News Post

May is Attorney Wellness Month. All month long, the Alabama State Bar is providing tips and tools to create healthy habits and environments, which are critical for lawyer wellness. 

Does Monday trigger overwhelming feelings of anxiety, sadness, or stress? Do you lack passion and motivation to start the work week?

Here are five tips for beating the Attorney Monday Blues.

1. The effects of listening to music are well documented. According to a study funded by the University of Zurich, and published by the National Institute of Health, listening to relaxing music prior to a stressful task affects biological stress response domains in a positive manner. Take 20 minutes on your way to work to listen to music – not voicemails, the news or a radio talk show – but music.
2. Begin the day with a “to do” list for that day. Focusing on a few matters at a time, rather than thinking of everything that needs to occur can assist in the overwhelming Monday Morning firm blues.
3. Handle the most dreadful tasks first thing Monday morning. By doing so, “you don’t spend the day procrastinating or ‘feeling as if there’s a black cloud hanging over your head’”.
4. Have a social plan. Knowing that you are getting pizza with your kids or having a meal with a friend may be the key to positively working through that Monday.
5. Take a 30-minute walk at some point during the day. “Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression and negative mood.”

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[1] https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/02/25/11-ways-to-beat-the-monday-blues/#1cfded9123f5
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/