BE WELL: Focus on Your Well-Being during Well-Being Week in Law

Upcoming Weeklong Event Encourages Legal Professionals to Build Connection, Community

BY CHRISTINA LOFTUS, JD, LMSW

Mark your calendars May 1 to 5, 2023, for Well-Being Week in Law (WWIL) https:// lawyerwellbeing.net/well-beingweek-in-law-2023/. This will be WWIL’s fourth year, scheduled during the first full week of May to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month.

The purpose of WWIL, organized by the Institute for Well-Being in Law (IWIL), is to raise awareness about mental health and encourage action and innovation across the profession to improve well-being. IWIL (https://lawyerwellbeing.net) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is “…the betterment of the legal profession by focusing on a holistic approach to well-being. Through advocacy, research, education, technical and resource support, and stakeholders’ partnerships, we are driven to lead a culture shift in law to establish health and well-being as core centerpieces of professional success.”

IWIL was formed in 2020 following recommendations of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being’s August 2017 groundbreaking report, “The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change.” The report summarized national data and surveys and provided a candid assessment of the well-being issues in the legal profession, including alarming rates of depression, anxiety, and substance use. To counteract these trends, the report recommends those in the legal profession develop continuous processes to promote emotional health, creative or intellectual endeavors, a sense of spirituality, physical health, and social connections. To read more, see https://lawyerwellbeing.net/ the-report/.

During WWIL, there will be multiple opportunities for those in the law profession to participate, both individually and through organizations. For example, during WWIL 2022, the Aus - tin Bar’s Lawyer Well-Being Committee hosted a meet-and-greet at Mozart’s Coffee for Well-Being Committee members to foster connections. Individuals could also share their own well-being tips by participating in a social media campaign using the hashtag #WellbeingWeekInLaw. In 2022, more than 530 people participated in the #WellbeingWeekInLaw “challenge” by sharing one or more favorite well-being practices; all of those who participated were eligible to enter a drawing for well-being-boosting prizes.

WWIL features a wide variety of free webinars, videos, podcasts, and activities to coincide with each day’s themes. The theme for WWIL in 2023 is “Connection and Community.” Planned speakers include Dr. Leslie Hammer, whose research contributed to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework of Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, https://www.hhs. gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/ workplace-well-being/index.html. To see a sample of past WWIL live webinars and challenges, check the Lawyer Well-Being YouTube Channel, “@lawyerwell-being4380”.

The pillars of wellness recommended in “The Path to Lawyer Well-Being” report form the backbone for WWIL themes. As the date for WWIL approaches, you can find details at https:// lawyerwellbeing.net/for-individuals-2023/.

Make plans to join WWIL even if just for one or two events; the hope is that the content will inspire those in the legal profession to stay engaged with well-being activities throughout the year.

For additional ideas, see the Austin Bar Lawyer Well-Being Committee’s resources at: https:// www.austinbar.org/?pg=lawyer-well-being.

MONDAY: Stay Strong: Physical Well-Being

Striving for regular activity, good diet and nutrition, enough sleep and recovery. Limit addictive substances and seek help for physical health when needed.

TUESDAY: Align: Spiritual Well-Being

Fostering a sense of meaningfulness and purpose in work and life, and aligning your work and life with your values, goals, and interests.

WEDNESDAY: Engage & Grow: Career & Intellectual Well-Being

Seeking personal satisfaction, continuous learning and growth in our professional and personal lives, and financial stability. Engaging in creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster ongoing development and monitoring cognitive wellness.

THURSDAY: Connect: Social Well-Being

Building connection, belonging, a reliable support network. It is contributing to our groups and communities.

FRIDAY: Feel Well: Emotional Well-Being

Valuing emotions. Developing an ability to identify and manage emotions for health, to achieve goals, and to inform decisions. Seeking help for mental health when needed.

Christina is a lawyer, licensed social worker, and life coach with a firsthand understanding of the stresses and demands placed on those in the legal profession, having previously practiced law for over a decade. Christina earned a master’s degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin and is a certified Human Potential Life Coach. She is employed at Travis County Health and Human Services.