This week we are honored to join the Institute for Well-Being in Law, Bars and other legal organizations from throughout the country to celebrate Well-Being Week in Law. From May 2-6, we’ll highlight each day’s theme with the help of some of our amazing Wellness Committee members.
Leslie says yoga has helped her become strong both physically and mentally.
Meet Leslie McIntosh, partner at McIntosh, Sherard, Sullivan & Brousseau in Anderson. Leslie also serves as the Young Lawyers Division’s Wellness Committee chair, led the YLD’s Cinderella Project in 2022, chaired the 2022 Bar Convention Committee, and is active in her community as well as an avid yoga practitioner. Leslie shares some great, easy-to-adopt tips for phasing physical activity in your daily routines to improve physical and mental well-being.
When I saw that Monday’s theme was “Stay Strong,” I instantly wanted to jump on this topic. As attorneys, so many of us struggle to allocate time to our physical well-being. In my first few years of practice, I exercised little, was constantly stressed out, and felt at odds with myself as I tried to struggle through the confusion that is the practice of law. It took time to find the strength to set aside time for myself and my own wellbeing. Your health is so important.
Here are a few pointers:
1. Set aside at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week to exercise. (If you are new to the exercise game, or have been out of it for a while, start small. Maybe only work out three times a week, or go on short walks. I always enjoy listening to a good book while walking outside now that the weather is nice.) Once you get in your groove, move up from there. By allocating an hour of my day every day to exercise, I find that I am able to recharge my battery and give more.
2. Find an exercise routine that excites you. (I love hot yoga. Hot power yoga and sculpt classes are my favorite. I love seeing my friends in class, we root each other on, and over the past three years I have found myself becoming strong both physically and mentally. I set more boundaries. I work harder and smarter. I’ve learned to breathe deeply.) There are so many forms of activity, try them out and see what works for you.
3. Set reasonable goals for yourself. As stated in Step 1, start small. If you haven’t worked out in years, you cannot automatically jump into an aggressive workout routine. You need to take baby steps and build up your endurance and strength. If you hurt yourself, you aren’t doing yourself any favors.
4. Eat healthy. Don’t do fad diets. (I’ve tried them and the only thing that happens is that you gain back more weight than you lost.) Learn to apportion your meals. Determine what you need in order to function. Do you need more protein? Do some foods affect your digestion? Do you feel bad or sluggish after eating certain things? Do you run to certain snacks when you’re stressed? The greatest thing you can do in staying strong is to learn more about you and your body.
5. Sleep. I know you’ve got that case or client that is stressing you out. I have them too. Quick question: do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night worrying about something? Suggestion: put a notepad and pen by your bed and any time you wake up stressed, take a moment and write that thing down. Your mind often races over things at night and repeats things with the hopes that you won’t forget it in the morning. If you write it down, your mind can take a breather, knowing that it will be there for you to look at when you wake up.
Ultimately, strength in body and mind is an ongoing process. You have to commit time to it on a consistent basis in order to see results. You have to give time to yourself. You have to be kind to yourself. You have to be willing to change. I know you can do it.
Leslie McIntosh is a member of the Wellness Committee and founded the YLD’s Wellness Committee. She is a partner at McIntosh, Sherard, Sullivan & Brousseau in Anderson.
