Another stressful and exciting year comes to an end.  I always remind myself that in law you really need to take a 4 day break every 6 weeks or so and then when I do not, as with this year, I run myself flat.  Sometimes exercise and whatever else you do is not enough to get you to relax and it is perhaps understandable that a lot of senior attorneys have already been on holiday since 1 December.

I have a lot to learn about stress management but amongst the things I changed this year included totally removing the voice mail facility from my phone.  Thats been wonderful - and of course not as good as simply not giving your number out - akthough a number change every 2 years or so is wonderful also.  No voice mail means no grasping for paper or replaying the message 4 times to get that number, it also means you don't have any messages you failed to return.  I whole heartedly recommend it.