Healthy habits

People starting out in the legal sector can come under a lot of pressure, so developing healthy habits early on is vital. LawCare’s Elizabeth Rimmer gives her tips on striking a healthy balance between work and self-care

A career in the legal sector can be a challenging journey, often fraught with unexpected hurdles that can take a toll on mental health and wellbeing. The competitive and fast-paced nature of the profession often creates immense pressure for people just starting out.

At LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, we have found that junior legal professionals face struggles when it comes to mental health. In 2023, 42% of people reaching out to us for support (and who told us how long they had been qualified) were trainees or newly qualified lawyers. This trend has remained consistent over the years, indicating that these groups are still not getting the support they need.

How might people at the beginning of their careers feel?

Working in the legal sector might not be what they had imagined, and the competitive and busy environment could affect them more than they expected. They may have spent years (and a lot of money) studying, faced stiff competition to get the role they wanted, and then had to relocate for their new job, leading to feelings of isolation and homesickness.

“Many young lawyers are very hard on themselves, constantly fearing they might make mistakes or not be perfect” 

The law often attracts perfectionists, which can increase anxiety and stress. Many young lawyers are very hard on themselves, constantly fearing they might make mistakes or not be perfect.

This self-imposed pressure can lead to mental health issues as they try to meet their high expectations. The fear of not measuring up can be overwhelming, causing sleepless nights, burnout and constant worry, even for those who are doing well in their jobs.

Start developing healthy habits today

Whether you are at the start of your career, work with someone who is, or want to improve your approach to mental health, it’s important to develop healthy habits. Establishing these early on can help build your resilience and enable you to flourish in your legal career.

Here are some practical tips to help you balance work and self-care effectively:

• Take regular breaks, including a lunch break, and try and get out for a walk every day. This may seem impossible, but you will do better work if you do this. Time spent outside can renew your attention span when you are flagging after an extended period staring at a screen;
• Try to avoid working or studying all the time, particularly late at night. There may be times when you need to do longer hours, but it isn’t healthy if this is your regular routine. This can be very hard to address when it’s possible to be online at any time, no matter where you are, but monitoring your working hours will help you set boundaries between work/study and home;
• To avoid being overwhelmed, do one thing at a time and break complex tasks down into manageable chunks. You may find it helpful to disable notifications and close your inbox to minimise distractions so you can focus.
• If you are very busy, don’t let healthy habits slip. It sounds obvious, but make sure you eat well, get to bed at a reasonable time and find time to do some exercise;
• Make time for family and friends and doing the things you enjoy; don’t sacrifice this time for work or study;
• Talk to someone. Talking your problems through makes a real difference and provides reassurance that you are not alone. Reach out to a friend, family member, colleague or contact our free, independent and confidential LawCare support service on 0800 279 6888; and
• Try to support the people around you and talk to them if you can see they are struggling. Ask them if they are OK and if they want to talk. You don’t need to be an expert in mental health to start a conversation of this nature. It’s important to remember that talking could make all the difference to their mental health. They might just want to get something off their chest, or you may need to signpost them to further support.

Remember, taking care of your mental health is not selfish – it’s a necessary investment in your overall health and happiness. And if you ever need additional support or someone to talk to, don’t hesitate to reach out to LawCare, where you can find confidential support tailored to the unique challenges of the legal sector. Your wellbeing is crucial, and there are people ready to help you navigate the demands of your legal career while maintaining a healthy, balanced life.

Elizabeth Rimmer is chief executive of LawCare

LawCare offers free, confidential emotional support to people working in the legal sector, including law students, paralegals and young lawyers. All helpline calls, emails and webchats are answered in confidence by trained staff and volunteers who have first-hand experience of working in law. You can call LawCare’s helpline on 0800 279 6888, email: support@lawcare.org.uk or visit www.lawcare.org.uk for online chat, additional information, resources and factsheets.