Lawyers are by nature pessimistic, having to envision the worst possible outcomes for clients and then work to protect them. Martin Seligman, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, says attorneys’ comfort with “catastrophizing” can carry over into their personal lives with negative ramifications. Seligman encourages attorneys to work to develop optimism – the belief that one can make a positive difference in the world now and well into the future. Optimism plays an important role in our lives, including creating perseverance while also fighting off depression. In a recent presentation, Seligman highlighted concrete actions that can help us shift from pessimism to optimism. Read more in the ABA Journal.

The Institute for Well-Being in Law, a nonprofit formed to further the work of the American Bar Association’s National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, hosted its inaugural conference last week. The virtual event “Redesigning the Legal Profession for a Better Future,” focused on well-being for individuals, workplaces, law schools and law firms. The institute was created in December 2020 to “lead a culture shift in law to establish well-being as a core centerpiece of professional success.” The institute also produces the podcast “Path to Well-Being in Law,” which focuses on the work of wellness advocates across the country and offers a number of resources for those who want to learn more about advancing attorney well-being.

Studies seem to indicate that simple measures of productivity that have worked in the past may not be the right assessment tools for hybrid work. Jaime Teevan, chief scientist at Microsoft, makes the case in the Harvard Business Review that managers should expand the way they think about productivity to include elements such as well-being, social connections, collaboration and innovation. Though traditional measurements show that productivity has remained high with at-home work, those metrics do not tell the whole story, she says. Employees report working longer hours, feeling overworked and exhausted, and losing connection to coworkers. Teevan argues these negative impacts can be moderated with a better understanding that remote and in-person work have different advantages and disadvantages. Rather than expect the same outcomes from each, we should focus on what makes them unique and prioritize those elements.

Texas lawyer Iffy Ibekwe, founder of Ibekwe Law, writes in an article for Above the Law about a conversation she recently had with other lawyers about a colleague’s successful civil jury verdicts. The conversation quickly turned to how others’ success can shed light on our insecurities and perceived shortcomings. Ibekwe says it’s natural to compare our work to others, but also warns that comparison can steal our joy. She also suggests asking, “Why do I care so much about what another attorney is earning?” or “Why do I care what another attorney is charging?” If the reason is because you want to be doing the same thing, then give yourself permission to go for it. “If you are dissatisfied and stuck where you are, permit yourself to go another way. Don’t find yourself being that lawyer in the back, grumbling about another lawyer doing what you may deep down want to do yourself. You may even discover that some things you desire are not worth the effort or misalign with your values ... No matter the outcome, when you permit yourself to try, you get opportunities to learn and grow.

Procrastinators take heart! You can actually use your procrastination tendencies to create effective to-do lists. There are many reasons for procrastination and while everyone procrastinates at some level, chronic procrastination can have serious consequences. Those who consistently fail to meet deadlines may find themselves in hot water. Don’t know where to start? Freelance writer Anisa Purbasari Horton offers several tips, including figuring out what can be eliminated from your list and what can be automated; breaking big tasks into smaller chunks; creating project-specific rather than day-specific lists; and creating a “low-energy” list of quick and painless tasks that can be done when you don’t have the bandwidth for a major project. Read more in Horton’s full article from Fast Company.

The ABA Journal has compiled its favorite 2021 articles from the “Your Voice,” “Mind Your Business” and “On Well-Being” sections that are sure to help you improve your practice and personal life in 2022. The sections cover a variety of topics, including tips for working with difficult clients, avoiding burnout, a guide to walking meditation, how to release self-destructive thoughts and more. Read the compilation of articles here.

Can learning how to engage with your body differently help with symptoms of overwork? Researchers think so! A recent study of two groups of people taking yoga teacher training shows that learning how to “let go” in this activity helped participants do the same in their work lives. Researchers found that the training provided a much-needed space to unpack and manage harmful work norms. The lesson: seek out communities beyond work and home that counter the trends of excessive striving and all-encompassing work schedules. Read more about the study in the Harvard Business Review.

As we head into the holidays after a very stressful year, many are struggling with burnout. The Harvard Business Review has a number of resources for those who are facing such feelings. A podcast from Coaching Real Leaders tracks the journey of “Ellie,” who is ambitious and has always leaned into opportunities to lead. But her responsibilities just keep growing, and now she feels like she cannot keep up and is questioning whether she even wants to be in a leadership role at all. Executive coach Muriel Wilkins helps Ellie implement strategies for increasing energy and scaling up efforts at work. Three other articles on the site also offer tools for burnout. Check out 6 Causes of Burnout, and How to Avoid Them; If You’re Overworked, Learn Which Tasks to Hand Off; and Stop Doing Low-Value Work.

When we are tired or stressed, our brains are wired to save mental energy. Our brains see effort as bad because it’s hard work. In these situations, we tend to make decisions quickly, going “with our gut” instead of carefully considering all available information. We also tend to move toward things that make us feel good, and away from things that make us feel uncomfortable. So how do we do hard things when our brains are constantly telling us to avoid effort? David Rock, cofounder of the Neuroleadership Institute and author of “Your Brain at Work” offers three tips in the Harvard Business Review.

Symptoms of depression and anxiety in Tennessee spiked following surges in COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to a new report from The Sycamore Institute. The report, which highlights the pandemic's widespread impact on mental health in Tennessee, found that the state saw overdose deaths increase by 44% in 2020. And though adults in the state fared better than the national average on many mental health factors, the state was higher than average when it came to deaths tied to mental health problems. The institute's policy director tells Axios that those contradictory findings might suggest a need to identify mental health issues before they become deadly.