When we think about recharging, our minds naturally turn inward. We think about what we need. We need a vacation. We need more sleep. We need a hobby, a day off, or a little more time to ourselves. Most conversations about well-being begin with the same assumption. If we want to feel better, we should do something for ourselves. 

There is certainly nothing wrong with that. But one of the most effective ways to recharge has almost nothing to do with focusing on ourselves. Instead, it begins by focusing on someone else. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to help my in-laws move into a retirement community. We sorted through personal belongings, packed and loaded boxes, cleaned, and made runs to the dumpster. By the end of the day, I was physically tired. But mentally, I felt refreshed. That may sound backwards. After all, I had spent the day working. Yet somehow, I returned home with more energy than when I started. 

I have noticed this pattern before. I enjoy physical acts of service. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing tangible progress and knowing that your effort made another person’s life a little easier. 

Not everyone enjoys the same kinds of service. Some people would much rather organize a fundraiser, mentor a young lawyer, serve on the board of a nonprofit, or coordinate volunteers. Those contributions are just as valuable. The important point is not how we serve. It is that we do. 

Researchers sometimes refer to the positive feelings that follow acts of kindness as the “helper’s high.” Helping others can trigger the release of endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin, which areassociated with positive mood, reduced stress, and a greater sense of connection. In other words, helping someone else often helps us as well. 

There is another reason service can feel restorative. Lawyers spend much of the day inside their own heads. We analyze problems, anticipate risks, manage deadlines, think through difficult conversations, and worry about outcomes. Even after we leave the office, those thoughts often come home with us. Serving someone else interrupts that cycle. 

For a little while, your attention shifts away from your own deadlines and concerns. Instead of thinking about yourself, you are focused on someone who needs a hand. That change in perspective can be remarkably refreshing. Many of the problems that occupied your mind a few hours earlier suddenly seem a little less overwhelming. 

As lawyers, we are fortunate to have careers built around helping others. But much of our work also involves conflict, deadlines, difficult decisions, and stress. Serving others outside the office is different. There are no billable hours, opposing counsel, or looming court deadlines. It is just the simple satisfaction of making someone else’s day a little easier. 

The next time you find yourself feeling mentally exhausted, consider doing something that seems counterintuitive. Instead of asking, “What can I do for myself?” ask, “Who could use a hand today?” You may discover that one of the best ways to recharge is by helping someone else carry the load.