Firstly, to be clear…I am not working on a Bank Holiday but having produced this short article, I wanted to post it on actual International Dog Day as either before or afterwards didn’t seem quite right…

And so – within the legal sector, there has been a lot of discussion recently about wellbeing. The work that lawyers and business services professionals do is often time pressured and can be very stressful. Many firms, including our own, have put in place various types of wellbeing support for their people including better work allocation and monitoring, mentoring and coaching, mental health first aiders and ambassadors, external helplines and health apps (such as Headspace, which has been well received at our firm), and have held events where people at all levels can share their own stories to encourage others to talk freely within the workplace about mental health issues.

As a Managing Partner, I find my role takes a lot of my energy - always moving from one challenge to the next. I thought it worth sharing a few personal ways in which I manage my own wellbeing. I am incredibly lucky to have a very supportive family - it is so important to be able to get home and talk about my day and decompress. I also aim to run at least twice a week, which helps keep me physically fit, provides some time to clear my head, and has the added benefit of helping me to sleep well.

However, the reason for producing this post today (on International Dog Day), is to mention the immense part that my dog plays in maintaining my mental health. During the Covid lockdowns, we were one of millions of families who welcomed our first dog into our family life. This was a surprise to me having grown up with seven cats but, following a PowerPoint presentation (don’t ask…!) from my younger daughter on the benefits of having a dog, and a collective moment of weakness from my wife and I, we welcomed Winnie the Cockapoo into our family. 

Winnie is now three years old and she is amazing. She has brought unconditional love and happiness to our lives, and from a wellbeing perspective she trumps everything else. As every dog owner will know, you are guaranteed to get a joyous tail-wagging reception when you get home at the end of a long day. I look forward to our walk every evening, which is honestly the best way that I have found to unwind.

To cope with the stresses of everyday life, employers have an important part to play and everyone needs to find their own way to protect their mental health. Winnie does that for me, and I love her for it. Happy International Dog Day!