Mental Health Awareness Day

Working as a lawyer can be incredibly stressful, with overwhelming workloads and physically and emotionally challenging cases. By no means is poor mental health within the legal sector a new revelation. Some firms, such as Setfords Solicitors have already started to work towards improving the wellbeing of their staff.

In recent years, the stigma surrounding mental health has eased; however, it is undoubtedly more challenging to reveal your concerns for your mental health in a working environment than in your home life. In a sector dominated by highly ambitious and determined people, it is no surprise that many still fear revealing information about their mental health, leaving employers deeming them as weak and potentially incapable of carrying out their role. However, in 2021, we know that even the strongest and most accomplished individuals can struggle with their mental health.

Having strong mental health isn’t just about overcoming mental health problems. Being mentally healthy is much more than being free of depression and other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of these mental illnesses, mental health actually refers to the presence of positive characteristics that ensure a positive mentality.

Mentally healthy people:

• Have a sense of contentment.
• Have a zest for living and the ability to laugh and have fun.
• Have the ability to deal with stress and bounce back from adversity.
• Have a sense of meaning and purpose in both their activities and their relationships.
• Can flexibly learn new skills and adapt to change.
• Ensure a good work-life balance.
• Can build and maintain fulfilling relationships.
• Have self-confidence and high self-esteem.

Mental or emotional health problems can affect anyone, and over a lifetime, most of us will at some point experience poor mental health. Despite how increasingly common mental health problems are becoming, many of us still make little to no effort to improve our situations.

The good news is that practices you can adopt will help elevate your mood and become more resilient. To ensure more robust mental health, you must work harder to combat the negativities that take a toll on your emotional wellbeing.

Tips for looking after your mental health:

• Talk about your feelings
• Keep active
• Eat well
• Drink sensibly
• Keep in touch
• Ask for help
• Take a break
• Do something you’re good at
• Accept who you are
• Care for others

If you’ve consistently tried to improve your mental health but still cannot function properly, it may be time to seek professional help.

Is consultancy for me?

Get in touch to find out more about becoming a consultant solicitor with Setfords. Don’t worry about traipsing into our office to find out more. We’ll chat to you on Teams if it suits you better. If we agree we’re a good fit for each other, you’ll be joining a firm that was created for lawyers to do their best work.

Call us on 0330 058 4011
or email [email protected].

or fill in the form below:.