Lawyer Monthly - August 2021 Edition

23 AUG 2021 | WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM IT’S TIME TO END BURNOUT CULTURE IN THE LEGAL INDUSTRY logical to think that it is the most successful coping and success strategy. Whilst intellectually challenging, as lawyers are consistently performing brain gymnastics, law is also one of the most physically sedentary professions. This combination of continuous and extraordinarily demanding mental focus with long periods of sedentary work make burnout particularly prevalent. The damage is physical, emotional and psychological. Over years, it accumulates into a state of total exhaustion and can lead to mental and physical collapse. Research shows that almost every system in the body is impacted by chronic stress and when it goes untreated, it suppresses the body’s immune system which can lead to illness. Not only do these effects become detrimental to the person's health, but they also begin to impact family, work and social relations. Speaking From Personal Experience I remember working to an early morning deadline for one of my former firm’s largest clients. There were more than a dozen of us on the case and we all had a sense of needing to power through it, so we pulled an all-nighter as none of us wanted to show signs of weakness. In fact, I used to consider myself an endurance marathon-runner of legal nights. Despite the exhaustion and concerns from family and friends, I could not wait to get back into the office the next morning after only a couple of hours of sleep. I was on an adrenaline-cortisol-excitement-pride-fear kind of ‘high’. It was thrilling to be part of something so big. The sleepless nights (sleep often ended up as a non-consideration), the upset spouse, irregular meals, personal sacrifices and my ‘Red Bull Bercocca’ magic potion to start off the day and last through the night, all seemed worth it each time I opened an email to positive feedback from a client. I was so invested in thework that I overlooked my own health and basic wellbeing needs. I was just mimicking what seemed to be the norm within my industry, until the chronic stress caught up and I burned out. It never occurred to me that chronic stress could have such negative effects. Over the past ten years, I have had many connections and peers who have left the industry due to exhaustion, been severely burned out, had mental breakdowns, been diagnosed with work-induced health issues, and even made attempts on their lives. And this is just my personal and professional circle. If we extend it to the legal industry at large, these issues affect thousands of people every day, globally, across all jurisdictions, ages, cultures and genders. What is important is not somuch the number of people who make it to becoming a lawyer Whilst intellectually challenging, as lawyers are consistently performing brain gymnastics, law is also one of the most physically sedentary professions.