Manchester Messenger June 2017

12 Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Following on from Mental Health Awareness Week last month
we asked practitioners "what strategies do you use to manage
stress?"
Danielle Watts
Trainee Solicitor
Kuits
After a busy day, I find the
best thing is to let off some
steam by doing some exercise.
This releases any energy
I have built up
throughout the day and enables
me to relax for the
evening ahead. Kuits has
both a netball and touch
rugby team, so I find there
are plenty of opportunities
to get outdoors and have a
laugh with colleagues.
When I’m not feeling so energetic
and the sun is out, I
find that escaping to eat
lunch on the firm’s rooftop
terrace always does the
trick!
Chris Longbottom
Head of Family Law
Shoosmiths Manchester
Being able to manage stress
effectively is an essential
skill for family law practitioners.
On a day-to-day
basis, we support clients
who are experiencing
highly stressful situations.
We have to be equipped to
deal with that and to manage
the professional demands
of our roles.
A lot of the stress experienced
by our clients comes
from a lack of knowledge
about the law and where
they stand in relation to it.
We help to minimise that
stress by explaining things
in lay-person’s terms, demystifying
the legal process
and setting out a plan of direction.
From my own point of view,
as a family law adviser, managing
stress is all about finding
a balance. Clients often
have needs outside office
hours and I have to be accessible
to them. It is important
to make sure that your
own personal life is not affected
by this. I am very fortunate
to be supported by
an understanding family,
and by an employer that
pro-actively tackles stress in
the workplace by placing a
focus on flexible, agile working.
Tom Bridgford
Partner
Eversheds Sutherland
Everyone is different but I
have always found the following
helpful:
Take regular exercise and
build this into your weekly
routine;
Don’t bottle things up – if
you have concerns about
how you are going to get
through your workload,
share that with a colleague,
sooner rather than later;
Make sure you take all your
holiday entitlement – holidays
are absolutely critical
to re-charging the batteries;
Set some red-lines to ringfence
some time for yourself
or your family. For example,
if you need to leave early to
get to, say, a language lesson
on a Tuesday, make sure
your colleagues know that
you really need to leave for
that;
Try not to look at emails
24/7 – this is easier said than
done in a world of smart
phones but they have an
‘off’ button, so try to give
yourself a break from
screen-time.”!
Andrew Holroyd
Executive Chairman
Jackson & Canter Group
Doing things you enjoy is
supposed to help but nothing
is more stressful than
playing golf. Why do I keep
doing it? - one of life’s mysteries!
I am very fortunate to enjoy
my day job as Chair and
Compliance Officer of the
practice and I am lucky not
to worry about it too much.
I know that’s a bit weird.
One of our work values is
that we should work hard
but also have some fun and
down time. Friday bar is a
time when people can get
together and socialise at the
end of the month. Our
Leadership and Ownership
team have also organised
Yoga and Mindfulness sessions.
Last week we had a
Psychiatrist Dr Stevens to
give a lunchtime talk to our
staff on Mental Health and
Well Being.
We all face hard times in our
lives and hopefully monthly
staff one to ones are times
to discuss how our staff are
feeling as well as what they
are doing. Getting to grips
with issues and understanding
them is a good start to
solving problems
Jonathan Wall
Paralegal
Burton Copeland LLP
For a quick fix, the Apple
Watch breathe app is a
great way to instantly relax.
But, the main way I deal
with stress is by ensuring a
little R&R at the weekend
and switching off from work
(at least in part) in order to
recharge the batteries. To
me there is nothing more
therapeutic after a busy
week, than standing in the
kitchen on a Friday night
cooking something special
with a glass of red wine and
chewing the fat with my
wife, or standing on the side
line of the football pitch
with other parents and
cheering on my boys on a
Saturday morning.
If the cause of the stress is a
problem that requires some
deeper thought, an outdoor
walk usually does the trick;
I don't ever remember returning
from a walk without
either a solution to the
problem or at least a plan of
action.
Sydney Fulda – Partner
Commercial Litigation
DAC Beachcroft LLP
Last month I met a US corporate
lawyer who worked
in London. She told me that
she daily witnessed colleagues
crying in the toilets.
I also read a report that
more than 90% of junior
lawyers in this country feel
stressed and under pressure
at work, with more than a
quarter describing stress
levels as "severe or extreme".
Partners in today's
law firms need to be aware
of these issues to drive a culture
which provides levels
of support and leadership
towards managing stress
which will resonate.
Strategies to manage stress
include an ethos of always
doing your level best – no
more can be expected of
you; spread positivity and
happiness and focus on
your achievements; help
others and be charitable;
keep fit, eat well and believe
in yourself; keep a day of
rest; that 24 hour switch off
is a godsend and if all else
fails – support Derby
County – puts life and work
pressures into perspective!
Polly Hill
Associate
Ralli Solicitors
The stress of our jobs in
terms of deadlines, compliance,
accounting, managing
client expectations (and
the list goes on) is mountainous
as can be our lives
outside of work. I manage
my stress levels by a combination
of factors which
varies subject to the height
of my stress levels. I find that
the most effective stress
managers are cardio vascular
exercise as the release of
endorphins keeps my mental
health very well in check
and also, talking to my litigation
colleagues who fortunately
will also listen as a
problem shared is a problem
halved. The odd glass of
Malbec can also work wonders!
I have recently started
using a mediation app on
my train commute as I believe
mediation can work
small miracles for stress levels
and has many other
physical and mental health
be
Rachel Martin
New Enquiries Manager
Aequitas Legal
Working in lead conversion
in Personal Injury my role is
somewhat high paced and
highly pressured. I am very
conscious of work stress as
it is so easy to spill over into
other areas of your life.
There are a number of ways
I deal with stress:
1. Switching off: It’s important
to find a good balance
between work and social
life. I used to check my
emails over the weekend,
even when on annual leave!
Since stopping, I am less
stressed, happier at work
and I find it easier to relax.
2. Being able to say NO!
When I am overworked or
have over committed is
when I get stressed. It’s
much better to be honest
and say when I have too
much to do.
3. Walking – I regularly go to
the Lakes to walk, just by
getting away from all technology
refreshes my mind,
ready for the week ahead.
Peter Atherton
Barrister
Deans Court Chambers
I was fortunate to act for
Penelope Hatton in the
leading case on occupational
stress. She was a
teacher whose work, adverse
family and life events
all contributed to causing
her depression and debility.
Many of her problems could
have been avoided if she
had felt able to share them.
Many high performing professionals
are perfectionists
who enjoy the challenges of
their work and accept that
‘high winds blow on high
peaks’. Many stressful situations
can be effectively
managed by good communication
and delegation
skills. On a personal level I
recommend the benefits of
a happy family, valued colleagues
and friends, regular