Lawyers: Pack Your Mental Diet with 3 Ingredients

The first week of August (2 weeks ago), I was away for a camping vacation. During that time I set aside my Blackberry and disconnected from my regular communication with the world. I felt a bit as though I had stepped into a boat to get to the other side of the lake, away from the 5,000.

Disconnecting helped me reconnect with the best energy in life - nature and the divine. This mental diet not only helps me survive but creates the ability to thrive!

Now that I'm back in my professional life, I need to keep my mental diet intact. Just like you, I get overwhelmed by multitasking, projects, deadlines and the cesspool of constantly flowing information around me. Yet today I remember the power and focus of my mental diet by focusing simply on 3 key ingredients.

Merri's Tips - Part 6

36. Confirm appointments the day before. How often have you been stood up, where at the wrong location or didn't know the location of your pre-arranged appointment? It's a waste of time. Progress and relationships with clients or others take a hit. It's worth the energy to confirm in advance.

37. Carry extra material to read or review when attending appointments. Those days your joiner gets delayed you will welcome the chance to pick up the book you've been reading, review the material for your next appointment or take notes you didn't take the time to write down from your last phone call. This is a welcome way to wait in traffic, stand in line at the coffee shop, etc.

38. On the contrary, stay open to being present to your surroundings. If you're at a restaurant awaiting the arrival of your joiner, don't always keep your head buried. You'll be able to greet and converse with those you know in your community, whether personal or professional relationships. You will appear accessible vs. wanting to not be disturbed. Staying accessible is the key to us in professional services.

39. When you look in the mirror in the morning, find something to smile about. Practice smiling to yourself and notice the impact it makes on you. Without a doubt it makes a similar impact on those you are with through the day.

40. Recall the good of the day at day's end. If you don't have a practice of reviewing your day with someone, start it. Or simply journal about it. Reviewing the good you have done and the good others have done for you gives you insight and motivation toward how well you are serving your mission.

41. Articulate your mission aloud, each morning. If you don't remember or haven't defined your personal/professional mission, nobody else will get it, either. With a focus on what you believe you're all about, you will act in alignment with that mission and learn what is worth saying Yes to and what you should say No to. This behavior is one of the biggest communicators about who you are.

Merri's Tips - Part 5

30. Make Monday a really good day. Get going early, focused on the priorities for the day vs. your email or social media accounts. The results you bring in on Monday set the tone for the week. So get a jump on things right away, feel good about your results, and drive the same discipline and focus toward the rest of the week. I know attorneys put in countless hours, often in thankless ways. We all feel it worse on Mondays unless we consciously make the effort to turn it around. In summary, don't let Monday get a bad name.      

31. Shape your attitude. Anyone can feel the duldrums, have a bad day or get rejection. Respond  remembering you still have so many things MOST people don't have. (and maybe even more so than your clients) Could be your health, your quality relationships, your basic needs and even your good name. Your results are based on yourself, not anyone else. Same is true with your attitude. You are already doing really good work for people who can't do it for themselves.Drive your attitude to be hopeful, curious and humble.

32. Do what needs to be done. Imagine you have only 3 minutes before your maker "poofs" you away. Based on your actions, you will be given more time. Do what needs to be done. Make the phone call, give the apology, cut the grass and/or fold the laundry. Just do it. Then you have something to celebrate.

33. Say thank you. Your mother, your kindergarten teacher, and countless others had it right when they taught you this priceless treasure. Saying thank you only goes out of style when it isn't sincere. Think about saying it, say it and then smile or touch those you are thanking. You will be remembered and those you thank will keep doing what you just thanked them for.

What other communication tips, especially for the attorney world, (talking to ourselves or others, or even public speaking) do you have?

3 energies that impact any work environment

A few years ago I explored the topic of Highly Sensitive People when I picked up Elaine Aron's book from the library. The title and topic made an impact on me, for I have a need for quiet, calm, tranquil environments. When in these environments I get focus and clarity. Seeing a book with a label like this immediately gave me a connection to a group of people I assumed I belong in. Now that I've read it I can affirm membership in this category. (If you are feeling the same way, I recommend you find a copy of Aron's book and/or workbook to gain insight for yourself as well.)

Sensitive person or not, there are 3 energies at work in all workplaces that will affect you. Without knowing this, all we can say for sure is, we are experiencing something that gives us hope or that saps us. But knowing these energies we can monitor and address them for best results.