The challenges of serving clients as an Attorney, while, at the same time, maintaining a healthy work/life balance in this time of constant telephone and internet connectivity are great. Stress is a given in the legal profession. Deadlines, the pressure to prepare documents, to give clients accurate, knowledgeable legal advice and/or represent your client “zealously,” in an effort to “win” your client’s particular case, along with the accompanying deadlines, coupled with the pressure of carrying a heavy caseload (causing one to work late into the night), on-going monetary concerns and other issues related to the practice of law and the goal of conducting a successful law practice, if left unchecked, can result in feelings of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, addiction, depression and other types of mood disorders.

Stress is an individual’s physiological and psychological response to some stimuli, either internal or external. In other words, it is a response to what is going on in a person’s world, and that person’s interpretation of what is going on and what it means.

Some examples of stressors might be marital or family difficulties, the loss of someone’s health or employment, or the death of a loved one or friend. In these, and many other personal and professional situations, the only thing that we have any control over is how we are going to cope with the stressful situation.

Some identified physical symptoms of stress can include: Tension, agitation, hypervigilance, sleep disorders, fatigue, frequent colds/infections, increased alcohol use, physical disorders, ulcers, colitis, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and high blood pressure.

Psychological symptoms of stress can also include worry, fear, panic, confusion, and a fight/flight reaction. Social issues could include poor job performance, disconnection/isolation from peers, and frequent accidents.

It is obviously very important to learn and practice prevention and coping techniques before stress becomes overwhelming.