Where Do I Start? Using Merge Lanes to Conquer Procrastination
Getting started is the hardest part of any endeavor, even those you love doing, which is paradoxical. […]
Dena Lefkowitz is a veteran attorney and certified professional coach who helps clients reinvigorate their careers, polish business development skills and rediscover their sense of purpose. A former board member of the International Coach Federation’s Philadelphia chapter, Lefkowitz has successfully coached a best-selling author, lawyers, and chief executives. Firms have also hired Lefkowitz, a former in-house counsel, to work directly with entry level lawyers to improve performance and increase their early contributions to the firm. She holds her BA and JD from Temple University and Temple University School of Law.
How to Set Healthy Personal Boundaries That Protect Your Well-being (and Your Sanity)
We are way more willing to cancel plans with ourselves than with others. One way I’ve been able to set boundaries is to start guarding commitments to myself, and being okay with cancelling plans if […]
The Benefits of Rewarding Yourself for a Job Well Done
If we recognize that external rewards signify something achieved, a benchmark attained, then why do so many people shrink from the idea of rewarding themselves? […]
How to Say You’re Sorry: An Important Tool in the Workplace and Beyond
Apologizing is an important tool and if you dismiss it as a sign of weakness, you haven’t experienced its power and are missing opportunities to build and strengthen relationships at work and in your personal life. […]
10 Nighttime Rituals That Have Helped Us Sleep Better Since the Onset of the Pandemic
Try a lavender diffuser
“I recently began to learn about essential oils. Each one has unique properties, but lavender in particular is said to reduce blood pressure, lower heart rate, and promote good sleep. Every night, I’ve started putting about five drops of lavender into a diffuser before I get into bed and also rub some on my neck and chest. I inhale the scent from my palms deeply three or four times as I begin to let go. Having a nighttime practice is soothing and helps ready my brain and body for relaxation and sleep.”
—Dena Lefkowitz, lawyer coach, Media, PA[…]
9 Ways to Tackle Stress and Calm a Racing Mind Right Now
“A few weeks into quarantine, I created a vision board with the theme of ‘strength and resilience.’ When a moment of panic hits, I stand in front of it for a few minutes and absorb the beautiful and strong images — whether it’s a photo of Billie Jean King, Oprah Winfrey, or a school principal determined to help kids out of poverty. Looking at the board gives me a sense of what I need in the moment to reset — whether that’s calling a friend, getting some exercise, or going back to work.”[…]
Exposing and Easing Fear of Young Lawyers in the Profession
There’s a saying about law school—”the first year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death and the third year they bore you to death.” This saying implies that students overcome that first-year fear, but for many lawyers, it never completely goes away. I know because I was one of them. […]
Cycling toward Sanity During COVID-19 (Why Crying in Spin Class was Cathartic)
It’s not always easy to get on your bike, lace up your running shoes or step onto your yoga mat. Life sometimes conspires to prevent it but, more often, your mind leads you in a different direction. […]
How to Set Boundaries and Avoid Burnout While Working From Home
My husband and I used to have a weekend ritual of making a cappuccino at home. During the week, we didn’t have time for it. Now, we start each day with a cappuccino and have another one — decaffeinated — to close it out. […]
A Lesson from Mom
I had a dream last night about coronavirus. A group of friends were leaving a restaurant (remember those?) and I looked back at the table where we had just been sitting and said “oh my God, we forgot to social distance.” The restaurant table was not spacious and, in the dream, I mentally calculated how far away I was from the person across from me, the person next to me. Well within 6 feet. Way too close. It was an intimate space and I began to panic that I had just contracted COVID-19. I woke up bemoaning my forgetfulness. […]