Working in the legal profession often means moving through days that can feel busy, stressful, and outside our control. Between emails, Zoom meetings, and deadlines, it can be hard to find even a moment of relief. I’ve felt this many times throughout my career, and I’ve heard the same from countless legal professionals.
One practice that has helped me is intentionally building moments of peace into my day. These are small pauses — often only a few seconds — that offer a bit of stress relief and help me stay grounded amid the inevitable challenges of our work. Many of these moments don’t require adding anything new to your schedule; they simply involve bringing a different quality of awareness to things you’re already doing.
A moment of peace might be taking one deep breath before making a phone call or while waiting to join a Zoom meeting — the kind of breath where you feel your shoulders rise on the inhale and fall away from your ears on the exhale. It might be pausing to smile at a personal photo in your workspace: your family, a favorite vacation spot, or a beloved pet (I keep a framed photo on my desk of my golden retriever wearing a silly outfit from one of his many doggy‑daycare photoshoots). It could even be sipping your coffee with full attention, noticing the flavor and how it warms your body as you drink — anyone who knows me knows that I live to savor my morning cup of coffee!
Being intentional about these small practices can bring a sense of calm to moments that might otherwise be filled with stress or worry about what comes next. In a profession that often requires us to track our time in six‑minute increments, choosing how to spend even a few of those moments can restore a sense of autonomy over our day.
What I appreciate most about these moments is the space they create — a brief separation from whatever is causing stress. Even a few seconds can shift how we show up in a meeting, the quality of our work, or our ability to enjoy what we do.
I encourage you to notice where moments of peace already exist in your day, and to share them with those around you. And if finding these moments feels difficult, please remember you are not alone. LCL is only a phone call or email away, and we would be so glad to support you with anything you may be struggling with.