Live Well in Law School

Problem: Law School Stresses Me Out

2012-03-18T04:01:00.005-07:00

Solution: Try petting a friendly dog.

Emma and Braddock demonstrate helpful relaxation techniques.

According to WebMD, it only takes 15 minutes with a dog to feel less anxious and less stressed. "Your body actually goes through physical changes in that length of time that make a difference in your mood. The level of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered. And the production of serotonin, a chemical associated with well-being, is increased. Reducing stress saves your body wear and tear." http://pets.webmd Studies have shown that petting a friendly dog lowers blood pressure, decreases anxiety, and boosts happy endorphins. Therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers have been specially trained to offer therapeutic benefits to hospital patients, children with disabilities, the elderly, trauma victims, and now...law students! Therapy dog programs are in place at Tufts University, University of Connecticut, Yale Law School, and UNH School of Law. The therapy dogs that come to our school certified through Therapy Dogs International. Find out more at http://tdi-dog.org/

Feed Your Brain

2012-03-14T14:17:00.001-07:00

webmd.com

I don't want to deal with brain fog during midterms. So I looked up lists of foods that are believed to help the brain function at its best. Turns out, some of my favorite foods are on the list, like green tea, blueberries, and chocolate! Yay!

Here's the list:

Nuts
Chocolate
Salmon
Avocado
Blueberries
Green Tea
Eggs
Beans

Here are the links:

http://www.healthcastle.com/six-foods-eat-fuel-your-brain-your-exam

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/slideshow-brain-foods-that-help-you-concentrate

webmd.com

UNH Law Magazine Article

2012-03-10T05:19:00.001-08:00

A very sweet article in UNH Law Magazine. :)
"A Life in Balance"

"6 Reasons You Need More Sleep"

2012-03-06T13:51:00.002-08:00

piccsy.com

This slideshow from Shape.com caught my attention. Getting more sleep sounds like a great idea, but feels impossible. However, I was reminded that sleep makes our brains work better, improves memory and concentration, and keeps us from getting sick as often, which are obviously important in law school. Here's the link.

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/6-reasons-you-need-more-sleep

Peaceful Playlist: March

2012-03-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

Here are some tunes to keep you calm during midterms:

Latika's Theme - Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack
Piece for Solo Flute - Dead Can Dance
Theme - Harry's Game soundtrack
New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 - R.E.M.
Is This Love - Bob Marley
Bleeker Street - Simon and Garfunkel
One of These Things First - Nick Drake
Wash Away (Reprise) - Joe Purdy
One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley
We are All Made of Stars - Moby
I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
Quelqu'un m'a did - Carla Bruni
Lay It Down - Al Green
Amen - Jewel
Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch

Prepare for Self-Care

2012-02-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

It's a new semester! Make some preparations so that it will be more convenient to take good care of yourself when you barely have time to breathe (like when midterms come around). Here are some suggestions:

Stock your freezer with....

Frozen vegetables (during midterms you won't have time to shop for and prepare fresh)
Frozen multigrain waffles (a great breakfast option when you are too busy to shop; there are great frozen, even organic, multigrain waffles out there)
Nuts (freeze these so they stay fresh)
Ice cream (in case of emergency)

Stock your cupboard with...

Honey (for when you come down with the inevitable cold)
Chamomile tea (for nights when you are too anxious to sleep)
Vitamins (a multi, plus extra C)
Peanut butter (long-lasting, protein packed, and comforting)
Chicken broth or vegetable broth (to make easy soups)
Popcorn (for late-night snacks without sugar/salt/chemicals)
Zip-lock bags (sandwich and snack sizes)
Quick-cooking Oatmeal (go-to breakfast and cookie ingredient)
Plastic food storage containers (salad, soup, and snack sized, plus compartmentalized)
Dark chocolate (obviously)
Non-stick cooking spray (for cooking eggs, cookies, or anything else)

Stock your fridge with...

Small bottles of Champagne (you'll certainly have reasons to celebrate this semester, but don't need to drink a full-sized bottle)
Eggs (these last a long time, so you can stock up)
Lunches and dinners for your first week of school (make ahead on Sunday for the whole week)
Good bread (lasts longer in the fridge)
Miso paste (for easy soup when you run out of broth)
Pancake syrup (for your oatmeal, quinoa, cookies, or waffles)
Salad dressing (salads are an easy lunch or dinner option you can make ahead)

Stock your backpack/briefcase with...

Hand sanitizer (unless you don't believe in it)
Tissues (someone will need one, even if it isn't you)
packs of Emergen-C (never too much vitamin C)
Emergency snacks (crackers, nuts, breakfast bars, or dried fruit)

Update your iTunes playlist with...

Peaceful playlists for studying/relaxing (see my page for recommendations)
Workout playlists (to keep you motivated)
Books from Audible.com (listen while you work out or commute)
Yoga videos so you can practice at home (search for "yoga" in the TV Shows filter for some great options)

Stock your bedside table with...

Lavender pillow spray (helps you calm down before sleeping)
A bedtime book to take your mind off school before you sleep (so you don't have nightmares)

Update your apartment with....

Candles (to create a special occasion any time or for Feng Shui purposes)
Beautiful art (see my post "Spruce Up Your Space")
A rack to hang up a week's worth of outfits (the Dollar Store usually has these)
A plant (to cheer you up and create good energy)
A yoga mat (even if you don't practice, somebody might invite you to try class with them)
A rice cooker (nobody likes burned rice)
A crock pot (dinner will be ready when you get home...1950's housewife not included)

Spruce Up Your Space

2012-02-20T07:13:00.001-08:00

I wish there were so many jobs out there that I could use up an entire box of resume paper. Instead, I'm using it to create cheap, beautiful vintage prints to decorate my office using public domain images from http://vintageprintable.com/wordpress/. The images are free. Just print them on thick resume paper and you'll have gorgeous wall art for your apartment. When you move, you can take them with you in a file folder or recycle them. Here are some of my favorites:

$25 Meal Plan

2012-02-18T08:54:00.001-08:00

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Brown rice + 2 eggs	Oatmeal + apple	2 Eggs with broccoli Banana	Brown rice + 2 eggs	Oatmeal + apple
Salad: black beans, tomato, cheese Oatmeal Apple	Salad: chicken, tomato, cheese Brown rice banana	Brown rice, black beans, onion, tomato, and cheese melted together in a casserole (you can do this in the microwave) Apple	Salad: lettuce, black beans, onion, tomato, chicken Apple	Pasta with chicken, broccoli, carrots, and onion Banana
“Brinner” scramble with 2 eggs, spinach, broccoli, tomato, and cheese Banana	Pasta with tomato and cheese Soup made with broth, spinach, and carrots	Soup made with broth, chicken, carrots, onion, and pasta	Pasta with chicken, broccoli, carrots, and onion Banana	Egg drop soup made with broth, eggs, spinach, and brown rice

Yes, you can cook your own meals all week. Here's what you'll need:

1 large can of black beans, divided into 3 servings

1 bag of brown rice, cooked and divided into 5 servings

1 bag of frozen spinach

1 bag frozen broccoli

10 Chicken thighs, cooked, cut up, and divided into 5 containers

1 dozen eggs

1 box of your favorite pasta, cooked and divided into 5 containers

A bag shredded cheese

1 carton of quick-cooking oatmeal

1 carton of chicken broth

3 heads of Romaine lettuce

6 tomatoes

5 apples

1 large onion, chopped and cooked

5 bananas

1 bag whole fresh carrots, chopped, cooked, and divided into 5 containers

Mindful Eating

2012-02-15T03:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our UNH School of Law Communications Office for sending along this New York Times article about mindful eating! Doing this once a week sounds totally manageable.

New York Times: Mindful Eating as Food for Thought

Peaceful Playlist: February

2012-02-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

Some tunes to try when you need to chill out:

Piece for Solo Flute: Dead Can Dance
Theme from Harry's Game: Clannad
New Orleans Instrumental No. 1: R.E.M.
Is This Love: Bob Marley
Bleeker Street: Simon & Garfunkel
One of These Things First: Nick Drake
Wash Away: Joe Purdy
We Are All Made of Stars: Moby
Quelqu'un m'a dit: Carla Bruni
Lay It Down: Al Green

Fun with Feng Shui (Part V)

2012-01-30T06:45:00.000-08:00

I asked Feng Shui Consultant Sandi Powers this question:

I'm on externship this semester and have my own cubicle at the law office. My boss said I can keep personal items there. What do you recommend? P.S. I really want this firm to offer me a job at the end of the semester.
Here is her response:

1.We have many options available to enhance your space and create positive energy.
The doorway into the cubicle is your career energy. Therefore, keep it clean and easy to get in and out of. Nothing to block the good Chi.

2.From your entrance the left back corner of the cubicle is your wealth and abundance area. Live energy, flowers, plants, wooden items. Things reminding you of prosperity. Things for which you are grateful. Sincere gratitude will bring more to you. Enhancing colors would be purple, blue or green. If space is limited put a crystal to reflect your wishes and to diminish negative energy.

3.From your entrance the right back corner is your relationship corner. You want to build a relationship with your employer. A lamp or desk light would be perfectly placed here. If that is not possible introduce natural items, pottery,shells, photos or figurines of people,animals, pairs of things. Reds, pinks, yellows earth tones enhance this energy.

4.Fame and reputation is the middle back of the space. Again lights, or electrical items, triangles, flowers, plants enhance this area. This is the space that represents how you would like to be known. Keep it neat, organized and pleasing to the eye.

5.Remember none of the items or colors will get you the job. It really is placing what is pleasing to you in the right area with sincere intention. Your sincere intention, hard work and gratitude will create the life you want.

Dollar Store Dish Rack = Desktop Organizer

2012-01-19T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Better Homes and Gardens version (bhg.com)

My version from the Dollar Store

I saw this idea in Better Homes and Gardens and thought it was so smart! I got a disk rack from the Dollar Store, a little different from the one in the magazine, but it works perfectly for file folders, binders, and manilla envelopes, plus has a shelf for books. It cost $5.00.

Feed Yourself in Five Minutes: Smart Snacks

2012-01-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

Did your mom make you this nurturing after-school snack? No!
But I bet she'd be happy to see you eating your vegetables.

An after-school snack is nurturing and necessary, even if "after school" technically doesn't exist in your world right now becuase your school work is never done. Invest in some compartmentalized plastic containers (mine are by Ziplock) and make yourself some outstanding snacks. It takes only marginally more time to make five snacks than to make one, so plan ahead. Stack five snacks boxes in the fridge and you'll be nourished all week. This week I put together cut up veggies (cut up bell peppers, carrots, and celery keep well in my fridge, but cucumbers and squash seem to get yucky after a couple of days), hummus, and "superfood cookies" I had in the freezer (see recipe). No more trips to the vending machine or drive-through.

Extra Credit:

Impress your friends with these other winning snack combinations:

Peanut butter, crackers, and celery
Cottage cheese, orange slices, and nuts
Grapes, cheese, and whole grain pretzels
DIY bean dip, whole grain tortilla chips, and bell pepper slices
Yogurt, fruit salad, and granola (keep the granola and yogurt separated until you're ready to eat)

Napping isn't lazy.

2012-01-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Our dogs Emma and Braddock demonstrating proper napping procedures.

Doctors have an "on call" room at the hospital where they can take naps during late night shifts. Don't you think your law school should have an "on call" room, like in a hospital, where you can go take a nap? Take this article with you when you propose this idea to your dean. According to Scientific American, napping helps you learn. Here's the link:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=to-learn-better-sleep-on-it-10-02-24

7 Yoga Poses to Enhance Productivity for Busy Legal Professionals

2012-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is the Youtube video you've been waiting for! Seriously, try these yoga poses so the next time you start falling asleep at your desk, you'll know how to perk yourself up. It takes 5 minutes following along with this video. Namaste.

7 Yoga Poses to Enhance Productivity for Busy Legal Professionals

Peaceful Playlist: January

2012-01-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

New year = new playlist:

Miss Clare Remembers: Enya
Sweetness Follows: R.E.M.
Sentimental Heart: She & Him
Change: Tracy Chapman
Better Days: Eddie Vedder
Everybody Hurts: R.E.M.
Watermark: R.E.M.
Change is Hard: She & Him
The Long Road: Eddie Vedder
Nightswimming: R.E.M.
Darling Don't Be Frightened: Ellery
Samba da Bencao: Bebel Gilberto
The Song Of The Sibyl: Dead Can Dance

Treat Yourself in 10 Minutes: "Breakfast of Champions" Cookies

2011-12-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

These cookies are made of my favorite breakfast foods, so.....I don't see why you couldn't eat them for breakfast. They are also a terrific snack. As an added bonus, they are made almost entirely of "superfoods," so you can feel virtuous while you eat them, and they are gluten-free so you can share them with your gluten-sensitive friends. They're made of nutritious stuff: oats (whole grains, protein, fiber, complex carbs), yogurt (probiotics, protein), eggs (vitamins, protein, Omegas), dark chocolate (antioxidants), honey (antimicrobial) or agave (low-glycemic), nuts (protein, Omegas), and cinnamon (anti-inflammatory). You can add sugar if you want (I don't) and 1/2 tablespoon of flax seeds for extra Omegas. If you buy a bag of flax seeds, keep it in the freezer.

Here's how I make them. If you don't have measuring spoons, just fake it. I'm usually too lazy to measure anything, and only did it once to create this recipe. Add as much of the measured ingredients as you think would taste good.

I hate washing cookie sheets, so I bake mine in a glass casserole dish.

Ingredients:

3 cups quick oats
1 6-ounce container vanilla yogurt
3 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
2 eggs
5 squares dark chocolate, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped nuts of your choice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients. Roll into 14 balls (they will be the size of golf balls) and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray or butter. If you don't have a cookie sheet you can also bake these in a glass casserole dish or pie pan or cake pan or whatever you have that is oven-safe. Press the balls gently to flatten them slightly. Bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Extra Credit: When you have time, bake a whole bunch of these and freeze the extras. That way, you'll have breakfast or snacks that you can pull out of the freezer any time you have a busy week.

Snacks All Semester

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

The semester is over! Hooray!

Please take time to rest and relax. While you're on break, you can start preparing for next semester. High quality snacks are a great way to fuel your brain, stabilize your mood, and sustain your energy during long days. Get ahead of the game and gather up a supply of emergency snacks before the semester starts.

I made 40 yummy snacks this morning. It took me about 20 minutes and cost about $15.00 (compare this to the $50 that I would spend buying 40 granola bars at the UNH Law cafeteria).

For a winning combination of nutritional qualities (fiber, antioxidants, complex carbs, protein, and deliciousness), textures (crunchy, chewy), and flavors (sweet, savory, tart, bitter) I used these ingredients:

Bite sized shredded wheat cereal (I like plain, but you might prefer cinnamon or frosted)
Dried cranberries
Dried dates (I like these because there is no added sugar)
Dark chocolate (good for your heart and your soul)
Whole almonds (found in the baking aisle)
Snack size zip-lock bags

I cut up the chocolate bars into small pieces.

Next, I just put a little bit of each food into a bag. I ended up with 40 bags. You might end up with more or less, depending on how much of each food you put in each bag. I had lots of chocolate left over, which I put in the freezer for later. OK, I ate some too. And, full disclosure, I origionally bought four bars of chocolate, but you'll notice that only three of them are in the photo. What happened to the other bar? It mysteriously disappeared during finals week.

Store these in your freezer. This will keep the nuts fresh chocolate from melting, and the fruit from getting sticky. You can take out one each day, or take out 5 at the beginning of each week to keep in your book bag, purse, car, or locker.

A nice thing about these little bags is that you can add enough food for a satisfying, healthy snack, and won't find yourself mindlessly eating a whole bag of Doritos becuase you didn't have anything better within reach.

You might also consider adding to each snack bag.....

A multivitamin
A vitamin C supplement (lozenge, tablet, or Emergen-C pack)
A fish oil capsule
Dried apple chips
A green tea bag
Multigrain crackers
A package of string cheese (keep your baggies in the fridge)
Whole grain pretzels

Law School Themed Gifts on Etsy.com

2011-12-19T05:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favorite law school themed gift ideas from Etsy, which offers only hand-made and vintage items.

Constitution Cuff

Jury Box Art Print

Mistake Defense Print

10 Law Book Charms

Lady Justice Art Print

Law Themed Wine Glass Charms

Set of Chief Justice Magnets

Lawyer's Prayer Plaque

Silver Scales of Justice Necklace

Legal Entangle-Mints

Wellness Initiative Article

2011-12-17T05:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a nice article from the Concord Monitor about our UNH Law Wellness Initiative! Concord Insider "Yoga and Therapy Dogs: What Law School is All About"

Problem: I have little money and less time for holiday shopping.

2011-12-14T07:14:00.000-08:00

Solution: Give an honorary donation to charity on behalf of your friends and family. This is really easy, fast, and budget friendly.

Go online and finish your holiday "shopping" in about 30 minutes. Here are some of my favorites:

Make a $10 donation to Habitat for Humanity on behalf of someone special. You’re "helping families to break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security." Plus, with your $10 honorary gift, Habitat will send a card to the person in whose name you donated. Save a stamp! You can do this in 5 minutes. Here's the link: https://www.habitat.org/cd/giving/one/donate.aspx?link=271&source_code=DHQOQ1008W1BNG
Shopping for an animal lover? Make a holiday gift donation ($ amount of your choice) to the ASPCA and they will send an adorable holiday e-card to the person in whose name you donated. Everybody loves a card with a picture of a puppy dressed as Santa. You can do this in 5 minutes. Here's the link: https://donate.aspca.org/donate/donations/website/website_holiday.aspx?PlacementID=2471542
The Heifer Project lets you donate to "help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant." This is especially fun because you get to chose the animal (or share of an animal) you want to donate, like rabbits, sheep, chicks, goats, ducks, water buffalo, or honeybees. Heifer will either send a card in the mail to the person in whose name you donated, or you can print a card, or you can send an e-card describing the gift. You can do this in 10 minutes. Here's the link: https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog.html?msource=magento

Extra Credit: Check to see if these charitable gifts are tax deductible, then print your receipts for tax time.

Free Gift with Purchase: Giving to charity might improve your karma just in time for final exams!

Happy Holidays!

Peaceful Playlist: December

2011-12-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

Need to de-stress during finals? Try adding these songs to your playlist:
Treefingers: Radiohead
Breathe: Alexi Murdoch
It's Alright: ellery
'S Wonderful: Joao Gilberto
I'll Take You There: The Staple Singers
Love and Happiness: Al Green
Moment of Surrender: U2
Harvest Moon: Niel Young
Ripple: Grateful Dead
Mere Gurudev: Krishna Das

Under Pressure during Final Exams (a la David Bowie)

2011-12-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Final exams are terrible. David Bowie and Queen totally nailed it with these lyrics:

"It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming 'Let me out'...
Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours...

Love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves..."

Please take good care of yourselves and each other during finals, OK?

Holiday Wishlist

2011-12-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

Not sure what to request this holiday season? Let your friends and family know that you're interested in taking good care of yourself, and how they can help.

Gift subscription to audible.com, so you can listen to your favorite books on your ipod
Rice cooker, so you can multitask while making healthy meals
Massage gift certificate so you can undo the damage from sitting at your desk
A balance ball so you can tone your core while sitting at your desk
A month's supply of Emergen-C to keep you healthy and cheerful
A year's supply of hand sanitizer
A plant for your desk
A supply of nuts, beans, brown rice, oatmeal, dark chocolate, and other nonperishable "superfoods"
An air-pop popcorn maker so you can make popcorn (which is considered a healthy whole grain) without all the salt, preservatives, and artificial flavors that come in microwave popcorn
Candles to set a cheerful mood or use for your Feng Shui makeovers
Tabs, pens, folders, labels, binders, storage boxes, etc. to help you organize
Stainless steel water bottles to remind you to stay hydrated
Lavendar pillow spray to help you have sweet dreams
An assortment of Green, Ginsing, and Chamomile teas
A meditation cushion
A Yoga mat
A crock pot
A beautiful journal
A new 2012 Planner Pad to help you set goals and plan out each week
Food storage containers (lots of them)
A delivery of fresh flowers

If These Inmates Can Meditate, So Can You.

2011-12-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

I watched an amazing, thought-provoking film recently called Dhamma Brothers, about inmates in a federal prison in Alabama who participate in a demanding silent meditation training program, and how it changed their lives.

Here's an article about the prison program:

http://dhammabrothers.com/docs/FromMurderToMeditation.pdf

Here's a link to the film trailer:

http://dhammabrothers.com/Trailer.htm