BE WELL
Family Is Essential to Attorney Wellness BY JORGE A. PADILLA
Jorge Padilla is a partner in Jackson Walker's trial section and handles a variety of business disputes for his clients. When he’s not at the office, he enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wife and three daughters.
E
xperts say a supportive social and family life is crucial to overall wellness. We all need to make time to nurture our relationships with family and friends, because these connections help us achieve an overall healthy lifestyle. This priority is just as, or more, important for lawyers, who can experience higher levels of stress than those working in most other professions, according to countless studies. For me, time with family is a retreat from the grind of
the day-to-day stress of life as a lawyer. My wife is not concerned with the motion to dismiss I just filed. My three daughters don’t care about which case I cited in a footnote of my most recent brief. They certainly don’t care how many hours I billed (unless it means I spent too many hours away from home). They care more about whether I’ll take them to the park or out for ice cream. The joy on the face of my four-year old when I open the front door every night seems almost undeserved. And in spite of this, I still find it difficult at times to separate my life at work from the one at home. More specifically, to turn off my lawyer brain and turn on my husband and dad heart. When we care about our work and our clients, it’s not so simple to flip a switch and avoid thinking about tomorrow’s hearing or the nasty email you received from opposing counsel (out of town, of course). For many of us, working from home has magnified this problem over the past year. A ROUTINE IS KEY In my experience, a few different tactics can help to combat this issue. First, I try to keep a routine that helps me shift from work mode to home mode. If I’m doing
Mediation. Arbitration. Resolution.
SCHEDULE INTENTIONAL WEEKEND ACTIVITIES The weekends offer the hope of a longer break from the grind of our daily lives, so long as we are intentional about how we use our time. Unfortunately, I know the feeling of arriving into the office on Monday morning with the dread of knowing I didn’t fully take advantage of my two days away from the office. To avoid that, our family tries to schedule activities that offer a change of pace to the monotony of work and school. It could be as simple as a family hike on the nearby Bull Creek greenbelt or a camping trip with friends. Sundays include church in the morning and, perhaps, a slower afternoon spent outdoors with family and friends. What’s important is to learn to truly unplug from the monotony STAY OFF THE COMPUTER and stress of our work lives, even AND PHONE if only for a few hours at a time. I do my best to put away my We all need a way to unwind phone and enjoy the time with from the demands of our legal my family. This can be a struggle, careers. Setting up a daily routine as sometimes urgent issues arise to unplug and focus deliberate after regular business hours. and intentional time with our But I’ve found that having a loved ones is well worth the dedicated home routine helps effort. Luckily, time with our me schedule the “off” time to families can be a great outlet to be present with my loved ones. escape our professional demands If there’s more work to be done and re-energize ourselves so we that day, it will simply wait until AUSTIN canLAWYER be happier—at work and at after they’ve gone to bed. AL AL home.
it right, this begins on the drive home from the office (or at least as I’m pulling into the driveway), where I make a conscious decision to begin to focus on home life and responsibilities. It sounds cliché, but making an active decision to be present with your loved ones when you get home can really help focus your attention away from your work responsibilities. The routine continues when I arrive home, as I know I have certain duties I’m relied upon to handle. Like most families, we’ve carved out certain tasks to help keep the household running smoothly. Mine include helping with bath and bedtime with the kids. If I’m not home in time for dinner, this is the best time for me to hear about their day and what they are learning about in school.
Jeff Rose Mediation Arbitration Litigation Consulting Special Judge Proceedings Board Certified, Civil Trial Law Former: Chief Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals; District Judge; Deputy Attorney General
ROSERESOLUTIONGROUP.COM jeff@roseresolutiongroup.com 512.637.0931
12
AUSTINLAWYER | MAY 2021
Certified Mediator: Harvard Negotiation Program; Mediators and Arbitrators of America TEXAS SUPER LAWYER 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009