Our nervous system does not like surprises. And in most cases, lawyers are (very unpleasantly) surprised by the arrival of a grievance. It is normal to have a period of shock or disbelief when the nasty and unexpected happens. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Give it a little time and the next thing you know…

Ask yourself if you think you need and can take a vacation. Then ask yourself if you think your answer might be influenced by fatigue, overwork, overwhelm, high expectations, internal or external pressure, financial concerns, stress, or fear around coverage while you are away. All of these may be symptoms of “psychological hypoxia” affecting your ability to accurately evaluate your need for a deep rest. Basically I’m suggesting you might need to question your own judgment if you don’t think you need a vacation. Do I have any takers?

If you broke out in a sweat when you read the title of this post you may be one of the 40% of highly successful, high achieving people who suffer from “imposter syndrome.”