The Norris McLaughlin Women’s Forum Talks (Virtually) About Balancing Life and Work During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis

These are no doubt challenging times for everyone and, according to the CDC, “fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions” in all of us. This fact, coupled with our continued commitment to our professional and personal responsibilities, can add to the stress of the current environment in which we are living due to the coronavirus crisis. The CDC says that “coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.” Norris McLaughlin’s Women’s Forum members took this to heart and got together for an informal video chat and shared some of the ways that they have been managing the “new normal.”

Finding Balance In the Coronavirus Crisis

The Women’s Forum supports and promotes the success and advancement of women lawyers within the firm and in the legal community. Here are some of the inspired ideas from our Women’s Forum members for balancing life and work responsibilities during this time:

• Stay rested. Adapt your daily routine to the new normal by settling in with a new book in the evening or watching a funny movie or show that makes you laugh away some of the day’s stressors.
• Because your normal exercise routine or trips to the gym are likely not possible for the time being, think about other activities you might enjoy. Take a walk in the park or near your home (of course, while practicing social distancing) and maybe refamiliarize yourself with the neighborhood.  If you are someone who is now helping children with their remote learning, think about encouraging them to join you on the walk or to just spend some time away from their computer or mobile device to decompress after a long study day.
• While this time might provide us with the chance to order in from our favorites restaurants, don’t overlook the opportunity to try a new recipe or treat someone, or yourself, to a new dessert. (And don’t be too hard on yourself for grabbing an extra cookie if that will soothe some of the stress!)
• Check in with friends and family by phone, email, or Skype. Spend some quality “virtual” time with them.
• Stay present. Think about or jot down a few things each day that you are grateful for.
• Some other ideas: binge-watch a show on a streaming service, read Harry Potter–all 7 books (!), create a new music playlist, or dust off that relaxing sound machine.
• Pick up a new hobby.
• Take a virtual tour of a museum, zoo, or park.

Staying Informed Helps, Too!

The Norris McLaughlin Women’s Forum members are successful, dedicated attorneys who continue to meet the legal needs of our clients during these challenging times. In the process, they have adapted to the new normal and, hopefully, have given you some ideas about maintaining mental health and wellness as we get through this crisis in time together. We encourage you to stay informed about the importance of these issues and have included some links that you can check out for more information:

http://wordpress-599075-1937274.cloudwaysapps.com/coronavirus-covid-19-preparedness-resource-center/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html

https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2020/Coronavirus-Mental-Health-Coping-Strategies

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf?sfvrsn=6d3578af_2