Practice Perspective

Work, kids, schedules, schooling, illness, family, clients, staffing… kabloom!

My team of paralegals and support staff was stressed to the max. They had always been a hard-working and generally pleasant bunch, but as the firm’s financial strings tightened, the workload and office politics started to wear on them. I knew a little of their personal struggles outside of work and sensed their fear of layoffs. We met often as a team, but I could do little to reassure them. They were like my kids. They began to bicker and tattle-tale, were defensive and solitary.

One morning one of my senior support staff came in and told me he had experienced a panic attack the night before. He wanted to use the three ‘free’ hours of counseling that comes with our EAP. I sent him to HR to secure those sessions, closed my office door, and said a prayer for him and my team.

Then it hit me. Why can’t I offer to them the same thing that helps me with my own anxiety? I’m certainly no stranger to mental health issues, and Chief Anxiety had ruled my life for more years than not. My team was well aware that I’m in recovery for drugs and alcohol – why not share the rest?

In addition to my 12-step program, I also use a podcast that offers guided meditation lasting from 2 minutes to an hour. At the next staff meeting, I played a 5-minute one. “Humor me” I said.

Then I made the offer. I would come to the same place at 10am every day and play a 10-minute guided meditation. I called it 10 at 10. Every weekday. Come as you are. A judgment-free zone. Completely optional. Even if nobody showed, I’d get my meditation in.

They all showed up the next day. At first, they listened to the meditation and went back to work. Gradually, we began to share our thoughts on the meditations, then more about ourselves. The meditations helped with the anxiety, but maybe more importantly, the sessions changed the team dynamic and relationships between the team members. They found some common ground. They shared some vulnerability. They started to see each other as humans and not just co-workers. They began to want to help one another.

Putting this into practice was simple. The rewards continue to unfold. Today, for the most part, my team communicates with compassion and sticks together. They’re more efficient and, I dare say, less stressed out.

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