Coping with Workplace Stress In the Legal Profession and Beyond
Even if you love your job, there are going to be days when you are going to experience a good deal of stress. Many lawyers allow stress to get the best of them, but you don't have to. You can learn to cope with workplace stress so you can use the stress to move you forward instead of hold you back. Wouldn’t that be amazing!
A Look At Workplace Stress
Workplace Stress whether it is in a law office or as a solo business professional working from home is basically the same. Even if you are working in a firm, when you are stressed out about your work, you can feel like you are on an island all by yourself. Of course, it isn't the case at all. Did you know that more than half of the practicing lawyers right now feel as though their work is the biggest stressor in their life? And almost all of us feel as though we have more on-the-job stress than our parents ever did.
The Good News (?...really…?): On-the-job stress is not something unique to you - everyone experiences it! Sometimes just knowing this is enough to help you to relax enough to find ways to start feeling a little more happy and healthy through the busy and demanding days.
Thankfully, there is something you can do to reduce workplace stress in your life, even in overworked and difficult job situations.
Three “Stress At Work” Solutions
Here are a couple of easy-to-implement solutions to business and job stress:
1. Let the little things go - it probably doesn't matter anyway;
2. Proactively balance your work and family life
3. Create a support network of friends and family, or even co-workers
1. Let Things Go
The fact is, when you allow yourself to take a more relaxed and positive outlook on the world, it will suddenly become a lot more relaxed and positive. When you choose to have a positive approach in life, you'll likely find that the things that would have stressed you out before will now roll off your back. It's not that you won't feel stress; it's just that you will have a more positive way of interpreting things so that stress is not necessarily such a bad thing.
EFT Tapping is perhaps the most powerful tool I know to help you mentally and emotionally let of things that are bothering you. By calming your brain by reducing cortisol levels and letting go of stuck emotions around stressful situations, Tapping allows you to feel calm and positive even when things are busy or people are unpleasant. Learning this self-help tool can be a big advantage for you to tame your business stress. Get started here.
2. Move a Step or Two Towards Work-Life Balance
When work takes over our lives, that's usually when we become stressed out at work and when we cannot cope well. You should make sure that you engage in some pleasurable daily activities that do not involve work, even if this is simply reading a chapter of your favorite book or picking up the phone to call a friend. When you allow your work life to consume you, stress will consume you too. In turn, you'll become less efficient and effective at your job. Some ideas: take a lunch break away from the office, take a nap, or go for a walk. There are many solutions but the key word here is UNPLUG!
3. Relieve Work Stress with Quality Family Time
Make sure you spend time with your friends, family, or even your co-workers outside of work. We often allow our home to become an office away from the office. That's no good if it blocks connection with your peeps! Make sure you have a support network of friends and family members who will remind you that there are plenty of things to do that aren't related to your work in any way. It's also helpful to have this support network so that when you are stressed out, you'll have someone to turn to. Oftentimes a support system helps keep us grounded when we would otherwise be tightly wound with work-related stress.
It's true that stress is a part of a lawyers’ life, but that doesn't mean it needs to consume us. Stress will come and go, but coping is something that needs to be ongoing so you can live a great life inside and outside of your professional life. Make a decision today to let one thing go that’s negative and do at least one good thing outside of work for your enjoyment and/or connection with the important people in your life. You can do this.
After reading these tips, what is one small step that you can take to move forward with your less stress action plan? Now….Write it down and schedule it. Thanks...You deserve some applauds for taking the first step!
If you are a lawyer, solopreneur, or other business professional who is motivated to get unstuck or take your professional life to the next level, please take advantage of my complimentary Clear and Unstoppable strategy session where you will discover 3 things that have been holding you back from the success and fulfillment you deserve and one powerful strategy to move forward fast.
Joe Mitchell, Esquire is a High-Performance Coach and EFT (Tapping) Practitioner, who has logged over 35 years of in-depth study of personal and spiritual development. In his studies, he has done hundreds of self-development courses, spiritual retreats, and health-related workshops. Coach Joe is a certified yoga teacher, meditation teacher, NLP Practitioner, and a graduate of three coaching academies. Two years after he graduated from Harvard Law School, he became a monk for five years. In 2016, after over 20 years as a solo criminal and personal injury attorney, he decided to turn his heart's passion into a career as a Success Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Trainer. For information on Coach Joe’s programs, high-performance videos and to apply for a Free Clear and Unstoppable Strategy Session click the following link http://www.activateyourgreatness.com/free-session