June Well-Being Challenge: Pick up a Book!

Amy Rebecca Johnson
Principal, Paule, Camazine & Blumenthal, P.C.

We all know that attorneys and those in the legal profession experience higher levels of stress and anxiety than other professions. I don't need to site the staggering statistics to remind you. If you haven't realized it yet, stress and anxiety effects all areas of your life. Most importantly, it isn't good for your mental health and the effects of stress and anxiety trickle to the workplace. Stress isn't good for business. Whether you're a solo practitioner or an associate at a large firm, stress effects the bottom line of your business and of your ability to practice law.

If you haven't taken steps to reduce your stress (and don't lie to yourself, you have stress…we all have it!) now is the time to start looking into ways to manage your mental health by reducing your stress.

Believe it or not, reading is a great way to reduce stress. I'm not talking about reading long briefs or Supreme Court judgments, but instead, I'm talking about reading for pleasure. Reading increases vocabulary, empathy and creativity. And, according to a study by the University of Sussex, reading six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by 68%, can decrease blood pressure and lower your heart rate; all of which improve your overall health and well-being.

For the month of June, BAMSL's Well-Being Committee is promoting intellectual well-being. Intellectual well-being is engaging in continuous learning, pursuing creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster ongoing development and monitoring cognitive wellness.

This month, we are challenging you to pick up a book! Ask a friend to join! Our book suggestion for this challenge is The Go Giver. You can pick it up anywhere, but I suggest a local bookseller like Left Bank Books, which will ship directly to you. Order here.