Like many lawyers, Emma German is perpetually pressed for time. As Legal Counsel for streaming service Stan, her days (and sometimes nights) race between negotiating contracts for content acquisition, product development and marketing and providing advice on strategic corporate issues. A passionate writer and fitness advocate, she also runs a blog, The Interlude, covering fitness, nutrition, psychology, goal setting and relationships. Insights spoke to German about how practical, realistic tips to prioritising your health.
As a lawyer, she acknowledged one’s work hours are often unpredictable – and long.
“I keep fit by doing workouts first thing in the morning before work gets in the way. Exercising before work has the added benefit of clearing my head and boosting my mood for the day ahead,” said German.
“Never skip breakfast,” advised German. “Coffee doesn’t count as breakfast!” She also suggested sipping water throughout the day and keeping a drawer of healthy snacks at the desk. “Invest in a skipping rope – just fifteen minutes of skipping a few times a week is perfect when you’re time poor.”
For lawyers looking to establish or reset their fitness routine after a holiday break, German advocates a pragmatic approach. “Set a realistic exercise schedule – aim for two to three sessions a week, increase water intake (the most effective form of detox), find an exercise buddy and get into a sleep routine,” she said.
“The key to staying motivated mentally and physically is to find a form of exercise you actually enjoy – whether it’s running, tennis, dancing, yoga, gold, boxing, walking along the beach – the list is endless! If you’re doing an exercise that feels like torture, you’ll fall off the wagon in no time.”
German moved to Stan after a period in private practice, primarily in mergers and acquisitions. “It might sound like a cliché but what I enjoy most about Stan is definitely the people,” she said. “Stan is a close-knit team, full of personality, which makes going to work each day fun and inspiring. I also love the variety of legal work – the beauty of being in a game changing industry like online streaming is that no two days are the same. We are constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries.”
She started The Interlude as an outlet for her interest in fitness and writing.
“Being a lawyer can be demanding, and blogging is my counterbalance to that – it’s quite literally my “interlude” where I throw my lawyer hat out the window and get creative,” said German. “When I started, I found the blogging sphere saturated with highly glamorised fitness models and unrealistic advice. The Interlude is authentic, practical and designed for ‘real’ people.”
“I hope my readers enjoy taking a moment out of their day to read an article, learn something new and be inspired to adopt healthy lifestyle changes.”
Her major fitness goal for includes hiking Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain, and publishing the experience on The Interlude.
“I also plan on mastering the art of meditation. Like a lot of lawyers, I’m not very good at switching off from work, so I’m hoping meditation can give me greater perspective.”
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