Every lawyer needs an outlet to break away from the work routine and feed other areas of their lives because lawyers are human too. In the age of information, there is no shortage of activities or amateur interests you can undertake to create balance in your life. However, if you missed our piece on amateur interests that level up your lawyering skills, you can read it here.

Back to breaking the work burnout cycle, learning is arguably among the most underrated outlets for lawyers, or any professional for that matter. According to a study published in 2020 by Prof. Sebastian Haesler, a neuroscientist, the mind needs novelty. 

The study established that exposure to novel stimuli triggers the brain to release dopamine, while familiar stimuli do not affect dopamine activation. Dopamine is a hormone that supports various brain functions, including motivation, satisfaction, memory retention, concentration, sleep, and mood. 

Moreover, a study published in 2019 by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences established that impaired dopamine production translates into an inability to cope with acute stress. Therefore, learning something new boosts confidence and self-esteem, boosts mood, improves resilience, and lowers stress levels.  

Science aside, learning also has social benefits. For instance, if you join a cooking or dancing class, you’ll likely meet people and bond over this common interest, allowing you to create a community outside the legal fraternity. 

Second, a fashion accessory becomes a conversation piece when someone learns you made it yourself. Mentioning the skills you’ve acquired lately for work or fun makes you more interesting.

So, if you’ve never considered learning an outlet for your busy lawyer life, explore how some brilliant Kenyan legal minds lean into learning to unwind, grow, and live holistically.

Meet Kenyan Lawyers Who Thrive on Being Life-long Learners

 According to Jaqueline Manani, Director of Legal Services, Public Service Commission of Kenya, law is a basic degree offering basic training. Therefore,  lawyers need to advance themselves in other areas that are not necessarily law-related. 

“I like to train in areas beyond the law so that I can blend my legal knowledge with knowledge in other things that are perhaps relevant to what I do, or might become relevant in future.” Therefore, Ms. Manani encourages young people within the profession to get knowledge and experience in diverse fields that can blend with their law degrees.

Sr. Trizah Muthoni, In-house Counsel for the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi,  also relies on knowledge acquisition as an outlet for two reasons. First, as an in-house counsel in the church, a practice area with fewer legal precedents, learning allows her to replenish her knowledge. 

“I’ve taken opportunities to study when I feel the job’s pressure is increasing and my knowledge is being depleted.” To this end, Sr. Trizah, soon to be Sr. Dr. Trizah Muthoni, pursued her master’s degree in Regional Integration law and is currently awaiting her PhD. Certificate after successfully defending her thesis on human rights, particularly venturing on women and land rights.

Second, acquiring new knowledge allows her to channel her energy away from the day-to-day challenges of the job toward academia. The challenge of solving problems in academia allows her to reset. “Now that my study is over for the meantime, I need to find a new way to unwind.”

On the one hand, upskilling directly benefits your legal career. However, acquiring new skills as a hobby or simply because you’re adventurous and think it might be worth doing has similar benefits for your well-being. 

For example, Hon. Lady Justice Helene Namisi, former LSK Chair, Nairobi Branch, and newly appointed Judge of the High Court of Kenya, took up playing the double bass in 2014, almost ten years post-admission to the bar. She has had opportunities to play in orchestras since honing the skill.

“Most people around me would ask, “Huh, you’re doing what? Are you learning an instrument now? Your kids should be the ones learning instruments, not you.” She recalls one friend, an accountant, who once asked her what the return on investment in learning to play the double bass at such a time in her life was. “And I thought, I play the double bass because I like it, and my happiness counts as a return on investment.”

Lady Justice Namisi became interested in playing the double bass in 2000 after attending a riveting performance at a theater in Nairobi. The moral of the story here is that it’s never too late to learn something new or pursue an interest.

Noreen Kidunduhu, an energy and extractives lawyer, also thrives on learning by engaging in new leisure activities. “Lately, I have been drawn to… well, I’ll just call them activities because they are very general, and I don’t know how to classify them, but they excite me.” 

Horseback riding classes, mixology classes, glass-blowing in Kitengela, and shooting at the gun range in Lang’ata are some of the activities she has explored during her downtime. Noreen’s quest to learn through leisure began when she embarked on a personal mission to debunk the myth that Nairobi is short on social activities. 

The mission inadvertently gave her a sense of purpose. “I created an Instagram page to document all these activities because if someone asked me for recommendations on things to do within Nairobi, I’d forget a few activities, but if I document them, nothing would be lost.” Besides documenting her downtime, her page serves as a reference point for anyone with similar interests, empowering her to fulfill a social need in her small way.”

Lucy Monyenye, In-house Counsel at EED  Advisory Ltd,  also solved an underlying challenge by acquiring a new skill. When driving in Nairobi became overwhelming, Ms. Monyenye resorted to learning how to ride a motorcycle. She joined the Private Bikers Association of Kenya (PBAK) and discovered areas within the association where her legal expertise would be helpful. Therefore, learning how to ride a motorcycle empowered her with a new skill while presenting her with a platform to give back through service and grow her resume.  

Parting Shot: 

Learning is wholesome because it improves all facets of your life, including your mental well-being and your legal career. Regarding resources, learning can be as accessible as watching a documentary on YouTube or listening to a podcast. However, you can take it several notches higher and participate in a masterclass in a foreign country.

As Anna Mutavati, UN Women Country Director, says, “Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.” We hope to have inspired you to look at learning holistically, leverage it for your mental well-being and legal career growth, and have fun while at it.