Mindful Moment

What’s a WOT? “Window of tolerance” (WOT) is a term coined by my favorite instructor of interpersonal neuropsychology, Dr. Dan Seigel. I have found that the WOT concept is extremely useful when teaching attorneys and judges stress reduction and emotional regulation tools; it helps conceptualize a zone in which we have the bandwidth to tolerate the stressors and emotions inherent in the legal field. It also helps us identify alternate zones into which we get pulled when we are outside of this bandwidth.

The basic WOT concept is that we each have three different zones of tolerance. There are variations and gradations of each zone, but the core idea is that, at any moment, you are either:

  1. Inside your WOT: You feel physically and emotionally well here; you are able to manage daily stressors and challenges effectively. You are alert but not anxious or tired. If you were a car, you would be idling in neutral—able to shift gears as needed, but your engine isn’t overly-revved while you work.
  2. Outside your WOT and over-mobilized: You feel hypervigilant, overly alert, anxious, and are likely experiencing mental overwhelm and intense emotions. You may feel mental confusion and frustration or anger. If you were a car, you would be gunning your engine and burning more fuel than you need to while heading toward a threat or zooming away fast to try to get away from it.
  3. Outside your WOT and under-mobilized: You feel emotionally overwhelmed and physically sluggish. You may feel mentally zoned out, disinterested, emotionally numb, feel like giving up altogether. If you were a car, it would feel like you ran out of gas, or someone cut your engine.

For attorneys and judges, understanding your own and others’ WOT is invaluable for working effectively. Specifically important is learning the skills of how to get back inside your WOT when stressors take you outside your WOT. If you find yourself losing focus on the task at hand, more emotionally reactive than feels comfortable (or emotionally numb), and physically showing signs of heightened stress—such as increased heart rate, sweating, rapid breathing—you’re likely outside your WOT. At that point, you need tools to help bring you back inside your WOT so that you can effectively communicate to maintain professionalism, build rapport, and allow for effective case advocacy. Being aware of your WOT can also help you be more aware of others’ WOT—which is especially important when working with clients and litigants experiencing trauma.

If you are interested in getting to know your WOT, try this:

  1. Make a list of 5-10 indicators that let you know that you’re inside your WOT when you’re working. Look for these indicators as you go through your workday. For example, steady breathing, taking time to pause before you respond, feeling at ease.
  2. Make a list of 5-10 things that habitually/consistently/dependably pull you outside of your WOT during your workday. For example: insistent clients, not having enough time, unsure how to handle a situation.
  3. Make a list of 5-10 indicators that let you know that you’re outside your WOT when you’re working. You can make a list for both over- and under-mobilized indicators. Look for these indicators as you go through your workday. For example: rushing, holding your breath, inability to focus when you feel over-mobilized; or scrolling on your phone, zoning out, wanting to take a nap to avoid things when you feel under-mobilized.
  4. Make a list of 5-10 things that you can do in two-minute spurts during your workday that consistently/dependably help you get back inside your WOT if you get pulled into over-mobilization. For example: walking away from the computer to get fresh air, closing your eyes, taking 5 deep breaths with long exhales.
  5. Make a separate list of 5-10 things that you can do in two-minute spurts during your workday that consistently/dependably help you get back inside your WOT if you get pulled into under-mobilization. Examples could include: jumping jacks, taking a break from the stressor and doing something that is interesting to you, asking for help.

It’s necessary to tend to your WOT continuously: take a few moments for a WOT check-in before and after work, between client matters, and during restroom and meal breaks. Tending to your WOT—and helping clients identify their own bandwidth—helps to integrate the emotional and psychological aspects of legal cases, alongside the legal and procedural aspects. Ultimately, attorneys and judges who understand the concept of a person’s window of tolerance can navigate legal proceedings more effectively, provide more empathetic and supportive client representation, and contribute to their own well-being and to the overall well-being of individuals involved in legal matters. Over time, understanding and tending to your WOT builds emotional and mental resilience that allows your “car” to get the best gas mileage while cruising down the road enjoying the ride.

Laura Mahr is a North Carolina and Oregon lawyer and the founder of Conscious Legal Minds LLC, providing well-being consulting, training, and resilience coaching for attorneys and law offices nationwide. Through the lens of neurobiology, Laura helps build strong leaders, happy lawyers, and effective teams. Her work is informed by 13 years of practice as a civil sexual assault attorney, 25 years as a teacher and student of mindfulness and yoga, and eight years studying neurobiology and neuropsychology with clinical pioneers. If you are interested in learning more about Laura’s CLE offerings that grow your team’s window of tolerance and build resilience, contact Laura through consciouslegalminds.com.

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