CBA Record May-June 2025

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

Lawyering as a Lifestyle:

Trying to Find a Balance

By George J. Schaller

W hether the length of your prac tice spans mere months or decades, there is one constant: it can be difficult to balance your lifestyle inside and outside of the profession. This shouldn’t be a surprise as we work in a service industry. As lawyers, we serve our clients at major inflection points in their careers, in their business operations, and frequently, in their lives. Being at the top of your game ensures your clients’ interests are best served. But to be at the top of your game, you also need to take care of your own well being. In my three years as an attorney, I’ve learned several ways to curtail my stress, maintain my mental health, and manage my time. Many mentors have provided significant guidance as I wres tled with practicing law, and many of the habits in this article stem from their col lective advice.

Two Ways to Manage Stress Maybe you are helping a client through divorce proceedings, assisting an acci dent victim in obtaining justice after an injury, or defending the interests of a cor poration embroiled in complex litigation. No matter which side of the “v” you find yourself on, it’s clear we engage in a stress ful profession. I find there are two basic ways to best manage stress. First, act; next, stay orga nized. Taking action is easier said than done especially where, as here, you chose a profession of perfectionism. Perfection is a great goal, but don’t let it get in the way of greatness. Whenever I experience analysis paralysis (which is often), I take a deep breath and remember “perfect is the enemy of good.” I use this familiar phrase as a reminder to focus on my workflow, then I breathe out and get to work.

Organization is also key. As a litiga tor, for example, the life cycle of a lawsuit tends to have a defined path at the outset. Keeping track of deadlines significantly reduces stress. Although deadlines don’t go away, keeping a tally of your “to-do(s)” can mitigate surprises. For example, simple reminders through an electronic calendar five to seven days before a dead line can help triage tasks effectively. It is no surprise that if you are experienc ing physical or mental ailments, your well-being will suffer. Carving out time to promote well-being should be at the top of every lawyer’s list. Routines foster good habits, and good habits promote well being. Here’s my short, non-exhaustive list of ways to preserve well-being: Take time to unplug. If possible, Focus on Physical and Mental Health

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