Extra Recession Pressure on Women Makes It Harder to Say No

Recent news that a prominent lawyer had committed suicide, apparently under extra pressure both because of having had a baby within the year and because of the dismal economy, has brought new attention to the difficulties of work/life balance.

Although it's harder than ever in such circumstances, it's also more important than ever for attorneys to apply a critical skill—saying no, writes Vanessa Lloyd Platt in a London Times article about the experiences of other women in her own professional circle.

The same ambition and drive that propels women up the career ladder can also be a negative, she adds. Self-imposed pressure to be "the best," she says, both at home and at work, as another potential problem that can add more stress and put professionals at greater risk of depression, substance abuse and even suicide.

Throughout her legal career, she writes, guilt over not doing more for her now-adult children was a constant part of her life. "My son still brings up the day I arrived too late to hear his tuba debut at the school concert because of a needy client who would not get off the telephone."

Related coverage:

ABAJournal.com: "Depressed After 3rd Child’s Birth, Successful Partner Committed Suicide"

London Times: "Teach girls to be lawyers, doctors—and mothers"