All aboard life's U-bend

Happiness, happiness, the greatest gift that I possess,
I thank the Lord that I’ve been blessed,
With more than my share of happiness.
Kenneth Arthur Dodd, 1964

“Good for him,” you may think, “but what has it to do with me?” A great deal, actually. As The Economist reported recently, the twin conundrums: “What is happiness?” and “How do I achieve it?” are now high on the agendas of governments worldwide.

In Bhutan, before policy is implemented, it is assessed for its likely effect on Gross National Happiness. Closer to home, the UK has begun collating data on wellbeing, recognising that wealth and productivity alone do not a happy nation make. This is mirrored in Europe, Asia, and as one would expect, the US, where the inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence.

One of the most eye-catching insights to emerge so far is that happiness does not peak in our youth and then decline in a straight line until death. Though most of us reach a happiness peak in early adulthood, studies in diverse societies have found that the normal path of happiness, allowing for variations caused by factors such as wealth, education, family and social status, is a U-bend, descending until we are at our most unhappy in our 40s and 50s, and then climbing again. Though we are declining physically, we tend to be happier than we have ever been in later life. Although in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything, is 42, the median moment of maximum misery is age 46.

There are a few exceptions. Ukrainians are at their unhappiest at 72, whereas the Swiss have grappled their way to misery’s summit at 35, aided by the highest rate of gun suicide in Europe. The uplifting qualities of their chocolate appear to be greatly exaggerated.

The implication for the profession is that most lawyers at their professional peak are unhappier than they have ever been. Yet their woes receive little attention. “Are our people happy?” is not a question you see often on partnership agendas, compared with “Are our people billing enough?” “Are our people winning?” “Are any of our people still here?” Should we, like government, be taking a broader view?

Done in

“There are few things more pleasurable than a fresh egg laid by a contented hen”, says the cookery writer, Rose Prince. Even without the benefit of research, we know instinctively that the promotion of happiness is not just morally right, but good business. Practising law is a tough, stressful activity. If smart, realistic things can be done to make work a happier experience, why not do them, especially if they are likely to result in higher quality work, greater staff loyalty, more satisfied clients and bigger profits?

What might these be, short of moving to Ukraine? It is not possible here to look at all the factors which influence happiness, but I believe one is especially important. So many successful professionals feel unhappy because most of the time they are, to put it bluntly, knackered. The competing demands of work, family and personal life are huge. We are not machines, yet that is how many of us choose to treat ourselves, with the tacit encouragement of our organisations.

Lifestyle change is difficult, and the preaching of self-appointed gurus is incredibly irritating, but simple adjustments can make a great difference: a short pause every 90 minutes; a walk round the block; simple breathing and relaxation exercises; being strict about going to bed at a reasonable time; eating and drinking well, but not too much; and separating work and home.

We need to be realistic. We are human and cannot be paragons all the time, but if many of us are honest, it is too easy either to be an adrenaline junkie in love with the pressure, or resigned to the impossibility of doing anything about it.

Ultimately, these are matters of individual choice, but our choices are influenced powerfully by our environment, and so they are also matters of leadership. There is nothing touchy-feely about those at the top making clear that in their organisations wellbeing is not for wimps, healthy behaviour is encouraged, and that if good people run into difficulty, they will be supported through it, with skilled professional help if necessary. Studies show consistently that organisations who invest in this way are invariably more productive and competitive than those who do not.

“Tears for Souvenirs were all you left me”, warbled Ken Dodd in his biggest hit, dedicated no doubt to HMRC after the great George Carman QC – himself a workaholic – sprung him from their grasp. It’s a fine song title, but not the best epitaph for a career.

Gross Happiness is a figure we are unlikely to see in our accounts anytime soon, but it’s there, underpinning and shaping the others, as we career uncertainly round the U-bend of life.