The practice of law demands much of your mind and body, and devotion to your work can mean late nights at your desk, limited exercise, reduced sleep, and elevated levels of stress.
However, dedication to the profession of law need not come at the expense of your physical and mental health. Below are 3 tips for wellness at your desk:
Tip #1: Understand how a deskbound occupation impacts your health
The first tip for wellness at your desk is recognizing how desk work impacts your well-being. As a lawyer, you spend an enormous amount of time at your desk, much more than the average office worker. However, the human body is not designed to be idle. By sitting for long periods of time, you increase your risk of short term physical problems such as aches and pains, as well as your risk of long-term illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and arthritis.
Tip #2: Build movement into your day to increase mobility
To decrease the risks associated with desk work, it is important to build movement into your day. If possible, start with your commute and walk or bike part or all of the way to work. And when you arrive at work, commit to taking a set number of “active breaks” throughout the day where you take quick walks around the office or do a short stretch routine at your desk.
Tip #3: Prioritize sleep to improve productivity
It can be tempting to put in that extra hour in order to finish work on a file. However, prioritizing sleep actually makes you more productive, not less. To prioritize sleep, consider establishing a sleep schedule and pre-sleep routine, which could include turning off electronic screens 30-60 minutes before bed or setting your phone to automatically eliminate sleep-destroying blue light at a specified time.