TO SWITCH ON, SWITCH OFF.

TO SWITCH ON, SWITCH OFF.

We are all fully aware and constantly reminded of the benefits that exercise has, not just on our bodies but also on our minds; movement really does boost our physical and mental health. A run or a yoga class are the perfect antidote for those long days in the office.

But how often have you found yourself pounding on that treadmill while still thinking about the current transaction you are working on? While exercise may benefit the brain, it certainly does not clear it.

In order to turn the brain off from work, to give ourselves a proper opportunity to switch off, we need to replace it with something else.

Enter 'I'm A Celebrity’ or ‘Strictly’ or the latest series of ‘Slow Horses’; whatever your favourite flavour of trash TV happens to be, know it’s a great way of engrossing your mind in matters less stressful than legal ones.

A recent study at Birmingham City University showed that both TV and Radio are ‘great at providing distractions from real life. Engaging in a fictitious show or listening to a story being played can allow your brain to relax and engage in another reality.’

Other studies have shown that people with anxiety tend to continually watch the same TV shows, podcasts, and movies and that this is known to make the person feel calmer and more relaxed.

Where proven relaxation techniques like meditation clear your mind, watching TV can replace what’s there with something less stressful. So instead of feeling guilty about switching the TV on in the evening instead of doing another hour’s work, enjoy it, knowing by the time you go back to the files your brain should be better refreshed to deal with them.

So important is the subject of well-being and mental health in our profession that we have extended the SWITCHING OFF theme we had in our Winter edition to encompass our Spring issue also.

In the following pages, we look at how the pressures have changed in the legal profession over the years, we discuss coping mechanisms, we examine whether the stresses are the same or different for in-house lawyers, we look at different surveys and reports that have been carried out to understand specifically what our younger lawyers are actually feeling and experiencing in order that we can put in measures that help. And, while our Government examines the idea of making switching off a legal requirement, we see how that is working in Ireland where the right to disconnect is outlined in a voluntary code of practice established by the Workplace Relations Commission. We even look at how what we wear can contribute our sense of well-being.

Law or not, switching off is essential. We need to relax. Not only will we feel better but we will be able to work better too. Time to grab that remote. ■