Work, Life, Balance, and Repeat

As you may have heard, our firm instituted weekly virtual meetings throughout January to discuss and encourage managing a work/life balance. This was spearheaded by our fearless leader, Inga Andriessen, who even after nearly three decades of being a lawyer still must remind herself to unplug occasionally.

With a task list that seem endless, and a long stretching pandemic that has stripped us of any semblance of a social life, we can sometimes let work consume our lives. I know I’m guilty of this. The shorter daylight hours also don’t help.

But the truth is that failing to take care of yourself, will not make you better at your job. Making time to exercise and doing those things outside of work that make you happy are important for your selfcare and longevity.  

While technically it was mandated, I tried meditation this month. I found it really helped focus my mind and silence some of my unwanted anxious thoughts. Just 5 minutes before bed not only gets me ready for sleep, but also quiets my mind.

Our busy daily lives can consume our day, but they shouldn’t take away the parts of us that make us who we are.    

As Inga very astutely puts it “being a lawyer is our job – not who we are.” There is a lot more to us than our excellent drafting skills and ability to deliver convincing arguments. We also have hobbies, interests, and passions apart from our love of the law. Sometimes we just have to remind ourselves of this fact.

Robin K. Mann, Associate Lawyer