The following is a column prepared by the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Well-Being Committee:
The MBA's Lawyer Well-Being Committee is focused on promoting well-being across the legal community of Massachusetts. Well-being among lawyers is not only important for the health and success of individual lawyers, but it also has a direct impact on the legal community, the clients that are served, and the public at large. When lawyers are struggling or in need of support, it can have ripple effects across communities. As a result, prioritizing your personal well-being is an essential task. This includes recognizing those times when you are feeling the weight of outside concerns more than usual, or when you yourself might benefit from additional support.
One such time is in the immediate aftermath of a contentious election. Regardless of your reaction to election results, it is safe to assume that there are people in your life that have both very similar and very dissimilar reactions to yours. If your reaction is one where you feel grief, discouragement, or helplessness, this is a time to give yourself permission to prioritize your well-being and allow yourself time to recover. When struggling with world events, personal tragedies, or concerns about the future, remember to stay connected to the communities from which you find support, or initiate contact with new sources of support. Isolation in a time of struggle only intensifies the struggle. If helplessness is the predominant feeling, follow up self-care with practical ideas for how you can recognize feasible ways to make a positive impact on your immediate community. If your reaction is one of relief or excitement, think about ways you can offer nonjudgmental support to those who are having a dissimilar reaction and look to emphasize common values that connect us all.
The MBA Lawyer Well-Being Committee website and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being have information and resources focused on improving your well-being. In addition to the MBA, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Massachusetts (LCL) is also a resource for direct support. LCL offers free and confidential resources to the entire Massachusetts legal community.