Young Lawyers Division, 0217 UTBJ, Vol. 30, No. 1. 58

AuthorJordan Call, J.

Young Lawyers Division

Vol. 30 No. 1 Pg. 58

Utah Bar Journal

February, 2017

January, 2017

All Rise and Other Modest Health Tips for the Practicing Lawyer

Jordan Call, J.

The practice of law has its pitfalls when it comes to physical health and well-being. Sitting at a desk all day may lead to weight gain, muscle soreness, back pain, or a number of other issues that can lower satisfaction and productivity.

Fortunately, you don’t have to start running marathons to fight back against these effects. Here are a few simple tips for improving your physical well-being as an attorney:

Download a fitness app.

There are many helpful, easy-to-use, and cheap (or free) apps to help you be more active, eat healthier, or lose weight. Whether you want to track your steps, measure caloric intake, be reminded to work out, or do something else entirely, you’re bound to find an app. If you’d rather not swim through a sea of products to find the right one, there are many useful websites that review fitness apps and can help you find a good fit.

Snack, but snack right.

Most people probably don’t think of the practice of law as being physically demanding but that doesn’t mean you won’t work up an appetite as the billable hours roll by. You may be tempted to keep your energy up with soda, coffee, salty snacks, or sugary treats. Consider instead dried fruit, nuts, or raw vegetables (snap peas are a personal favorite). Even better, try keeping water always on hand. Being well-hydrated will help manage your appetite and can help replace snacking out of distraction or boredom.

Consider getting an adjustable-height workstation.

Research suggests that sitting all day long can have a surprising number of adverse effects on your health. See Richard A. Lovett, Desk Jobs Can Be Killers, Literally, WashiNgToN PosT (July 16, 2013), available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ health-science/desk-jobs-can-be-killers-literally/2013/07/15/ ce61f9e8-e59b-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story.html. Fortunately, there is evidence that even small, brief increases in activity can make a significant difference. Id. For example, taking five minutes every hour to get up and walk around your office is one way to counteract the adverse effects of a sedentary desk job.

If you want to integrate movement more seamlessly into your work, consider an adjustable-height workstation. These nifty contraptions allow you to...

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