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Five Smart Ways Lawyers Can Rest Effectively

After a slow February, the first two weeks of March have been intense at work. This is a common situation for lawyers. Things escalate quickly and we can struggle to keep up. This happened to me this week, which ended with two consecutive twelve-hour days. By Friday, I desperately needed rest.

Luckily for me, I shifted into recovery mode immediately. Years of mindfulness practice and law practice have taught me how to do this. For many lawyers, though, it can be hard. We can struggle to turn off our minds and leave our cases behind.

In this post, I’ll explain why taking advantage of down time is essential and offer some ways to truly rest your body and mind.

Why Lawyers Need to Learn to Rest When We Can

Most people recognize that humans need rest to live happy and healthy lives. At the same time, most lawyers are also experts at setting their personal needs aside to address client needs first. For many lawyers, this can become a never-ending cycle that leaves little room for rest.

In reality, though, if you learn to rest efficiently, you may see that quality rest is not entirely dependent on gobs of free time. While our bodies certainly require a minimum number of hours of sleep, other forms of rest during our waking hours may be more flexible.

This means that we can learn to use found time or small windows of time for rest activities. Now, if my use of the word “rest activity” here sounds odd, I will explain why an activity done to aid rest makes sense below. Because lawyers often don’t have much free time or control our schedules, it makes sense for us to learn to rest when we can.

Lawyers May Need to Be Intentional about Rest

Here’s the problem though: lawyers are not always the best at going with the flow. Our cases and work matter to us. It can be hard for most of us to drop their thoughts about a tricky issue just because they have an hour to spare and could use a recharge.

It’s also true that other things may distract us from our need for recovery. Of course, I am talking here about our phones. But in some situations things like alcohol or shopping or even TV might serve the same function.

Even though these tendencies may be very human, they can do us a disservice because they can keep us from learning to truly rest. In this way, lawyers may have to be intentional about shifting into rest mode. We also may have to be intentional about identifying the activities that help us rest.

Image with quote that says "Lawyers can't just demand that our minds stop on a dime. Instead, the mind calms down a lot quicker if you relax the body first."

Lawyers May Do Best with Options for Rest

On this blog, I share a lot about meditation. For those with some experience with the practice, meditation absolutely can be a wonderful way to rest. Even better, meditation offers us the chance to rest their nervous system while cultivating mindfulness. This trait is essential for modulating and identifying the need to recharge.

But as I mentioned, many lawyers are not in the position where they can easily rest just by stopping everything. Instead, their minds may chatter on or replay scenes from their day or weak. This can be frustrating and escalate stress rather than reduce it.

After a decade of meditation practice, I have learned that you can’t just demand that your mind stop on a dime. Instead, for me, the mind calms down a lot quicker if I help my body relax. Here are the five most common activities, besides meditation, that can help you rest.

Option 1: Physical Activity

I know that physical activity may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of rest. But it’s really a good choice when you think about it. Though rest often means a lack of activity, for lawyers physical movement may help us refresh ourselves.

Many lawyers sit in an office in front of a screen or on the phone much of the day. As a result, by the end of the day, our bodies may be screaming for movement rather than sleep. Physical activity is good for our bodies and minds. It also does not always have to be vigorous to be beneficial.

At the end of a long day or work week, some yoga or a light walk outside may be enough to regulate ourselves. In many situations, I find that some physical activity restores my energy rather than depleting it. In addition, it returns focus and attention to the body rather than to purely mental activity.

For all of these reasons, physical activity is a great option for lawyers who need to recover some energy.

Option 2: Get Outside

In the same way, getting outside is another important rest activity for lawyers. When the weather permits, this option can be paired with physical activity. But even without movement, just sitting outside is healing to us.

Even in small doses, nature regulates our nervous system and reduces the signs of stress. I also will say from experience that nature puts things in perspective. Sure, our worries about cases can feel really big and pervasive at times.

When we get outside, though, we instantly see that there is a much wider world outside of our minds. I often find that just being outside helps me create some space around my thoughts so they don’t feel so big. This helps me let go a little bit and find some rest and solace.

Image sharing the five restful activities for busy lawyers shared in this blog post

Option 3: Make Something

I know when you are low on energy, creativity may be the last thing on your mind. Even so, I often turn to it as a means of restoring my energy. Simple crafts, cooking, writing, and even a little bit of housework are restorative for me.

Sure, if I am really tired, I let myself rest up first. But what I love about creativity is that it demands my full attention. When I cook, for example, I am forced to pay attention to my sensory experience to ensure quality and safety. The same is true when I write, craft, or even trim the hedges.

Although this is a type of labor, it also means that I have no attention left to think about work. In this way, I get to rest my strategic mind for a little while and let the playful and creative side of my brain take the reins.

This is why making something, whether it is a craft or a meal, is an important rest activity.

Option 4: Social Connection

One thing about law practice that not enough people talk about: it can be lonely. Yes, lawyers deal with people all day but loneliness is possible in the midst of in person contact.

In fact, loneliness is prevalent in our culture and is higher among lawyers than most other professions. When you think about it, this actually makes sense. Law practice is rife with risk and stress. Lawyers often find themselves in pressure situations and may often feel compelled to hide their feelings.

In this way, social connection is an important rest activity for lawyers. Having some time to be with other people where you feel like the armor and mask can come off is essential when you carry so much at work.

Option 5: Do Something Light and Fun

Assuming this doesn’t come up in options 1 to 4 or those options are not available, you can always just rest by doing something easy, light, and fun. Turn on a stupid movie. Dance to silly music. Blow bubbles. Play with your dog. You can even scroll for a bit if you stick to cute animal videos or their intellectual equivalent.

Clearly this kind of activity is frivolous and it does not serve any useful purpose. That’s the point. I’m not telling you to devote large amounts of time to these kinds of activities. But sometimes short bursts of silliness can help us relax and let go of our troubles for a bit.

Lawyers often deal with serious matters and we usually at risk for taking ourselves too seriously. Sometimes we need to remember that everyone needs a little bit of time to play and joke around. This is one reason that fun is an important thing to remember when you need a rest.

Conclusion: Rest Means More Than Just Doing Nothing

Many lawyers are told that they need to take time for themselves and make time for rest. But not all of us really know what that means. Even though I am a meditation teacher, I think rest can mean more than just doing nothing. instead, lawyers with active minds may have to get intentional about the activities that truly help them recharge. In this post, I shared some activities that renew my energy and I hope they help you renew yours.

Want to learn more about mindfulness and compassion? Check out my new book, How to Be a Badass Lawyer, for a simple guide to creating a meditation practice of your own in 30 days. And to share mindfulness with your little one, check out my new children’s book, Mommy Needs a Minute.

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Mindfulness Lessons from The Philosopher’s Kitchen

This week, I traveled to a conference out of town. Due to the storms on the east coast, my flight was delayed and stressful. As I scanned my phone trying to find a way to make this situation less awful, I found a new documentary on Netflix that combines my two favorite things: mindfulness and cooking.

I quickly downloaded both episodes of The Philosopher’s Kitchen Jeong Kwan to watch during my flight. It did more than eat up some travel time. It was beautiful, refreshing, and full of reminders that even the busiest of lawyers can appreciate. Consider this post my recommendation for you to watch the show. Here’s why I loved it.

What Is The Philosopher’s Kitchen and Who Is Jeong Kwan?

In case you are unfamiliar, Jeong Kwan is a South Korean Buddhist nun and world-famous chef. She is an icon of Korean Buddhist Temple cuisine. This may sound like a small niche which appeals only to people like me who love mindfulness and cooking in equal measure.

In fact, Jeong Kwan’s skill in the kitchen has been praised for years. She was featured in Season 3 of Netflix’s Chef’s Table and has influenced numerous Michelin Star winning chefs. As you can see in The Philosopher’s Kitchen, Jeong Kwan clearly embodies her values as a Buddhist nun in her cooking.

The meals she prepares are vegetarian, used with local and often foraged ingredients, simple, and crafted with time and close attention. Watching Jeong Kwan work was certainly a nice change of pace for most lawyers. Here are the four mindfulness lessons I learned from the series.

1. Mindfulness and Simplicity

In mindfulness practice, one of the most common teachings you are bound to receive is to keep things simple. Of course, mindfulness practice often shows us lawyers that simplicity is easier said than done.

In our culture and profession, simplicity takes discipline and even courage. We are regularly encouraged to upgrade and increase, rather than scale back and reduce. The thought process underlying this tendency, of course, is that more is better.

Jeong Kwan shows us that this assumption is often wrong. Her dishes are simple in technique and execution. They usually contain only a few ingredients, usually rice, vegetables or tofu and they rely heavily on a small combination of seasonings.

Even so, Jeon Kwan makes food that people relish and enjoy. She demonstrates that food does not have to be complicated to be good and that simplicity allows the beauty of ingredients to shine through. This simple approach is a nice reminder for lawyers who so often deal with complexity.

Image of 5 star review of The Philosopher's Kitchen with quote shared from post "The Philosopher's Kitchen Jeong Kwan on Netflix is a good watch. It shows a different way of life that many lawyers may enjoy as a nice change of pace. It also offers inspiration for small ways we can all incorporate traits from our mindfulness practice into our everyday lives."

2. Limits Can Be Blessings

Another thing that stands out is how Jeong Kwan navigates limits. Many lawyers and, most Americans for that matter, don’t like limits. We sometimes see them as burdens or difficulties.

In the culinary world, limits are not always seen as positive either. How often have you seen a menu that boasts about size or quantity? How often have you been tempted by “endless” offerings or a long list of toppings? We all have. But if we are being honest this is not always healthy and it can get old.

In The Philosopher’s Kitchen, Jeong Kwan has many limits. She avoids meat and strives to avoid even killing plants in her dishes. She uses what is in season and available. She also does not use certain staples, such as garlic and onion, which are believed in Temple Cuisine to disturb the mind.

As you can see in the show, though, Jeong Kwan uses her values and training in mindfulness to greet these limits with creativity and a smile. She shows that it is possible to make delicious food with few ingredients if you appreciate each one.

3. Resourcefulness

One of the reasons that Jeong Kwan is able to handle the limits in her kitchen so well is that she is remarkably resourceful. As you would expect for someone living in Korea, Jeong Kwan is a master of fermented food. She is shown making her own soy sauce (ganjang), danjang (fermented soy bean paste), and kimchi.

But even the byproducts of these staples gets put to use. Jeong Kwan grinds the crystals formed in the soy sauce barrels into an umami-laced salt. She dries and then rehydrates greens into a special dish. And during the lean winter months, Jeong Kwan makes heavy use of seaweed to craft a variety of dishes for her temple community.

Most lawyers are expected to be good stewards of client resources at work. But how often in life are we as careful to make good use of the resources available to us? How often do we get a chance to not just use what we have, but to make what we have shine?

In mindfulness practice and in the kitchen, I have learned to frequently remind myself that “everything is workable.” Jeong Kwan shows with her cooking how this is really true.

Image sharing 4 traits of mindful chefs shared in the post, including "appreciate simplicity, navigate limits with skill, resourceful, and take their time."

4. Take Your Time

Of course, the biggest difference between Jeong Kwan and lawyers like us is time. As a Buddhist nun, Jeong Kwan’s life is certainly very different from the lives of most lawyers. In fact, the reason she is able to be so creative and skillful with limited ingredients is that she has a huge advantage: time.

But this distinction is not a criticism of the show. To the contrary, this difference may be the biggest reason why lawyers may want to watch it. Lawyers are in general time poor.

As I have experienced myself, this can lead us to believe that we are always in a rush and don’t have time for much of anything. Sometimes we need reminders to slow down that aren’t threats from frustrated loved ones or health scares.

The Philosopher’s Kitchen most likely won’t convince you to adopt Buddhist Temple Cuisine at home. But it might encourage you to slow down in the kitchen a little bit and make better use of the time and ingredients you have.

Or, if cooking is not your thing, it may help you see that doing almost any chore with clear attention and an open heart can make it more enjoyable. Either way, The Philosopher’s Kitchen shows us all that taking our time is an important way to enjoy life more.

The Philosopher’s Kitchen Is an Enjoyable and Valuable Watch for Lawyers Interested in Mindfulness

Even if you aren’t obsessed with mindfulness and cooking like me, The Philosopher’s Kitchen Jeong Kwan on Netflix is a good watch. It shows a different way of life that many lawyers may enjoy as a nice change of pace. Despite the clear differences between Jeong Kwan’s lifestyle and our own, the show also offers inspiration for small ways we can all incorporate traits from our mindfulness practice into our everyday lives.

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Five Tips for Mindful Walking to Enhance Well-Being

Unintentionally over the last several months, I formed a nice self-care habit. Whenever I have time, I take a mindful walk after dinner. I wouldn’t call this walking meditation because it’s not quite so slow or focused. But I wouldn’t say it’s clearly outside of the realm of meditation either.

That’s because my mindful walking habit has become a real support for me. It helps me when my mind is busy, my spirits are low, or if I just need to move a little bit and enjoy a nice day.

If you want to try a making mindful walking part of your routine, this can tell you how. Here are the five key elements of a mindful walk.

1. Leave Your Phone at Home While Walking

This one is not a hard and fast rule. There’s no shame in using your phone for safety or to listen to a workout video or music to support your walk. Talking with a friend on your phone while you walk is also a great way to support a healthy habit.

If you don’t need it, though, I encourage you to leave your phone at home. One reason is that most of us are bombarded by screens in daily life. For that reason, taking a walk without your phone may feel really good. I leave my phone at home to avoid the temptation of looking at it and distracting myself from the walk.

In this way, the first way to to make your walk mindful is to leave your phone at home when you walk out the door.

2. Try Walking with No Destination

Another important thing to leave out of mindful walking is a destination. Sure, you can select a destination for a walk if you like, but it helps to leave the route open-ended.

Next time you walk somewhere, notice what happens when you walk with a destination. In my experience, having a set goal in mind means that the end location takes over. To really let the walk be about the journey, let the destination go.

If, like me, you don’t have the ability to walk “nowhere” easily, you can make this very simple. Pick the easiest two-way route you can and stick to that route. Over time, getting to your goal won’t be the thing; experiencing the walk will be the the most essential piece.

In short, if you want to take a mindful walk, it helps to let the destination go and just walk.

3. Take Your Time as You Walk

It should come as no surprise that the next aspect of mindful walking is slowing down. Most people these days rush through life. Most lawyers and professionals feel a constant state of time urgency.

One of the simplest things you can do to manage stress is to start to notice this tendency to rush. An easy way to do that is to start slowing down routine activities when you have the time. Most often, we walk for functional reasons and we forget how good it can feel to get outside and move.

It’s not necessary to move at a snail’s pace to make space for mindful awareness with walking. But it helps if you can move slowly enough that you feel like you are savoring the experience of walking. Next time you take a walk, try to consciously take your time and notice what a difference it makes.

Image of person walking in woods with overly of listing of five tips for mindful walking as shared in the blog post

4. Mindfully Observe Your Surroundings

I know that we all don’t live or work close to what most of us would call nature. We may live near busy streets or urban areas with lots of activity. Though natural spaces are ideal for mindful walking, they are not necessarily essential.

Mindfulness isn’t just about trying to achieve a peak state or perfectly calm state. Instead, it’s about awareness with things as they are. As you walk, pay attention to your surroundings. Notice all the sensations. If you can walk near a natural setting, take full advantage of it.

Sounds like water rushing and bird song are shown to lower stress levels because they signify safety. Whether I have nature sounds or not, paying attention to surroundings is great for mindful walking because it helps me reconnect with my body and get out of my thoughts.

5. Let the Thoughts Come and Go

Speaking of thoughts, my last tip is that you don’t have to fight them off during mindful walking. Inevitably as you walk, thoughts will arise. That’s no problem. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed at mindful walking. It just means you are human.

The good thing about thoughts when I am walking, though, is that it’s a bit harder to get sucked into them. When I walk, I am more in touch with my body because it is moving. There’s also a big wide world of space that makes any thoughts in my mind feel a little bit smaller.

Just as in meditation, you don’t have to clear your mind to take a mindful walk. Instead, with some time and patience, you can learn to let the thoughts come and go.

Give Mindful Walking a Try

Mindful walking can be a supportive way to get some movement, enjoy outdoors, reduce stress, and cultivate mindfulness. If you want to make mindful walking a habit, give these five tips a try.

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Book Review: The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal

This was not always true, but I am now one of those people who cannot stand to go a day without exercise. A few years ago, I would have found this comment annoying. Over the course of time, though, I found a way to prioritize movement each day. Now, I don’t just enjoy exercise. I need it to feel physically good and to support my mental health.

The Joy of Movement Is Not Just Another Fitness Book

If you think this sounds like an artless humble brag, then you might want to read The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal (paid link). This book explains why movement is so essential to our well-being. It’s not a self-help book that tries to identify the “best” way to get fit or maximize calories burned.

Instead, The Joy of Movement is truly about the joy that moving can inspire in us as humans. The short book is composed of 7 chapters that each explain a different concept relating to movement. Most of the book discusses various exercise modalities, but other activities are covered as well.

About the Author, Kelly McGonigal

As I have written before, Kelly McGonigal is one of my favorite wellness authors. She’s a psychologist at Stanford and the author of other great books, including The Science of Compassion, and The Upside of Stress. As she explains in The Joy of Movement, McGonigal is also a fitness fanatic. She wrote the book in part to explain where her love of exercise originated.

This quest inexorably leads to a scientific analysis of the impact of movement on the body. McGonigal provides scholarly analysis on that subject in The Joy of Movement. But she also goes one step further. The book doesn’t just talk about cardiovascular and bodily benefits that arise from movement. It explains how movement offers us mental health, emotional, social, and even spiritual benefits.

The Joy of Movement Is Not Just a Science Book Either

In truth, though, McGonigal does not merely explain these benefits at all. Rather, she illustrates them with well-told stories. This is one of the reasons why I like McGonigal’s work so much. Her books do not merely cite studies or discuss concepts. She demonstrates the truth of the studies with stories.

For example, in The Joy of Movement, McGonigal explains the connection between the mythic “runner’s high” and our evolution from a hunter gatherer society. She examines popular fitness programs, including Orange Theory, Soul Cycle, and Peloton to explain how movement encourages social connection. And she shares stories of how real life people use exercise to build self-confidence, move past grief, or become more engaged in their communities.

A Health Book That Inspires Enthusiasm Rather Than Guilt or Shame

Most of us understand that exercise is good for us. Unfortunately, though, that message often inspires guilt, apathy, or even shame because it often comes with hidden pressure. Many discussions of exercise are linked, whether intentionally or not, to diet and fitness.

Those are certainly important, but I have learned that joy is a much better motivator than a “should.” In The Joy of Movement, McGonigal does not nag or scold. She does not emphasize health in the strict sense or longevity. And she does not waste time arguing about what form of movement is best for burning fat or calories or building muscle.

Image with a quote from the book review of The Joy of Movement as shared in the final paragraph of the blog post

How Movement and Joy Are Connected

Instead, as the title suggests, McGonigal’s goal is to help us see how movement cultivates joy in individuals and supports communities. If you read The Joy of Movement, you might think that you should start exercising again but only because it will remind you how awesome it feels.

In truth, The Joy of Movement is a book that feels good to read. It shares essential information about the human body and mind from an author with sufficient training to explain the concepts well. The book also shares stories that exemplify how good, generous, resilient, and kind the human race can be when it at its best.

The Joy of Movement Is a Great Read

If you read the book, though, it will be hard to forget that movement in its many forms is an important part of being at our best as humans. Whether you are a fitness fanatic or a reluctant runner, rower, or whatever, The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal is a great read. It may motivate you to start or keep exercising or help you understand why you never want to stop. Even more importantly, it will help you explore how to live a joyful life.

Founder’s Note: The link to the book mentioned in this review is an affiliate link. The review is unsponsored and sincere but the link to Amazon is paid.

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5 Ways to Decompress and Look After Your Mental Health When Applying to Law School

Image of student sorting through application with title for blog post "5 Ways to Decompress and Look After Your Mental Health When Applying to Law School"

It’s no secret that law students are seriously struggling—over 75% report increased anxiety, and over 50% experience depression. Other stats say a staggering 96% face significant stress—far more than medical students or other graduate students.

But the stress doesn’t start in law school—it begins long before. With admissions growing more and more competitive, students must craft applications that are both deeply personal and meticulously calculated.

They’re expected to be both authentically themselves and exactly what hard-to-impress admissions committees want to see. Balancing vulnerability with strategy, storytelling with structure, and passion with polish is exhausting.

And that’s only one hurdle. Students also juggle time-consuming extracurriculars designed to impress, competitive internships, near-perfect GPAs, months of LSAT prep, and applying to a dozen or more schools—all under the looming fear of rejection.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. While the pressure is real, there are ways to manage stress, protect your mental health, and set yourself up for success—strategies that can help you not just survive the process but maybe even beat the stats.

Prioritize Movement While Applying to Law School

It’s well-documented that regular exercise improves mental health, boosts emotional well-being, and lowers rates of anxiety and depression. It may sound too simple, but something as basic as walking around your neighborhood can help you decompress.

The science behind this link is complex. Some studies suggest exercise affects brain chemicals like serotonin, stress hormones, and endorphins, while others point to the connection between inactivity and mental health struggles. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that movement helps!

But this isn’t about forcing a strict workout routine into your already packed schedule. Exercise shouldn’t feel like another obligation—it should be something you enjoy. Whether it’s walking, yoga, pilates, or light stretching, find what lets you take a breath and quiet your mind. You can pair it with binaural beats or calming music for added effect!

Express Your Emotions During the Law School Application Process

The emotions you experience during this process—stress, anxiety, frustration, self-doubt—are valid. Bottling them up will only make them feel heavier. Finding an outlet to release these emotions can help prevent them from spiraling into overwhelming anxiety or burnout.

Talking to someone—a friend, family member, or mentor—can be incredibly helpful. If speaking to someone isn’t for you, consider journaling. Writing your thoughts down, even if no one ever reads them, can be a cathartic way to process your emotions. The simple act of transferring your worries from your mind onto paper can create a sense of relief and perspective!

Image of Jesse Wang, guest contributor, with quote from the blog post "While the pressure is real when applying to law school, there are ways to manage stress, protect your mental health, and set yourself up for success—strategies that can help you not just survive the process but maybe even beat the stats."

Take a nap—Without Guilt to Support Your Mental Health

You don’t need me to tell you how important sleep is, but when you’re buried under deadlines and LSAT prep, it’s easy to sacrifice rest in the name of productivity.

While getting a full eight hours every night might not always be realistic, ignoring your body’s need for rest only makes the process harder in the long run. Instead of running on fumes (or another cup of coffee), give yourself permission to take a nap if you need one.

Even a short 20-minute reset can improve focus, memory, and mood. And if you need a full hour or two? Take it. The time you “lose” to sleep won’t make or break you, but being well-rested will make everything else feel a little more manageable.

If you are the kind of person who struggles to nap during the day, a quick meditation or a restful practice like restorative yoga might be great alternatives. Remember, rest isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Get Outside for a Mental Health Break

We’ve all heard the joke of telling people who are chronically online to “touch grass” as a reminder that there’s a real world beyond their screen. But it’s more than just a joke—literally walking barefoot on grass is a common grounding technique that can help reduce stress, lower anxiety, and bring you back to the present.

Studies have shown that spending even a few minutes in nature can lower cortisol levels and improve overall well-being. Even if going outside barefoot isn’t your forte, just getting outside—feeling the sun on your face, taking a deep breath of fresh air, or going for a quick walk—can do wonders for your mental health.

When stress keeps you stuck at your desk, a few minutes outside can be the reset you need to clear your mind, refocus, and feel a little more human again.

Zoom Out to Remember that Law School Application Is Just the First Step

It’s easy to get tunnel vision when applying to law school. Your success starts to feel like it hinges entirely on getting the right grades, getting into the perfect program, and getting that coveted job. However, defining success solely through academic and professional achievements can set you up for more stress and disappointment.

Creating a vision board that extends beyond law school can be a great way to maintain perspective. Think about what else makes you feel fulfilled—hobbies, travel, personal goals, new skills you want to learn.

By diversifying your definition of success, you remind yourself that your worth isn’t solely tied to your legal career. Plus, updating your vision board with small wins along the way can help you feel a sense of accomplishment throughout the journey, not just at the finish line!

Image sharing the 5 ways to manage stress and support mental health while applying to law school that were shared in the post

Final Thoughts

Stress is an unfortunate but inevitable part of the law school journey. You’re entering one of the most demanding careers, and the path to getting there isn’t any easier. But you don’t have to do it alone.

Juris Education can help shoulder the burden—guiding you through applications, essays, and interviews—so you can focus on putting your best foot forward without burning out.

At the same time, small habits can make a big difference. Moving your body, expressing your emotions, resting when needed, getting outside, and maintaining perspective can help you manage stress in a healthier way.

Law school will come with its own challenges, but building these habits now will set you up for success—both in your application process and in your future career!

Author Bio: Jesse Wang is a published author and attorney based in New York City. He completed a JD/MBA from the USC Gould School of Law, where he was Secretary of the Student Bar Association, Co-President of the Diversity Committee, and Founder and President of Gould’s Legal Technology Association. Prior to law school, Jesse graduated magna cum laude from Emory with a Bachelor’s in business administration with dual concentrations in information systems and operations management and marketing and Chinese language and literature. In 2020, he published a novel titled “Underdog” about his law school experience, as well as the experiences of classmates, professors, law school deans, and startup founders within the USC Gould legal community. Jesse has a strong track record of supporting students in their writing processes, having tutored both undergraduate and graduate students across various subjects. Jesse excels at providing comprehensive strategies for the admissions process. He helps students craft persuasive narratives, optimally structure their arguments, and leverage their unique qualities to make an impression on top-tier law schools. He is committed to helping students reach their goals and become part of the nation’s elite legal community. Having faced and overcome the challenges of applying to law school himself, he understands the stress and pressure students experience and works diligently to give them the best chance of success.

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Enhance Your Workout: Syncing Breath and Movement

Over the last few months, I stumbled into a simple breath technique that has helped me enjoy exercise more. As a general matter, I usually enjoy exercise. I have written before about being a loyal Peloton user, especially the Power Zone rides.

The discovery I want to share here, though, relates to rowing. By accident, I started syncing my breath up to my movements during rows. I inhale slowly on the release and exhale when I push out with my legs. Despite being a meditation teacher, I have never been very good at syncing my breath during yoga.

To my surprise, all those yoga teachers turned out to be right. Syncing my breath to my movements really has made a big difference. In this post, I will share why and offer strategies that can help you explore this in your workouts.

How to Sync Your Breath During Exercise

Some activities lend themselves more easily to coupling breathing with movement. It came quite easily to me with rowing because the movement is segmented. In fact, when I got my Peloton rower, I spent time breaking my form down into pieces. This made it easy to inhale on the return, and exhale on the push.

Seeing the benefits of this approach, I also applied it to my strength workouts. I inhale on the release and exhale when I exert power to pull or push the weight.

For more complex or rhythmic activities, like cycling or walking, I focus instead on breathing deeply and maintaining steadiness. Focusing on the exhale during recovery periods is especially useful for this purpose.

Like with meditation, you likely won’t sync your breath perfectly or naturally at the beginning. That’s okay. You can always refocus and sync again when you notice you have strayed.

An image showing friends during exercise with smiles with a quote that says "Enjoying habits is the best way to make them stick."

The Benefits of Syncing Your Breath During Workouts

Some people argue that mindful breathing during exercise can enhance performance. This is believable since the respiratory and nervous systems are linked. Though I exercise in part for health, feeling good is my primary goal. As a result, the benefits I focus on here relate to maximizing enjoyment.

When I consciously align breathing and movement, I keep my attention focused on my workout. This is no small thing. Every time I walk in my gym, there are plenty of things in life to distract me. Keeping my breath synced to my movements keeps my mind with my body.

Over time, I have noticed myself more often in a flow state when I work out. This has enhanced the activities I enjoy, like cardio. On the other hand, it has also helped me get into the ones I enjoy less, like lifting.

This small amount of mindfulness helps make the most of my precious time in the gym. As a lawyer, I have only a few spaces in my day where I get to be with me. When I am working out, I want to experience it fully. Staying attentive for the experience helps me notice how good it feels to move.

Don’t Force It

Avoiding force is a standard instruction for meditation. I find that the same thing is true for syncing your breath during exercise. Much like pranayama, this involves some conscious breath control. But leaning too heavily on the control aspect will kill the enjoyment.

My advice to deal with this is like my advice for meditation: learn to play. Ideally, exercise is something that you do on a regular if not daily basis. This gives you time to explore new ways of doing it. Mixing things up can support your enthusiasm for the habit.

As you work out, play with ways to sync up the breath with your movements. Find what feels good. Start with the easiest modality for you. Once you have mastered one, you can always branch out.

Image showing a woman doing yoga and a list of the benefits of syncing breath during exercise

Conclusion: Sync Your Breath to Find Flow in Your Workouts

I firmly believe that enjoying habits is the best way to make them stick. Most of us want to make exercise a regular habit if it isn’t one already. Syncing breath with movement is a small thing you can do to cultivate mindfulness and enjoy exercise more.

Even better, it’s something you can play with over time to keep your exercise routine fresh. Next time you hit the gym, try syncing your breath and movements and notice how good it feels to move.

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What Is Body Scan Meditation and Why Should Lawyers Try It?

When people think of meditation, they typically think of the breath as the focal point. But in truth, meditation can use almost any focal point and the focal point doesn’t necessarily have to be a singular, stagnant object. One of the most beneficial practices that I incorporate in my routine is the body scan.

What Is Body Scan Meditation?

With this practice, the focus is on the sensations in the whole body, rather than exclusively focusing on the breath. Traditionally, this practice flows systemically through the body, flowing from one part or region of the body into the next.

Most commonly, body scan meditations start at the crown of the head and proceed down to other parts of the body until you reach the feet and toes. This is sometimes called a “top down” style of body scan.

There are a few reasons why teachers may commonly start the practice at the top of the head. It can be a trauma-informed risk mitigation strategy for those very new to practice, since trauma often affects the body. The theory here is that gradualism to cultivating body awareness is supportive to many students.

Similarly, starting at the top of the head may be a way to meet students where they are. This is because many of us new to mindfulness are accustomed to living life in our thoughts and brains.

Various Ways to Do a Body Scan.

There are, of course, many potential methods and starting points for body scans. For instance, you could start with the toes and work up or do a body scan that focuses on the chakras or plexuses along the spine.

Another way to start is by making a connection with your five senses and then branching out from there. Still other styles of practice, like yoga nidra, skip awareness from one body part to another rapidly. This can feel disorienting at first, but over time it may cause the mind to still and the body to relax.

Some body scan practices may also make use of progressive muscle relaxation, where one tenses the muscles and releases them. This is not required but can be a nice way to hasten relaxation or support the detection of body sensations if that is a challenge for you.

Regardless of the particular method you try, the object of a body scan meditation is to feel the sensations in the body and notice what you feel, rather than to think about the body.

Image of woman meditating with quote that says "body scan meditations typically start at the crown of the head and proceed down to other parts of the body"

Advantages of Body Scan Meditation.

Body scan meditation often feels more manageable to new meditators because the practice is more active than breath practice. Because the focus of body scan is to flow or cycle through sensations in the body, the mind has to work a bit more to stay focused on the sensations in the body. For this reason, it may not seem as hard to keep the mind engaged with the focal point as it does in the early phases of learning breath practice.

Even so, body scan builds focus, acceptance, and awareness like any other mindfulness practice. In this way, it can be a great alternative to breath-based practices if those present unique challenges for you.

In addition, in my experience, getting into the body is a great (perhaps the best) way to get out of your head. It is for this reason that resting in sensations during a body scan can be deeply relaxing even to new meditators and after relatively short periods of time.

Potential Challenges of Body Scan Meditation.

As mentioned above, body scan meditation can present some challenges. People with past trauma, whether diagnosed or not, should proceed gently and in small doses. Traumatic experiences can have lasting effects on the body even when we aren’t consciously aware of it. If you have concerns in this area, consult with a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher or your mental health support provider first.

Another challenge is that some people don’t feel much sensation when they do body scan. This can be normal for those new to the practice, since some of us may need some time to build awareness of bodily sensations. It also can be normal because there is a range of unique capacities when it comes to mindful awareness. If a lack of sensation is severe, chronic, or concerns you, though, you may talk to your doctor to ensure that your medical needs are being fully met.

Why Body Scan Meditation Is Great for Lawyers and Other Busy People

Body scan meditations are very useful for attorneys because they remind us to pay attention to and take care of our bodies. In law school, we learn to emphasize rationality in making decisions for our clients. While separating fact from emotion is critical, we lawyers are still human beings with human bodies.

To do our best for our clients, we need to understand and respect the limitations of our own bodies so we can fulfill our responsibility to our clients. As I’ve written before, emotions are sensations in the body, so body scan practices may also have the incidental benefit of building emotional intelligence and tolerance when powerful emotions arise.

Image of woman doing tree yoga pose on the beach with a quote that says "getting into the body is a great way to get out of your head"

Potential Benefits of Body Scan Meditation.

Even outside of emotions, however, the awareness that body scan practice engenders can have more fundamental benefits for lawyers and professionals. Some of the most common bodily issues that can impede us from doing our best work are represented in the acronym HALT, which stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired. These symptoms are fundamental to the human condition, but in our fast-paced world it is easy to skip lunch, push our emotions to the side, miss out on social opportunities, and deprive ourselves of sleep.

Body scan meditations are excellent for lawyers because they remind us that we are not merely brains filled with legal strategy, but people who must be fed, rested, and cared for. If you practice body scan meditation, you will develop the skills to notice the symptoms of various conditions and emotions in your body in the early and more subtle stages before they get to the point where they affect your performance, outlook, or demeanor. These skills are not only necessary to performing our responsibilities as lawyers, but they are also beneficial for anyone who wants to be a top performer in a high-stakes environment.

Image with quote that says "emotions are feelings in the body" which you may experience if you do body scan meditation

Body Scan Meditation Can Be a Building Block for Mindfulness Cultivation.

Finally, body scan is building block to support further growth in your meditation practice or just when dealing with the difficulties of life. When you start a meditation practice, it can seem like the focal point is the object of practice. As your practice advances, you may learn, however, that the focal point is really a tool. In other words, the point of practice is not just to focus on the breath or the sensations of the body. It is, instead, to build the skill of resting with the breath or the body.

If you can learn to do this with body scan practice, then you have one more tool at your disposal when meditation or life throws you curveballs. For example, perhaps troubling thoughts or overwhelming emotions come up during your practice. A meditator proficient in body scan might be able to shift focus to a less reactive part of the body, such as the feet, to rest from the experience until they find enough stability and calm to proceed with normal practice. You could also do this in life, if for instance you have a tense meeting with opposing counsel and need to keep your cool.

Image with pictures of people meditating that has the quote "body scan is a building block to support further growth in your meditation practice"

Conclusion: Body Scan Meditation Is an Excellent Practice for Lawyers and Professionals to Try.

In short, body scan is a simple practice to learn and may be more accessible to new meditators than other styles of practice. It offers many benefits that support a meditation practice and build coping skills for life. Lawyers in particular could stand to benefit from the practice, so give it a try.

To understand more how important body-based practices are to lawyers and how to add them into your routine, check out the Personal Well-Being Worksheet, Stress Management Workbook, and Coping Strategies Ebook.

To try body scan practice, check out our meditations that incorporate body scan techniques.

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Need Motivation to Meditate? Try This Hack

It’s a Monday night and I am trying to get myself into writing mode. My weekend plans blocked my normal motivation to write. Now I am stuck in last minute work mode and trying to find the motivation to crank something out. Then it hit me. My own life advice suddenly went careening through my mind. “Just do five minutes,” it bellowed.

And that, dear readers, is the post for today. The five-minute rule-or hack or strategy or cudgel for those really bad days-is something that has saved many a healthy habit for me, including meditation. It’s very simple, which makes it a perfect for those low energy times.

What is the five-minute rule?

The five-minute rule is not really a rule. I am not sure it has any basis in research. It’s not necessarily a scientific thing. Rather, it’s a practical thing. Finding motivation can be a challenge for any healthy habit and it can be especially hard for meditation. Why?

Well, if you don’t feel like doing something, it can be especially hard to sit and pay close attention to exactly how much you don’t feel like it.

What’s the answer to this problem? One simple answer is to cut down on the time you spend noticing how much you aren’t feeling it. This is where the five-minute rule enters the chat in the form of a motivational GIF and a caption that says “bruh, you can do anything for 5 minutes.”

The five-minute rule as applied to meditation.

I’ll explain this in less figurative language in case my metaphor and old millennial text speak was confusing. The five-minute rule is this: you do the thing you don’t want to do even though you know you should, but only for five minutes.

If your normal meditation habits is, for example, 20 minutes, you don’t worry about that. Instead, you just commit to 5 minutes. Then at the end you notice how you feel.

In many cases, you may find that (magically) your mood has changed and you may want to do more. If that happens, go with it. If you do not feel better and hate every second, you should instead stop, let it be, and praise yourself profusely for trying.

Image explaining the five-minute rule, a hack for spurring motivation for healthy habits, including meditation

Why five minutes of meditation matters.

You skeptics out there may wonder why this matters. You may think 5 minutes of meditation or any other healthy habit doesn’t matter. Perhaps you may be right if you are thinking of the five-minute activity by itself.

But when we are talking about habits, we aren’t think of one brief session. Instead, we are talking about hundreds or potentially thousands of them over the span of time. This compounding effect is why research is starting to emerge that shows that even small bits of mindfulness practice can impart benefits.

Short sessions done strategically when needed, though, serve another arguably more significant function: they preserve the habit. If you meditate for five minutes, that’s another day you have meditated and think of yourself as someone who meditates. In fact, if you meditate for a short burst on the days you aren’t feeling it, that isn’t just practicing the habit but committing to it.

Does this work for other activities?

You may be wondering if this hack can work for other activities too. Yes it can. Case in point, I used it for this blog post. I wasn’t sure I felt like writing, but I told myself I would try a few minutes. A few paragraphs in, I found my flow and discovered I was enjoying myself while typing away.

I have done the same thing for exercise too. As I have written before, I usually love my Peloton workouts. Some days, though, I am not into it. My strategy on those days is to do a warm up, which is usually-you guessed it-5 minutes. By the end, I usually feel better. But if I don’t, I quit, praise myself for trying, and call it quits.

Does it have to be five minutes?

Lastly, you may wonder whether the five-minute rule truly has to be five minutes. I’m the meditation teacher that says self-discipline is overrated. Do you really think I am going to be strict on this one? Of course not.

For the hack to work, I recommend investing enough time and to give yourself time to adjust and assess how you feel. However, there’s no reason you can’t try a period less than 5 minutes. For instance, if your normal meditation practice is 10 minutes, a shorter period of 2-3 minutes might make more sense.

Remember: your meditation practice is your practice. The good thing about mindfulness is that it calls you to pay attention. If something doesn’t work for you, notice it and try something else.

Conclusion

In short, when motivation to meditate is low, you don’t necessarily have to fight it. Instead, you could try going with it by reducing the amount of time that you meditate. You may find after five minutes of practice and want to do more, but even when you don’t you may preserve your habit and your identity as someone who meditates. Next time you find yourself unmotivated to sit, remember the rule: just do 5 minutes.

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It’s Okay If You Meditate Just to Rest

I got up at 3:30 AM last week to catch a flight to New York City with my family. It was going to be a really long day. We had sightseeing and a Broadway show planned. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to sleep on planes, trains, or automobiles. Lucky for me, though, I had another plan: I knew I would be able to meditate on the flight.

Meditation is no substitute for good sleep.

Trust me, I am the last person in the world to try to convince you that meditation is a good substitute for sleep. The impetus for my own meditation practice was postpartum depression, in part induced by intense sleep deprivation while trying to breastfeed my newly born daughter. That experience taught me many things but the most important may be that sleep is a nonnegotiable for me.

Regardless, the reality remains that sleep is not always an option. As a lawyer, I frequently have deadlines or a hectic schedule that can affect sleep. Even when we make the best choices we can, insomnia happens on occasion for a variety of reasons beyond our control.

When sleep is not an option, meditation can help.

In times like these, meditation can really help. On days after a less than ideal night of sleep, I find that a few minutes of meditation really helps me. For one thing, closing my eyes helps them rest and can ward off headaches and tension in my face and neck. Reducing my heart and breath rate also helps my body recover from the extra strain of slogging through the day on limited sleep.

I won’t claim that 10 to 30 minutes feels the same as a good night’s sleep, but it is close to the benefits one might expect from a power nap. Unlike a nap (a luxury my body rarely lets me enjoy), meditation doesn’t leave me feeling groggy the rest of the day. To the contrary, meditating for a quick rest during the day often feels energizing.

Image listing 4 reasons meditation for rest is okay

Meditating for rest can improve your mood and mindset.

Even if I don’t get a big energy boost from meditation, it offers other benefits. Mediation will usually stabilize my mood and mind. This usually means less grouchiness and generally less conflict with any people I may happen to encounter. This can even include myself.

Many lawyers like me may have a habit of pushing past or through our own needs. Taking a few minutes to meditate for the express purpose of resting–instead of improving yourself or boosting performance–is an important recognition that your needs matter. Most of us need reminders like this every so often. When life throws you lemons with too much business or not enough sleep, you make lemonade by taking the opportunity to practice rest.

Conclusion

Some of us who meditate may think the practice has to have some noble purpose. I have a noble purpose for my meditation practice: I practice to create less suffering for myself and others. But, you know what? I am pretty awful at reducing suffering for myself or anyone else when I am tired. And I bet that I’m not alone.

This is why I say that it is okay to meditate just for rest. It’s okay to let go of your noble purpose and big goals, at least for a few minutes. It’s okay to rest your eyes and body and give your mind a break. If you try it out on a hard day, I bet you’ll find that this use of meditation is perfectly consistent with your nobler purposes for the practice.

If you want to try some Guided Meditations with the aim of rest of mind, check these out on Insight Timer or here on Youtube:

Book Discussion with Yoga Specialists This Saturday

Join me on Saturday afternoon for a discussion of my book How to Be a Badass Lawyer ht and Q&A session. This session is perfect for anyone interested in learning more about mindfulness and compassion, writing, or the process of crafting a book.

In particular, I will explain the title for the book and discuss the four practices I teach in it, including: breath, body awareness, joy, and loving-kindness.

This session is done in partnership with Yoga Specialists. It is free for anyone to join. Lawyers, professionals, students, yoga and mindfulness teachers, and anyone is welcome.

You can register here.

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