The legal industry has faced a reckoning with mental health and substance abuse problems in recent years, Law.com reports. That is why two years ago, it says it launched Minds Over Matters: An Examination of Mental Health in the Legal Profession to offer a range of resources for law firms and lawyers. One of the first projects of the initiative was a mental health and substance abuse survey designed to better understand what law firms were doing to address problems. In conjunction with ALM Intelligence, Law.com now is launching its second survey. All members of the legal community are encouraged to participate. Personal information will remain confidential and findings will be presented in the aggregate with no identifying data included. Lend your voice here.

If the colder weather and shorter days are causing you to feel the winter blues, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon at this time of the year to experience fatigue, sadness, difficulty concentrating and sleep disruptions. A recent article in verywell mind offers 10 suggestions for overcoming these feelings. They include taking a break from the non-stop news cycle; adding more protein and foods high in Vitamin D to your diet; adopting sleep practices that will help ensure proper rest; engaging in physical activity; and getting sunlight. If symptoms continue or turn into an inability to function in daily life, you might be experiencing the more severe seasonal affective disorder or SAD. In that case, the author recommends seeking out a mental health professional for additional help.

A recent study by ALM revealed that 74% of attorneys polled said the legal profession has had a negative impact on their mental health over time, while 56% said mental health problems and substance abuse are worse in the legal industry than in other industries, and 41% think these issues are at a “crisis level” in the legal industry. The suicide death of Sidley Austin partner Gabe MacConaill made these numbers more personal, Above the Law reports, while MacConaill's widow's op-ed “Big Law Killed My Husband” struck a nerve with lawyers everywhere. Another Sidley Austin partner, Kent Halkett, recently opened up about his struggles with mental illness in the January/February 2021 issue of the Tennessee Bar Journal. He urges the legal industry to “create a culture where all attorneys ‘feel safe’ to reach out to their family, friends or professional colleagues another attorney or, as appropriate, their firm or local bar association.”

The Lawyer Well-Being Tool Kit, a project of the American Bar Association and the Harvard School of Law Center on the Legal Profession, highlights the importance of lawyer well-being and offers suggestions for improving well-being from lawyers and legal employers. Topics include creating a healthy workplace, policies and practices to adopt, educational resources, finding a well-being partner and book recommendations. Check it out here.

Third-generation trial attorney James Gray Robinson offers 10 New Year’s resolutions for lawyers in a recent issue of the ABA Journal. His recommendations are designed to increase resiliency and lower stress and anxiety. They include: being deliberate about planning time for work, family and well-being; reconnecting with those who are important to you; building relationships with other lawyers; keeping inspirational quotes and funny jokes handy; taking five minute breaks every few hours; and getting help from a local Lawyer’s Assistance Program if experiencing trouble sleeping or feeling depressed or exhausted. After 27 years of practicing law, Robinson took a break in 2004 feeling burned out and emotionally spent. He spent 16 years doing extensive research and innovative training to help those facing burnout. Today he is again a licensed attorney.

Psychology Today reports that a large-scale study performed at Iowa State University and published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has found a link between diet choices and one’s degree of cognitive ability later in life. The findings suggest that Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline may be preventable, or at least minimized or slowed down, for those who consume cheese, a responsible amount of alcohol and lamb daily and those who use less salt. A large emphasis is placed on responsible alcohol consumption, defined as one drink for women and two for men. Although genetic factors play a big role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, these researchers found that diet may also have a significant influence on cognitive health over time. 

“Most of 2020 has felt like a bad Jerry Springer episode. Just when you think it can’t get worse, it does. Most of us have aged about a decade in the past nine months, but the vaccine is here, and hope for a better 2021 is on the horizon.” But, Springer’s advice to “take care of yourself … and each other” may just be the key to success in 2021, writes James Goodnow, CEO and managing partner of Fennemore Craig. In a recent article in Above the Law, Goodnow looks back at New Year’s resolutions made at the beginning of 2020 and how the pandemic has affected his goals. His take away? Listening to others, maintaining important relationships and practicing self-care are all more important than ever.

Everyone experiences loss, but how do you cope with the tough moments that follow? In a 16-minute Ted Talk, resilience researcher Lucy Hone shares three hard-won strategies for developing the capacity to brave adversity, overcome struggle and face whatever may come head-on with fortitude and grace. Check it out here.

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review takes on the issue of busyness. Serenity Gibbons, a workplace consultant, suggests that a “busy culture worsens the problems it promises to solve.” She writes, that whether at home or work, “We think that the busier we are, the bigger impact we’ll be able to make. But in reality, busy culture destroys productivity, while pulling us away from our families and coworkers alike.” Her article addresses what can be done to dismantle the toxic culture of busyness and encourage healthier work-life boundaries.

The holidays are coming up, and for many of us they will be very different than our traditional celebrations and gatherings. Experiencing sadness or disappointment around the holidays is normal even under the best circumstances, and we are far from that! A new podcast from Dr. Rick Hanson explores how to work through this year’s natural feelings of sadness and disappointment. Topics include “Experiencing and Working with Sadness,” “Letting in Good Experiences,” “Sadness vs. Depression” and “Dealing with Disappointment.”