiar to me, we delved deeper into the idea that without the pandemic, we would not have been able to do it. I didn’t think it was something we would have put so much thought into.
As someone with a MAJOR type A personality (ask anyone who knows me), who is a tiny workaholic, my idea of self-care has always been things like guiltily planning a massage during one of the hours I spend for myself. a work conference or not checking my emails when I’m with family (I live alone, so… it’s not very often). This may sound noble, but I assure you it is not.
Psychology today defines “burn-out” as
a state of emotional, mental and often physical exhaustion caused by prolonged or repeated stress.
This is most often due to work, but it can also be due to other events in your life. Even though it is not a medical diagnosis, says the Mayo ClinicYou might notice work-related symptoms, such as:
- Becoming more cynical or critical at work
- Feeling like you’re dragging or having trouble getting started
- Becoming irritable or impatient with coworkers or customers
- Lack of energy to be constantly productive
- I have trouble concentrating
- Lack of satisfaction with your achievements
- Feeling disappointed in your job
- Using food, drugs, or alcohol to feel better or not to feel at all
- Change sleeping habits (less or more)
- Troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or intestinal problems, or other physical problems
If you’ve had an “oh shit!” » reading this list, you may be suffering from burnout. And frankly, with the way we have framed the legal profession, praised the martyrdom of working until we die at our office here in the United States, and the pandemic itself, it’s no wonder.
But does the idea of stepping back and taking care of yourself scare you better, because maybe your business or your clients will suspect that you’re not as valuable to them, and you certainly can’t let this happening in a year of pandemic. ?
Good news… or bad news, depending on how you look at it – being a workaholic doesn’t mean In fact make you more productive or better at your job. I can already hear you complaining, because I also know how the legal industry works – sometimes it’s less about BEING a workaholic and more about APPEARING to be one (which is why so many of us want to kill billable hours). ). But more does not equal better.
Many studies point out that workaholism has a negative effect – of Inc. we learn that:
- There is a 67% increased risk of developing heart disease for workers who work 11 hours a day versus 8 (and while yes, you should worry about your own health, if you want to be cold and calculating about it, From a business perspective, you want healthy employees who will continue to contribute to the bottom line.
- Those who work more than 50 hours per week are three times more likely to develop an alcohol abuse problem.
- Fifty percent of employees are less productive due to stress. (Fifty percent).
- Twenty hours without sleep equals a blood alcohol content of 0.1, which is the equivalent of five or six drinks, for people weighing between 160 and 180 pounds). Consider that you may be asking yourself or your colleagues to focus on important client work while actually being sleep drunk.
These effects are terrible for us personally, but they are also terrible for business. Imagine how much better advocates and advisors to our clients we would be if we were well-rested, peaceful, and fully engaged in our day? I’m not trying to make you laugh, but to offer you a real business case to take better care of yourself.
So, how to do it?
Self-care is different for everyone, and it may look different for you every day.
- Think about what is important to you and what is not, when it comes to areas of your life, such as the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual (by spiritual, I mean (I don’t necessarily mean religious – it could be spending time in nature, being grateful, supporting charitable causes, or meditating. Again, it depends entirely on what makes your socks tick). Identify which of these areas currently appear well supported and which could be better supported.
- Break them down and look at what activities you currently do in each of these areas that you consider self-care, and what might be stopping you from doing more.
- Think about what you need most: is it connection, health, relaxation, comfort, expression, rejuvenation? What are some things that could fit into each of these areas that you could do more of?
- Break this down for yourself on a yearly, monthly and weekly basis – look at what you can realistically do and how often. Do you want to do more meditation? Is this something you can do daily? Do you want to go fishing once a year? Once a month? How can you ensure this happens?
- Create your ideal morning and evening routines – what does a truly peaceful start and end to the day look like? If this ideal beginning and end happens, how long will it actually take? (This was an eye opener – I really had to start getting ready for bed a lot earlier than planned to be able to get the sleep I needed). Can you implement them?
- Notice when you are stressed throughout the day: what was the previous stressor? How did that make you feel? What was your reaction ? Is this something you control? If so, how can you change it? If you don’t, how can you change your answer?
I highly, highly recommend the simple self Self Care Planner (thanks for many of the suggestions above). As of this writing, there is a waiting list for this planner, but it is a real gem. Meanwhile, simple individuals have a certain number of other planners which are also fantastic. They give you tips and suggestions that will help you develop your own self-care plan. And as I always do, I will highly recommend finding a good therapist that you connect with and who can help you navigate your personal stress minefields – a good therapist is invaluable. A good place to start is to check out Psychology Today or ask your primary care physician for a recommendation. And if you don’t feel like you’re clicking when you meet them, that’s okay – move on to the next therapist!
Self-care is unique to each of us, but we all need it – and our practices and businesses need it too. Particularly in a year of pandemic where the lines between our professional and personal lives are blurrier than ever, the ability to take care of ourselves so that we can present ourselves as the best version of ourselves to our clients and colleagues (and families and friends!) is essential.
