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We need to talk about barristers’ health – what our profession does to it, the toll that can exact, and how we should be quantifying those effects, so we can understand and manage them better in this privileged and demanding career.
While much great work has been done in relation to mental health, there is, I believe, a pressing need to assess the effect of barristers’ work on our physical health. Many of us prioritise our careers over good health. Most of us have witnessed careers being severely impacted or even cut short by health conditions linked to overwork, including those who choose to leave the Bar because of those risks.
It does not have to be that way. There are immediate, practical steps we can take as a profession to map a way to better health in our work, and personally, to make better informed choices for our wellbeing and to construct long and healthy careers.
As barristers we do a (necessarily) demanding job. One vital to our clients and the justice system, dealing with matters central to society. It is a career that we freely commit ourselves to, often because of the interest, challenges and rewards it offers.
However, in the competitive fields in which we work, it can seem counterintuitive to admit that we are susceptible to human frailty. The risk inherent in that approach, however, is that the demands of our work can come at a high price for those who fail to sufficiently acquaint themselves with the long-term effects of stress, lack of proper sleep, nutrition and exercise.
As an employment specialist, I see the statutory protections for workers from the effects of shift work, excessive hours and insufficient rest. Barristers regularly work hours and in conditions that would far exceed what is permitted by those protections. The fact that our work is usually better paid does not make it any less potentially harmful to health.
It is entirely right that barristers be called upon to do difficult things, given our role in society, but it is equally right that we take steps to make ourselves aware of the health cost, and do so as much in advance as possible, making sound choices accordingly.
Sustained overwork has real and damaging effects on the body.
Most of us experience high levels of stress in our work on a regular basis. From the pressure of heavy, unpredictable workloads, to the intellectually challenging nature of the work itself, to the pressure of developing practices at the self-employed Bar, even before chambers’ politics, financial and the other pressures of daily life. Life at the Bar can seem like a recipe for chronic stress.
Stress has a physiological effect. That ‘fight or flight state’ that the body adopts in stressful situations includes increased cortisol, blood pressure and the suppression of necessary day-to-day bodily functions.
Prolonged, elevated cortisol levels are linked with chronic inflammation. Inflammation carries real health consequences, supressing the immune system and the body’s ability to heal. Furthermore, inflammation is linked to high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart disease, cancers, fat storage and blood sugar imbalances, as well as increased anxiety, depression and digestive issues. Bluntly put, it is to be avoided if at all possible.
The effects of lack of sleep, or irregular sleep patterns, are well documented. Sleep is when the body repairs itself, and is vital for mental health. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It can disrupt both the hormonal balance of the body as well as the metabolism, leading to weight gain and an increased risk of metabolic disorders.
Our bodies are designed for regular physical activity. A deskbound lifestyle over the course of a career can lead to numerous health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Unused, our musculoskeletal system atrophies over time, with that effect accelerating sharply after the age of 50. These deleterious effects can also affect our ability to work efficiently and our cognitive function.
It is with good reason that athletes place huge emphasis on good balanced nutrition. Work at the Bar also places very high demands on the body. Yet it can be easy to forget, firstly, that good balanced nutrition is crucial for sustaining energy, focus and overall health.
Secondly, there are dangers in a poor diet. Processed foods are often high in sugars, unhealthy fats and artificial additives, and can cause energy crashes, weight gain, and long-term health issues. Whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains support cognitive function, boost productivity and enhance resilience to stress, allowing you to perform at your best.
Lastly, it is not uncommon for the highly stressed to adopt harmful coping mechanisms, such as overeating, alcohol consumption or smoking. Those mechanisms may provide temporary relief but worsen stress, and can lead to addiction, deteriorating physical and mental health, thereby masking the underlying issues.
I do believe that, as a profession, there are three immediate steps we can and should take in relation to barristers’ physical as well as mental health:
I am conscious that these sorts of measures are easy to propose. I hope this is the start of a long and constructive discussion about mapping the health risks in a demanding career at the Bar and how to avoid them. I hope that barristers will feel able to discuss these matters without fear of being perceived as being in some way weak. Above all, I hope that such initiatives will help us all to have long, healthy and successful careers at the Bar.
The Mental Health & Wellbeing at the Bar website is full of useful resources and sources of support for barristers’ psychological health. There is also a 24/7 confidential helpline (tel: 0800 169 2040) for self-employed barristers with a practising certificate as well as members of the IBC and LPMA.
LawCare offers peer-to-peer support for anyone in or associated with the legal community. Call: 0800 279 6888 or visit www.lawcare.org.uk. The Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on tel: 116 123, www.samaritans.org or email: jo@samaritans.org. International helplines can be found at: befrienders.org
Deshpal Panesar KC is a King’s Counsel at Old Square Chambers specialising in employment and discrimination. He is a member of the Bar Council, former Chair of the Employment Law Bar Association, and a Commissioner at the Institute of Directors.
We need to talk about barristers’ health – what our profession does to it, the toll that can exact, and how we should be quantifying those effects, so we can understand and manage them better in this privileged and demanding career.
While much great work has been done in relation to mental health, there is, I believe, a pressing need to assess the effect of barristers’ work on our physical health. Many of us prioritise our careers over good health. Most of us have witnessed careers being severely impacted or even cut short by health conditions linked to overwork, including those who choose to leave the Bar because of those risks.
It does not have to be that way. There are immediate, practical steps we can take as a profession to map a way to better health in our work, and personally, to make better informed choices for our wellbeing and to construct long and healthy careers.
As barristers we do a (necessarily) demanding job. One vital to our clients and the justice system, dealing with matters central to society. It is a career that we freely commit ourselves to, often because of the interest, challenges and rewards it offers.
However, in the competitive fields in which we work, it can seem counterintuitive to admit that we are susceptible to human frailty. The risk inherent in that approach, however, is that the demands of our work can come at a high price for those who fail to sufficiently acquaint themselves with the long-term effects of stress, lack of proper sleep, nutrition and exercise.
As an employment specialist, I see the statutory protections for workers from the effects of shift work, excessive hours and insufficient rest. Barristers regularly work hours and in conditions that would far exceed what is permitted by those protections. The fact that our work is usually better paid does not make it any less potentially harmful to health.
It is entirely right that barristers be called upon to do difficult things, given our role in society, but it is equally right that we take steps to make ourselves aware of the health cost, and do so as much in advance as possible, making sound choices accordingly.
Sustained overwork has real and damaging effects on the body.
Most of us experience high levels of stress in our work on a regular basis. From the pressure of heavy, unpredictable workloads, to the intellectually challenging nature of the work itself, to the pressure of developing practices at the self-employed Bar, even before chambers’ politics, financial and the other pressures of daily life. Life at the Bar can seem like a recipe for chronic stress.
Stress has a physiological effect. That ‘fight or flight state’ that the body adopts in stressful situations includes increased cortisol, blood pressure and the suppression of necessary day-to-day bodily functions.
Prolonged, elevated cortisol levels are linked with chronic inflammation. Inflammation carries real health consequences, supressing the immune system and the body’s ability to heal. Furthermore, inflammation is linked to high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart disease, cancers, fat storage and blood sugar imbalances, as well as increased anxiety, depression and digestive issues. Bluntly put, it is to be avoided if at all possible.
The effects of lack of sleep, or irregular sleep patterns, are well documented. Sleep is when the body repairs itself, and is vital for mental health. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It can disrupt both the hormonal balance of the body as well as the metabolism, leading to weight gain and an increased risk of metabolic disorders.
Our bodies are designed for regular physical activity. A deskbound lifestyle over the course of a career can lead to numerous health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Unused, our musculoskeletal system atrophies over time, with that effect accelerating sharply after the age of 50. These deleterious effects can also affect our ability to work efficiently and our cognitive function.
It is with good reason that athletes place huge emphasis on good balanced nutrition. Work at the Bar also places very high demands on the body. Yet it can be easy to forget, firstly, that good balanced nutrition is crucial for sustaining energy, focus and overall health.
Secondly, there are dangers in a poor diet. Processed foods are often high in sugars, unhealthy fats and artificial additives, and can cause energy crashes, weight gain, and long-term health issues. Whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains support cognitive function, boost productivity and enhance resilience to stress, allowing you to perform at your best.
Lastly, it is not uncommon for the highly stressed to adopt harmful coping mechanisms, such as overeating, alcohol consumption or smoking. Those mechanisms may provide temporary relief but worsen stress, and can lead to addiction, deteriorating physical and mental health, thereby masking the underlying issues.
I do believe that, as a profession, there are three immediate steps we can and should take in relation to barristers’ physical as well as mental health:
I am conscious that these sorts of measures are easy to propose. I hope this is the start of a long and constructive discussion about mapping the health risks in a demanding career at the Bar and how to avoid them. I hope that barristers will feel able to discuss these matters without fear of being perceived as being in some way weak. Above all, I hope that such initiatives will help us all to have long, healthy and successful careers at the Bar.
The Mental Health & Wellbeing at the Bar website is full of useful resources and sources of support for barristers’ psychological health. There is also a 24/7 confidential helpline (tel: 0800 169 2040) for self-employed barristers with a practising certificate as well as members of the IBC and LPMA.
LawCare offers peer-to-peer support for anyone in or associated with the legal community. Call: 0800 279 6888 or visit www.lawcare.org.uk. The Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on tel: 116 123, www.samaritans.org or email: jo@samaritans.org. International helplines can be found at: befrienders.org
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