Do YOU Work Too Much?
“To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders.”
Do you tie your worth to your productivity?
In the world of law, it can be tricky not to do this. Many of us have targets to meet which mean that every hour of our working day must be accounted for. Is it any wonder that so many of us are feeling burnt out?
Last month, the wonderful Tamu Thomas came to talk to us in Female Lawyers’ Club about the themes in her book, Women Who Work Too Much. Tamu spoke to us about how we live in a world obsessed with productivity, where self-worth has become tied to accomplishments and “busyness.” As a result, many women find themselves overwhelmed, burned out, and disconnected from their true selves. The pursuit of “having it all” often translates to “doing it all,” which is unsustainable.
I’ve been as guilty of all of this as anyone. My idea of a good weekend nowadays is to tick off all the items on my to do list. Rest? What rest?! If I ever have a spare half an hour, I start to panic, wondering what on earth I’m going to do with it. Must. Keep. Going!
Tamu’s antidote to all of this is to focus on looking after ourselves better, and to remember that “we are living, breathing, beautiful, sophisticated organisms with legitimate needs.”
This can look like:
Adopting a mindfulness practice such as deep breathing or meditation to de-stress and maintain mental clarity.
Ensure we have a balanced diet and get adequate sleep to sustain energy levels.
Understanding how our nervous systems work (VITAL for us lawyers, who are often dealing with worst case scenarios and conflict which can throw us into fight or flight mode every day if we’re not careful…!) and taking steps to restore ourselves after a stressful experience.
Communicate our boundaries to colleagues and clients to manage their expectations effectively.
It’s not a long book and it’s SO helpful. It’s also beautifully written and makes you feel as though you have someone looking out for you. It’s great and I highly recommend it.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Rachel