Make 2023 Your Healthiest Year Yet
We know all the rage right now, in the first few weeks of the new year, is talking about setting those law firm goals. While setting or reviewing professional goals is always a good idea, at any time, we are turning our attention to our overall health. And let's face it. As attorneys, the cards can feel a bit stacked against us when it comes to a healthy lifestyle, with minimized stress, healthy habits, and a good balance between professional and personal. As you consider your law firm goals (come back next week to see more about that), remember to keep these points in mind.
Physical Wellness
We could write for DAYS on this one. Suffice it to say, there is a lot of research out there about the benefits of exercise. Movement is medicine. We could not agree more. The trick is getting it in.
Recent research shows that short bursts of exercise, as little as 30 seconds, can significantly reduce the disease risk. Little choices like taking the stairs at a quicker pace, running for that train, or even a quick round of jumping jacks or burpees (not my favorite but wow do they work!), all add up to make a real difference. The key here is they are super short but intense actions.
Try to get one or two-minute bursts of intense exercise at least three times a day. This was shown to reduce cardiovascular mortality risk by 50%. The risk of dying from cancer and all causes of mortality is reduced by 40% with these short spurts of intense exercise. You don't need to spend hours at the gym. Speed squats, burpees, jumping jacks, or any kind of exercise that gets that heart pumping for a minute or two will do the trick.
Stress Management
Similar to those short bursts of exercise, 30 seconds of deep breathing, a quick lap around the block outside, or even just closing your eyes and dropping your shoulders, relaxing your jaw, can reduce stress in the moment. At a minimum, when you feel that nasty stress start kicking in, take a few second to close your eyes, breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, drop your shoulders, and unclench your jaw. These simple actions calm your nervous system.
Exercise, done at longer periods than those mentioned above, is another great stress management tool. Personally, I'm addicted to spin classes and strength training. Nothing feels better to me than cranking the music (classic rock anyone? A little Bruce?) and sweating it out. A dear friend started running and found that to be the solution - she has now done the Chicago, London, and New York Marathons, all in one year. The trick here is to find the exercise that you love.
Meditation is another great stress management tool. Great options, like Calm or Headspace, provide guided meditations that can be as short as 30 seconds to 20 minutes or more. There are lots of YouTube videos too. I make sure to do at least one short meditation per day. Well, most days. Life happens. But I can tell you it works.
Learn Something New
Keeping that brain working is important, too. You can learn more about the law of course but that's not really the point here. Think of something entirely new. Maybe a language? How to cook a special dish? Make your own bread? Take up needlepoint? You get the idea. Pick something you are genuinely interested in. Set aside as little as 30 minutes a week. The point is to make sure you are learning something new.
Make Plans and Keep Them
Time spent with friends is critical to overall wellness, per a recent article.
In fact, spending time with friends is as important to overall health as healthy eating habits or a good night’s sleep. People with strong friendships have better mental health, are in better physical shape, and more. In fact, the impact of friendships has a higher positive effect than that of having a love-based relationship. Clearly, both are great.
The point here is to build that network of friends. If that's not your idea of fun, pick one or two and develop a deeper bond. To make sure you keep these friendships going, set a ritual. Maybe it's a weekly coffee date before work. Or an exercise class. You get the idea. Make staying in touch with friends part of your daily or weekly schedule. And stick to it.
Take A Moment To Awe At the World
I know this sounds cheesy. But another article notes the importance of just looking around you, at the world and people around you, and take moment to be in awe of it all. Not only does it give you some perspective - it's a big world out there - but also releases feelings of positivity. No matter where you live, nature is out there. Just looking at the sky and seeing the vastness of space. Maybe you live in the mountains. I look at our kids and I'm constantly in awe of who they are. You get the idea. Just one moment a day to look around and be in awe of it all.
When you think about the year ahead, remember to put your health and wellness at the top of the list. That will give you all the tools you need to make the year your best yet professionally, too. What would you add to this list?
