Yes, you read that right. And yes, we know that some lawyers are the worst.
Lawyers have been instrumental in our societies for thousands of years. We, as a profession, work tirelessly for justice and to protect the rule of law. We help people and companies and governments manage conflict and run smoothly. For the most part (and, again, we know there’s a grain of truth in all those lawyer jokes), lawyers are good people who do good work for other good people.
So why is it that so many lawyers are prone to mental illness, and drug and alcohol abuse issues? The New York Times just ran this piece, which is a fascinating read for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. The list of likely reasons why the legal profession, in particular, leads to mental health and physical health crises more often than other professions is long. But, perhaps more important than “why” is the question: what are we all going to do about it?
At Davis Law Office we work hard to infuse creativity into the practice law. We want to create a workplace that is healthy and sustainable. We use flex scheduling, flat fees, co-working, group outings, and as much laughter as we can fit into a day to help us toward that goal. We volunteer in our communities and we work collaboratively with one another to shoulder the load together. And we communicate. About pretty much everything.
How about you? How do you manage your own health in the context of your work? How does your company address these issues?
Shout us out on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or send us an email. We’d love to hear your thoughts!