Lawyer Wellbeing & Travel - Marrakesh
“Travel- the only thing you buy that makes you richer”
Finding the time to dis-connect from work is a challenge nowadays because as we know and is sounding almost cliché now, our mobile phones have become our mobile offices. Even in the fringes of the Amazon jungle (I kid you not) there is a WIFI signal!
When it comes to choosing where to spend a well-deserved break, my advice is, choose carefully. First check in with yourself and be mindful of your needs. Then communicate these needs to your partner/ family if you are travelling with others. It is easy enough to continue in the adrenaline-fuelled pattern and re-create the busy-ness of our work-days during our supposed holi-days! I’ve fallen prey to that so many times myself and found myself exhausted on my return, having jammed in too many daily excursions, or a hectic travel schedule!
This June, having spent a long period of personal-development related travel, I decided to take a break in Marrakesh. I confess that whilst it was a break from my client work, my purpose was to process the courses attended and write for at least a few hours a day when the sun was at its hottest and I could enjoy the cool of the traditional Riad in the Medina. I enjoy connecting to the creative side of my brain, processing and writing. I balanced this with enjoying what the Moroccan culture has to offer.
Dress Code: No shirts, suits or formal wear! When in Morocco, I dress ‘Morocco’.
Pace: Far slower than the office! One thing I appreciate about the Moroccan culture is how during the first few days I become aware of my resistance (sometimes even frustration) to the slower pace. Then I start gently surrendering, remembering that there are no deadlines here, that time is an illusion and I become more present. Slowing down also gives the mind a break and an opportunity to increase its production of alpha waves. These fall in the middle of the brain wave spectrum and create a state of wakeful rest when you are feeling relatively calm and relaxed.
Being seen: There is something very liberating in being seen as ‘you’, as a human being. We have been to enough parties where people who you’ve never met and know nothing about you crack derogatory Lawyer ‘jokes’ (usually comparisons to sharks and swindlers are made); or where there is a notable shift in perception about you / behaviour, soonest you ‘confess’ and reveal your day job! Meeting the locals there are no preconceptions or questions about what I do. Life is simple. Both adults and children are curious, attempt to communicate despite the language barriers and smile with their eyes, as well as their mouths.
Cuisine: Nutrition is key to our wellbeing. Looking after our inner environment is just as important than creating healthy boundaries in our external environment. They go hand in hand. In Marrakesh I attended a cooking class and prepared my own vegetarian tagine. I found the course enjoyable (despite my lack of culinary skills) as there was no judgment, I relaxed and had a chance to socialise with other fellow travellers.
Architecture: the external environment of vast open spaces, waterfalls and water features, colour, vibrancy and architecture’s collusion with nature, contrasts with the ‘legal’ spaces we encounter at work in court rooms, judge’s chambers and many (not all) conference rooms. At Amber Law, whilst not going as far as re-creating a Riad at the office (!), there is a lot to say about introducing colour, lots of plant life and creating an environment for both lawyers and clients to feel relaxed and at peace in the space.
Entertainment and communication: My choice of creative stimulation in the arts was to visit Café Clock, where Master Storyteller Haj Ahmed Ezzarghani performed in Moroccan Arabic- which I do not speak. I found that despite not speaking Arabic, I was able to follow most of the story through his body language, pace, tone, facial expressions and gesticulations. These experiences improve my communication skills which I can then apply both personally and professionally. I also visited the Yves Saint Laurent Museum Galerie Love.
Hammam- Hydrotherapy & Massage: Our minds and bodies are interconnected so that finding ways to relax our minds instantly relax our bodies and vice versa. As lawyers our work is largely sedentary and we spend many hours ‘in our heads’. A perfect way to reconnect with my physical body and to relax my mind was to visit the local Hammam, a public steam room. Here I was cleansed, rinsed, exfoliated and massaged, then left to relax with Moroccan mint tea. It is in these experiences that I can lose time, restore and regain energy.
I am definitely looking forward to returning to these beautiful people and breathtaking spaces, soon…
For further information, please contact: amber@amberlaw.com