Why You Must Be ‘Number One‘ Now More Than Ever
By Kim Parker, Wellbeing & Transformational Coach
Lawyers commonly strive to be Number One. It's etched into our very being to be high achievers, champion the rights of our clients, gain the edge over the opposition, never quit, be right, do whatever it takes to meet deadlines, meet ever increasing targets, and more. Pressure of work is our badge of honour. When I was a practising solicitor this was all in a day's work. In my 20+ years of practice, I never met a lazy lawyer. THE PRESSURE SOURCE Lawyers as a collective are under more pressure than ever. Amid the changing face of the profession with the official roll out of the Solicitor's Qualifying Exam, the climate change call to adapt to paperless offices and sustainability issues, restructuring of some firms and the need to re-qualify in European countries to better serve clients post-Brexit, and the emergence of freelance lawyers, there are many factors adding to legal practitioners' stress. Pressure of work alone is huge. The 2021 SDLT holiday and families' desire to acquire homes that could accommodate remote working fuelled the conveyancing boom. According to Government Statistics: UK residential property completed transactions for the financial year 2020/21 (in thousand transactions) were at 889,340. At the
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time of writing, the provisional estimate for 2021/22 is 1,167,310, a 131% increase! Divorce petitions rose by 7% in April/June 2021 compared to April/June 2020 and the number of decrees absolute was 23% higher than the previous year. There is a backlog of almost 60,000 cases in the Crown Court, and registered company insolvencies in January 2022 have more than doubled. According to the Office of National Statistics, fraud has increased by 36% and computer misuse by 89%. The Bellamy Report 2021 describes a "crisis in morale" in the criminal legal aid system, fees are low and "the sector is standing on a cliff edge." No matter what your specialist area of practice, the pressure can feel intense! THE PROBLEM "Life in the Law", the research study into lawyer wellbeing published by Law Care in September 2021, confirmed the stark truth: • Legal professionals are under strain and have a high risk of burnout • 69% have experienced mental ill health • 1 in 5 have been bullied, harassed or discriminated against at work This is real. It's out in the open. If you're facing your own demons right now... YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Life in the Law concluded that although a
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legal career can be highly rewarding, it is also demanding with a heavy workload, long hours, and a culture that deters people from asking for help or admitting they are struggling. This is a systemic failing, which will take both time and will to change. STRESS While everything happening in the profession and the outside world is beyond our individual control, each of us experiences stress to some degree. Stress is necessary for a healthy life. 'Good' stress enhances motivation and performance, can build resilience and immunity, boost brainpower and encourage growth. It helps our body prepare for challenging moments or danger ahead. But only up to a point. Too much or prolonged stress, 'bad' stress, causes cognitive overload, anxiety and breakdown in the body. Some lawyers feel that they thrive on the adrenalin rush. But there is a tipping point when stress leads to burnout. You owe it to yourself to take stock of your psychological fitness. If you want to maintain (or regain) optimum health, happiness and performance across all aspects of your life, what can you do? The first step is to notice AND acknowledge your reality.
