Inhale the future, exhale the past: New group looks to help Florida lawyers de-stress
Cookie Echsner-Rasmussen says the newly created Florida Chapter of Mindfulness in Law Society was formed to enhance the well-being of the profession by educating legal professionals about the benefits of mindfulness meditation, yoga, and other contemplative practices.
Stress in the legal community is well documented. Lawyers and judges work in an adversarial system with demanding schedules and heavy workloads that often contributes to increased stress.
A survey conducted by the ABA last summer showed that more than 40% of lawyers reported their overall work-related stress had increased. In the same survey, when lawyers were asked to describe their typical work week, the numbers show that many in the profession are burning the candle at both ends: