Yesterday was R U OK? Day, but during these challenging times it is now more important than ever before to reach out to your friends, colleagues and even clients to check in on them, not just on one dedicated day, but as often as possible. Mental health awareness isn’t something that should be in the forefront of our minds on only one day each year.
The mental health of Australian lawyers and conveyancers has been known to have a poor track record. Young lawyers struggle under high workloads meaning working out of hours is common. Work/life balance, especially when many of us are still working from home, is much more blurred now than in the past.
During COVID-19, the legal industry has been responding to multiple surveys on mental health, with the results telling a story of the highs and lows of the profession since remote work began in March. The story is even more pronounced for Victorian practitioners who are currently navigating much stricter conditions.
In March, InfoTrack asked our clients about the greatest challenges their firm faces. 32% shared that work/life balance was a key challenge. The survey was conducted at the very early stages of lockdown and the transition to remote work. InfoTrack sought to support our clients through the challenges by offering financial support and technology options that could be accessed anywhere at any time so firms could continue business as usual, when the times were anything but.
More recently, in July, law firm Hamilton Locke conducted a survey and found, “The mental health of Australian corporate lawyers is plummeting amid COVID-19, as the pandemic worsens wellbeing in an industry already renowned for its poor track record on the issue.”
The longer we remain socially distanced, the harder it is to maintain strong, positive mental health. Now too, the mental health of all Victorians is on the minds of Australians. Whether you are in stage four lockdown or you know someone who is, reaching out for support and a listening ear can help. For lawyers and conveyancers, reach out to InfoTrack if you need assistance. We are always here to support you and can tailor our offering to your needs.
