Brandon Adoni on Mindfulness

Throughout my career, I’ve found that many successful lawyers practice mindfulness. It’s not hard to imagine why that is the case in the current landscape–distractions are everywhere, not just throughout our work day but also whether we are driving, eating, attempting to relax, or even trying to enjoy nice walk at the end of the day. Through the COVID health crisis, many people within industry have shown incredible resilience and the ability to multitask while remaining goal-oriented thanks to a strong mindfulness practice.

To put it simply, practicing mindfulness means focusing one’s awareness on the present moment. This awareness allows the individual to acknowledge thoughts, feelings, and sensations in a manner that guides them towards clarity. More professionals are introducing mindfulness exercises into their lives because they realize the impact that they can have on their efficiency and productivity.

There are several different types of mindfulness exercises that can be applicable to different daily activities like the morning routine, commuting or getting ready for bed.  Many professionals have the misconception that mindfulness exercises can only be done in large intervals in order to be successful, but I’ve learned over the years that even a few minutes can help keep an individual mindful throughout the day. For lawyers, when there are immense pressures at work, taking the time to be present for a couple minutes to decide the best course of action is a common exercise that can be deployed. Even when situations require quick decision-making, we tend to overestimate how fast we need to come to a conclusion. Just a few moments of mindfulness can be enough to fully soak in a situation and guide it towards clarity.

Another important aspect to this practice is breathing. While there are many schools of thought on how to appropriately breathe during a meditation, I’ve found that the most effective way is to take deep, diaphragmatic breaths in a 4-7-8 pattern (four seconds to breathe in through nose, seven seconds to hold breath in, eight seconds to breathe out through mouth, making a “woosh” sound). 

While I have my favorite mindfulness practices to stay aware, clear and efficient throughout the day, different methods will work better for others. Finding ways to be truly present during the day is one of the most fun parts about building your own mindfulness practice. I recommend trying several to discover which work best. We owe it to ourselves to invest in ourselves. Below are a few resources, particularly for lawyers.

Brandon Adoni’s recommendations:

Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now”

Ajahn Brahm’s “Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond”

Cheri Huber’s “Suffering is Optional”

Jon Krop’s https://www.mindfulnessforlawyers.com/

Thank you for reading and I hope you will incorporate this into your routine. Please reach out with any questions.

Brandon Adoni