02 Dec Stress: Is it Slowly Killing You?
In today’s fast-paced legal profession, stress is an all-too-common companion. The Australian legal industry has one of the highest levels of stress-related illnesses, with 47% of lawyers experiencing symptoms of mental illness, a stark reminder of the cost stress takes on our well-being and productivity.
Stress isn’t just something you feel after a long day at work—it’s a physiological response to perceived threats. When stress becomes chronic, it has serious consequences for your health, including heightened inflammation and a weakened immune system. Mental, emotional, and physical symptoms can snowball, making it harder to focus, think clearly, and perform at your best.
Why Stress Affects Your Focus
Under stress, your body’s response shifts into survival mode. The brain reduces blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which is the seat of rational thinking and creativity. This means your ability to make calm, reasoned decisions diminishes, and you become more reactive. You lose focus.
For those in high-pressure professions, like law, this can feel like an endless cycle. The demands of clients, looming deadlines, and constant multitasking can lead you to feel overwhelmed and scattered. But what if you could break that cycle?
A Simple Exercise to Help You Regain Focus
Here’s an exercise that can help you regain control and refocus:
- Sit up straight, close your eyes, and take a deep breath in.
- Recall the last piece of legal work you did, a document or meeting. Notice how your mind immediately jumps to that memory. You’ve just directed your awareness.
- Now, gently shift your focus to the room around you. Feel the chair beneath you, the temperature in the air. Notice the sounds you hear.
What’s powerful about this exercise is the realisation that you have the ability to direct your attention consciously. Your awareness is separate from your mind, and you can choose where to focus.
This simple exercise works because it brings your focus back to the present moment, preventing your mind from being hijacked by stress, worries, or past events. It’s a reminder that you can control where you direct your attention, rather than allowing stress to control you.
Mastering Focus to Combat Stress
Stress doesn’t have to take control. With the right tools, you can train your mind to stay focused and clear, even in the most challenging situations. Mastering focus is a skill that can be developed over time using practical techniques. These techniques help you pause, recalibrate, and reset your focus, creating space for better decision-making, improved performance, and a healthier response to stress.
If you’re looking to sharpen your focus and manage stress in a way that fits seamlessly into your busy life, I offer practical tools that can help. These techniques are designed to actively rewire your response to stress, allowing you to regain clarity and composure no matter the pressure.
Reach out to learn more about how to navigate stress and elevate your performance in the legal profession.
Best regards,
Supriya
Supriya Ruparelia is an Ayurvedic practitioner and wellness coach, she helps busy professionals manage stress and improve their health and performance through practical wellness strategies.
