I don’t have to tell you that the practice of law can be stressful at times. In fact, a study by Johns Hopkins University found that attorneys are more likely to suffer from depression when compared with 104 occupational groups. While there are various reasons behind this disturbing statistic, one widespread problem among the legal community is the tendency for lawyers to neglect their own well-being.
While you spend your days, and possibly nights, working on behalf of your clients, you are likely to spend far too little time taking care of yourself. So, here is a bit of help. This is your ultimate checklist of tech tools for attorneys, designed to help you take charge of your health and wellness.
Organization
Clutter and stress often go hand-in-hand. According to an article by Psychology Today, “clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important.” Making matters worse, it pulls your attention away from the tasks you should be focused.
De-clutter your mind with tech tools that keep you organized and simplify the numerous responsibilities that crowd your day:
- Evernote is a free productivity tool that allows you to organize all of your ideas, whether your inspiration comes from notes, voice, or images.
- Asana is another tech tool that helps keep you on track with all of your numerous projects.
- Remember the Milk is the online to-do list with a catchy name and task management tools to keep you on track.
Physical fitness
Health is a crucial part of maintaining your physical and mental clarity within the legal profession. A fitness tracker helps you monitor your level of daily physical movement. Some of them even alert you when you’ve been sitting too long, providing you with a friendly reminder to get on up out of your seat.
- Fitbit is rated at the top of the list by PCMAG. It can be worn around the risk like a watch and provides multiple days of tracking without a battery recharge.
- Garmin VivoActive 3 comes in at number two on the PCMAG list, with many of the same Fitbit features.
- Carrot is a hardcore iPhone fitness app that uses bribery, and even ridicule, to get you up and moving.
- Endomondo for androids is a personal training app that tracks your workouts, analyzes your progress, and makes suggestions to help you meet your fitness goals.
Nutrition tracking
Just as important as how you move your body is what you put in it. A busy day of legal practice often includes stopping for fast food, a convenience store snack, or not eating at all. With a nutrition tracker, you can easily maintain a record of what you are eating, so you can make better food choices for your health.
- MyFitnessPal – With the largest food database of any iPhone calorie counter, this app offers over 1.5 million foods to choose from. It also includes exercise tracking, goal setting, and progress reports.
- Noom – If your goal is to use nutrition for weight loss, Noom was developed by health coaches and nutritionists to help you lose weight through 16-week programs.
- MyPlate – The included calorie counter makes food tracking simple, while the forums and online community offer constant support.
- TapandTrack – With this nutrition tracker, you can build your own recipes and view pie charts of your daily progress.
Stress relief
Technology has come a long way in helping with the relief of daily stresses. Not only do these advancements assist you in identifying when you are stressed, but they can also aid in alleviating some of the pressure.
- Stress Trackers – These wearable devices alert you when your stress levels are on the rise, so you can identify your triggers and work on calming yourself down.
- Meditation apps – Use these applications to help you relax when the stress is on high. These timed sessions feature soothing sounds and calm voices to guide you through the meditation process.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine promotes wellness through the use of real-time interactive communication between patients and healthcare providers. Using various forms of audio and video equipment, you can speak with a doctor or nurse to diagnose certain conditions and receive valuable advice – all from the convenience of your office or home. This innovative alternative to traditional face-to-face medical care is a cost-effective method of promoting your health and wellness.
Lifestyle and professional tech
Don’t forget about the numerous ways that technology within your home and office can promote your physical and mental wellness. Your environment has a direct effect on the way you think and feel. Maximize your well-being with lifestyle and professional technologies, like:
- Smart devices – From smart appliances to intelligent personal assistants, there are numerous options for maintaining a more comfortable and relaxing environment. Using artificial intelligence, manufacturers have been able to simplify our daily lives. Let this technology help you alleviate some of your stressors.
For example, have you ever been at work worried about whether or not you turned off the iron… or at home, worried about whether your office is properly secured? With a smart system, you can simply open an app on your phone to ensure that your basics are covered.
- Cloud Storage – You may not expect a connection between cloud storage and wellness, but constant worries about lost data and server crashes can add to your stress. With the advanced safety and security cloud-based systems like TimeSolv, you can take this concern off of your overflowing plate.
You cannot adequately run a successful law office if you don’t first take care of your own well-being. Use some of these innovative technologies to keep you physically and mentally healthy.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, The Legal Writing Studio, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.
