My journey into law has been far from conventional. When I was a young lad, I thought by the time I reach 40 I should be a successful hotelier. I worked hard to make that happen – I even studied a master’s degree in hospitality management at the University of Birmingham but, as people say, life happened and, to make a long story short, I ended up studying law. Following my pupillage with the Public Defender Service in 2024, I secured tenancy and now practice as an employed criminal barrister.
There is no typical day as a criminal barrister, but I try to maintain certain things regardless of what’s happening. I am an early riser and early sleeper, so my alarm goes off at 4:55am and I’m in bed by 9:00pm on most days during the week. I start by thanking God for giving me another day. When I’m working from home, I will go to the gym or walk for 60 minutes. However, due to the level of travel I might have to skip the gym and go straight to the train station when working elsewhere.
Over the past year, I noticed the need to use the gym whenever possible. For me, this is something I turn to for resetting my body, my mind and my spirit. Legal practice is challenging; it demands physical and mental strength to continue to be the best each day. We are fighting for our clients’ best interests, and criminal practice offers an insight into the complexity of human life. It often involves supporting people at some of their lowest emotional points and seeking the best possible outcome for them. That alone is interesting and challenging before adding the practicalities of our work; sometimes we are briefed last minute and despite all the other priorities we have as professional practitioners, we must focus on each case and be on top of that brief when we meet the client or attend court.
Throughout the busyness of our practice, it’s important to prioritise our health and wellbeing. One of the Bar Council’s strategic aims is to support a sustainable, inclusive and resilient profession. Being intentional about prioritising our health and wellbeing will improve our professional resilience. So, how can we practically improve our physical and mental health? Here are three things that work for me:
- Make time for silence: during the day, find a moment of silence. This could be in a quiet advocates room or, if working from home, stepping away from the books and computer and being still in pure silence. This allows me to recalibrate and return to my task with renewed focus.
- Drink water: drink plenty of water through the day. Try and aim for two litres of water a day, considering your bladder and personal requirements. Adequate water hydration is good for our overall health, supports digestion, helps deliver oxygen through our body, improves joint function, skin health and waste elimination.
- Physical exercise and quality time: After work, make time for the other important things. This might be spending time with family, taking a walk or diving into a relaxing movie. We all have different healthy activities that help us reset and recover. Whenever I can, I enjoy visiting my local gym and having a good workout session.
I constantly remind myself that I can only be the best father, husband and advocate when I look after myself. As we start a new season, this is a perfect opportunity to consider how to improve our personal physical, mental and spiritual health.
Joseph Chivayo was Called to the Bar in 2021 and is a criminal barrister for the Public Defender Service. He has recently been appointed as the Employed Bar Representative for the Middle Temple Young Barristers’ Association.
