A rest ethic is as important as your work ethic but lawyers tend to neglect their rest ethic to their own physical and mental detriment. When things are busy, the work ethic is in full swing, and when things are not, lawyers are often more stressed than when they are overloaded with work. The two ethics are complementary, and lawyers should strive to excel in both. Rest ethic does not necessarily mean vegetating on the couch; indeed, it can be just as active as work tasks. Especially in a time of global crises and
legal sector job losses, where you may think you are resting when you are binge-watching Netflix, you should take a step back and evaluate your “downtime” and its effectiveness. Is what you are doing truly giving you the vital rest you need? Or is it just a time-filler barely occupying the many thoughts traversing your mind during these challenging times? Take some time to reflect and read on, as working on your rest ethic will help not only your work ethic but your family, friends and clients.
“Take in a deep breath and hold it. Keep holding. How long can you hold your inhale until it gets uncomfortable? Thirty seconds? A few minutes? It doesn’t take long until we all, eventually, need to exhale. Think of your work ethic as the inhale (it is, in a way, as essential to your career as air is to your body). With a good work ethic, we make, execute, coordinate, manage, fulfill, and get things done…But we can’t keep inhaling forever. Eventually we have to exhale. This exhale is your rest ethic, and it is just as essential. A solid rest ethic gifts us inspiration, ideas, and recovery. It allows us to build up our enthusiasm and sustain our passion….And just as a deep exhale prepares you for a better inhale, your rest ethic enables you to have a better work ethic.”
Read: How to build a ‘rest ethic’ that is as strong as your work one at FastCompany