NABE - News of Interest

Share with Your Members: Fighting Email Addiction

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 19:29:00 GMT

“Email can be addictive. It’s a one-stop shop of notifications of new information on all my court cases as well as an interactive to-do list. Email also makes me feel needed; responding to email makes me feel useful. But because I have no boundaries around it, it intrudes upon my work, my life, and my relationships,” says attorney Cresston D. Gackle. He discusses how he is working to combat email addiction in this article for Bench + Bar of Minnesota (a Minnesota State Bar Association publication).

Help with Self-Help

Tue, 7 Feb 2023 21:03:00 GMT

Is self-improvement part of your plan for 2023? The Atlantic provides a list of “Eight Self-Help Books That Actually Help” here.

Share with Your Members: How Law Firms Can Help Struggling Litigators

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 20:24:00 GMT

In general, many lawyers struggle with mental wellness—and the pressure felt by many litigators in particular can take a toll. This Bloomberg News article looks at how law firms can help litigators foster mental wellness.

Avoiding Volunteer Burnout

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 20:18:00 GMT

Volunteer burnout is on the rise, according to a fairly recent Gallup poll. Find out how you can keep your volunteers engaged and energized in this Associations Now article.

Share with Your Members: Your Value Proposition - Expense, Expertise & Extras

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 19:38:00 GMT

Lawyers who believe their employers value financial performance and productivity above everything else are linked to lower mental health and well-being evaluations, according to a study of nearly 2,000 attorneys conducted by the California Lawyers Association and the D.C. Bar. Read more about the research and its findings here.

Share with Your Members: Wellness Page Add

Wed, 18 May 2022 17:04:00 GMT

Are you looking for some quick content for the wellness page on your website or your #WednesdayWellness post? Check out this ABA Journal article with 40 wellness tips for attorneys.

Share with Your Members: Recharging for Resilience

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:10:00 GMT

Crazy busy? Make sure to take the time to recharge. According to stress management expert Paula Davis-Laack, "Resilience Requires Recharging." She offers "6 Ways to Power Up When You're Crazy Busy" in this article for Wisconsin Lawyer.

Psychology Today on Prioritizing Attorney Wellbeing

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 16:08:00 GMT

"There are some occupational mindset hazards that we learn in law school. While these mindsets may help us in the practice of law, they undermine our resiliency," says Robert Goldman J.D., Psy.D., an advisor on the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Attorney Wellbeing. He examines "Why the Legal System Needs to Prioritize Attorney Wellbeing" in this Psychology Today article.

Share with Your Members: Making Mindfulness Part of Your Practice

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:42:00 GMT

If your wellness plan includes learning to be more mindful, but you are not sure where to start, this article from San Diego Lawyer may help you incorporate mindfulness in a way that works for you.

Beating Burnout

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 19:37:08 GMT

According to “burnout expert” Kelley Bonner, “Many companies are quick to highlight one or two strategies they’ve adopted as the complete solution to burnout. New apps for the workforce or no meeting Zoom days will have little impact if they are not accompanied by a strategic plan that links to your company’s goals and vision.” She discusses the best strategies for dealing with burnout in this Fast Company article.

Share with Your Members: Unplugged But Not Unbillable

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 21:34:45 GMT

Top 50 Biglaw firm Sheppard Mullin just launched a brand new firm-wide wellness initiative that gives attorneys 40 hours to "unplug and recharge" each year. The best part of the new initiative is that the 40 hours are credited as part of the attorney's billable hours, and the firm encourages attorneys to use all of them. Learn more in this article from Above the Law.

Share with Your Members: Lawyer Wellness - Saying "No"

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 21:24:45 GMT

In an article for Wisconsin Lawyer magazine, lawyer and consultant Julie Bonasso advises, "There's nothing wrong, and a lot right, with saying no to other people and yes to our own health and well-being." She discusses tennis player Naomi Osaka and the power of saying "no."

Avoiding Team Burnout When You're Back in the Office

Fri, 3 Dec 2021 17:40:01 GMT

“According to McKinsey, one out of every three employees surveyed said their return to the workplace had a negative impact on their mental health, citing feelings of anxiety, depression, or general distress. Others are anxious about social interactions. In addition to the real human toll, this stress has implications for productivity, engagement, and retention. For example, nearly 40% of workers would consider quitting if forced to return to their offices full-time, many of them younger workers,” said Harvard Business Review contributor Rahaf Harfoush. He discusses how to prevent your team from burning out in this recent article.

Bad Day vs. Burnout

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:28:10 GMT

"There are key differences between burnout, mental health conditions that might look like burnout, and bad days. Knowing which is which can help you better assist your employees," according to Associations Now contributor Michael Hickey. He explains how to identify different mental health conditions here.

Share with Your Members: NYSBA Report on Lawyer Well-Being

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:23:11 GMT

Last month, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) released a report on lawyer wellness, developed by the NYSBA Task Force on Attorney Well-Being, which has garnered some major media attention. Review the "Report and Recommendations of the NYSBA Task Force on Attorney Well-Being -- This is Us: From Striving Alone to Thriving Together" here.

Leading Through Lethargy

Tue, 9 Nov 2021 19:56:22 GMT

"In the best of times, leading and managing is hard work. After all, people are complicated, our business challenges are increasingly complex, and anyone called upon to regularly make tough decisions is bound to feel the strain. In this era, the demands are unceasing -- ripple effects of this global pandemic -- arriving daily," says leadership coach Art Petty. He discusses leadership fatigue and how to recharge in this SmartBriefs blog post.

Share with Your Members: Work and Wellness

Tue, 9 Nov 2021 19:54:40 GMT

Are you burning the midnight oil? Research says you should stop. According to this Bloomberg Law article, "Working or even checking emails until you go to bed doesn't allow your unconscious brain time to make connections or solve problems."

Share with Your Members: Work and Wellness

Tue, 9 Nov 2021 19:49:45 GMT

"A legal organization can bring in the best speakers, distribute top-end well-being swag—think yoga mats, stress balls, water bottles, healthy snacks, and more—and reward coveted prizes in competitions (such as most steps taken or miles run). But if firm leaders aren't supportive or undermine those efforts through their words or actions, momentum wanes, and the status quo prevails," contends Kendra Brodin, a member of the ABA Law Practice Division's Well-Being Committee. She discusses how to embrace wellness organization-wide in this ABA Journal article.

Share with Your Members: Putting Your Health Before Your Practice

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 17:11:15 GMT

Jackie Stebbins, a North Dakota lawyer turned motivational speaker, shares her story of the rare brain disease that ended her legal career in this ABA Journal article. She advises attorneys to prioritize their own personal health above their practice.

Share with Your Members: Preventing Compassion Fatigue

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 16:56:24 GMT

“Lawyers can become overwhelmed by the trauma and stresses of their clients. In medical terms, this is known as compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress, or vicarious trauma, and it is common among medical care professionals, first responders and lawyers,” according to lawyer and consultant Gray Robinson. He discusses how to avoid compassion fatigue in this article for Attorney at Work.

Share with Your Members: Financial Wellness as Part of Overall Wellness

Mon, 4 Oct 2021 17:50:44 GMT

Stress caused by finances and general money problems often adds to a lawyer's already significant stress level. Reuters reporter Natalie Runyon recently argued that legal employers should make financial wellness a part of the overall well-being package. Read her article here.

Share with Your Members: Work & Wellness

Mon, 4 Oct 2021 17:45:49 GMT

"Lawyers are no strangers to well-being issues—whether it is a demanding client, a tight deadline, or a strenuous billable hour requirement, many lawyers are under constant pressure to perform," says Bloomberg legal analyst Francis Boustany. He reviews some of the wellness-related results of Bloomberg's latest Attorney Workload and Hours Survey here.