When Stepping Away Isn’t Possible
Last week, I ran a poll on LinkedIn asking:
“When you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, what do you most often rely on to calm yourself?”
The top response? “Step away. Take a break.”
That answer makes a lot of sense. When things feel like too much, our nervous systems crave relief - space, distance, a pause. But for many people working in high-pressure environments, such as law, finance, healthcare, tech, leadership, stepping away isn’t always possible in the moment. Deadlines don’t pause. Clients and patients still need attention. Meetings keep stacking.
And when stepping away feels like the only way to cope, it can leave us feeling even more stuck.
Perfectionism, Burnout, and the Myth of “All or Nothing”
This came up in a recent conversation I had with fellow attorney Jennifer Gillman, author of The Happy Rainmaker, on Conscious Corner Podcast with Courtney.
Jennifer shared a simple, but powerful idea: "Point one can make a difference.”
For those of you who aren’t attorneys, here’s a bit of context. In the legal world, "point one" refers to 0.1 of an hour - six minutes - the smallest unit of time we track and bill. It’s often the difference between thinking “there’s no time to do this properly” and realizing “I can at least begin.”
But you don’t have to be a lawyer to understand this idea. In many high-performing professions, there’s a similar mindset: If I can’t do it fully, it doesn’t count. So many high-performing professionals, lawyers included, are perfectionists. And that all-or-nothing thinking can easily fuel burnout.
No full workout? → Why bother.
Didn’t get enough sleep? → Forget it.
Too busy for a “real” mindfulness practice? → Maybe tomorrow.
Why Point One Matters
Point one is a reframe. It reminds us that small, intentional moments still matter, especially when our days are full and our nervous systems are stretched thin. Sustainability isn’t built through dramatic resets. It’s built through point ones:
A few grounding breaths between meetings
Feeling your feet on the floor before bed
Stepping outside for 60 seconds of fresh air
Resting your attention on the sense of the body, even when your mind wants to keep pushing
These moments don’t require you to escape your workday. They help you steady yourself inside it. And over time, they add up. Sometimes, point one is enough to begin.
🎧 You can listen to my full conversation with Jennifer here: → Listen on Spotify → Watch on YouTube
What I Wish I’d Known Earlier in My Career
When I entered litigation, I quickly learned just how intense and demanding high-stakes professional work can be. Earlier this week, I led a mindfulness workshop for the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Ethics Committee titled Mindfulness for Neutrals: Staying Center in the Heat of Conflict. Together with Louis Hockman and Molly Thomas we explored:
How mindfulness supports decision-making under pressure
How to notice early signs of burnout
How to cultivate presence and neutrality over time
This work isn’t about checking out or slowing everything down. It’s about learning how to stay present and steady while doing complex, emotionally charged work.
For lawyers and neutrals, this connects directly to ethics. ABA Model Rule 1.1 requires competent representation. But competence isn’t just about technical skill. It also depends on our capacity to focus, regulate stress, and remain clear-headed, especially under sustained pressure.
And this isn’t unique to law. Across professions, chronic stress narrows perspective, drains energy, and makes even meaningful work feel heavy.
In the first decade of my legal career, I didn’t yet have the tools to meet that reality in a sustainable way. I felt overwhelmed by constant pressure and eventually enrolled in a mindfulness program and it was transformative. Through mindfulness, I learned to:
Notice how I was relating to stress
Recognize patterns that didn’t serve me
Develop healthier, more nourishing routines that made me more resilient
Calm myself in the moments when it mattered most
That journey ultimately led me to complete the extensive teacher training at Jefferson’s Center for Mindfulness so I could share these same science-backed tools with other professionals working in high-pressure roles.
An Invitation
If any of this resonates - the perfectionism, the sense that stepping away feels like the only option, the desire for steadiness in the middle of a full life - you’re not alone.
My 6-Week Mindfulness Program is designed for professionals working in high-pressure environments, including law, finance, healthcare, tech, and leadership.
One hour per week
Live, supportive, and practical
Tools you can use in the moments that matter most.
Class 1 begins this coming Friday, February 6th. With the first session just days away, registration is closing soon.
Remember: this isn’t about fixing yourself or adding more to your plate. It’s about learning how to meet what’s already here - with more calm, clarity, and care.