We’ve posted before on the many challenges facing lawyers and the legal profession, but it is a story worth retelling to keep it front of mind. Becoming a burnout-proof attorney can not only help your career, it can transform your life and your relationships at home, at work and socially. While many believe that the in-house world is green pastures, others recognize the daily challenges that in-house practice entails and that can make work-life even harder than in law firm life.
“The legal profession is suffering. Recent studies indicate that stress, anxiety, and burnout among lawyers are is the rise despite increased awareness and resources being directed to these problems. Statistics reveal that more and more lawyers — especially women — are experiencing burnout and considering quitting the practice of law. In 2016, the ABA–Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation study on lawyers’ mental health raised the alarm. Since then, and the American Bar Association and state bars have focused considerable resources on studying the problem and training lawyers to manage stress. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be working. According to the most recent data from the 2023 report on the NORC-University of Chicago Study of Lawyer Well-Being in Massachusetts, the problem is getting worse. It is obvious that lawyers must get serious about prioritizing mental and emotional health. While there is no “one size fits all” solution for mental and emotional resilience, I have found that some practices do help relieve stress, anxiety and burnout….”
Read: Becoming a Burnout-Proof Attorney: 5 Steps at AttorneyAtWork