You’re likely looking forward to a restful break in the sun as we enter the holiday season. And, like most IP professionals, you are probably seriously in need of some time off.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests that there are six main areas of work design that can impact employees’ stress levels. This includes the level of demand and workload an individual must cope with and the level of control someone has for their work and how they do it. And, according to the “Life in the Law” report from the charity LawCare, legal professionals often struggle to find the time to take proper breaks and fully switch off. Unsurprisingly, this leads to higher burnout levels, stress and mental health challenges.
So if, while you are on holiday, you find you are not looking forward to going back, maybe you should take the opportunity of having the time (and headspace) to think about what you really want to do and how you really want to live.
Here is a book, an article and a podcast you might find helpful as you do that thinking:
“How Will You Measure Your Life?” by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, Karen Dillon
In this groundbreaking book, Christensen puts forth a series of questions: How can I be sure that I’ll find satisfaction in my career? How can I be sure that my personal relationships become enduring sources of happiness? How can I avoid compromising my integrity—and stay out of jail? Using lessons from some of the world’s greatest businesses, he provides incredible insights into these challenging questions.
The High Performance Podcast (thehighperformancepodcast.com) – Dr. Rangan Chatterje: The Key to Happier Living
In this episode of the High Performance podcast, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee talks about how building connections and nourishing relationships are key to building a more fulfilling and happy life. Two IP is all about relationships and helping people to build a life that suits them, allowing attorneys to spend time doing the things outside of work they care about, so this conversation really resonated with us.
We believe every patent and trade mark attorney should be able to enjoy a proper work-life balance. It is one of the reasons we designed Two IP to work in the way it does.
All Two IP consultants have the opportunity to earn a very good income whilst working the hours they are happy with, free from billing targets (unless they choose to set one for themselves). The same goes for control. Two IP consultants have complete control over everything to do with their work – who they work with, how they do the work and where and when they do it. By having a lower workload plus complete autonomy, we believe this model provides a much healthier approach to work.
If your holiday turns out not to be the break you so desperately needed, or you are dreading returning to work, then maybe it’s time to have a confidential, informal chat with the Two IP team. You can find out more here: https://www.two-ip.com/want-to-join-us/