We asked lawyers to share their favourite way to pamper themselves and de-stress during the long, dreary months of winter:

February is the cruelest month

"A brief respite for lovers on Valentine's Day but overall dark, dank, dreary, forlorn, cold misery abounds.

So how to survive (well, don't cry for me I live in Fort Lauderdale all winter) the bleak days of winter? A great pick-me-up when I was still in Ottawa and can easily be done anywhere across the province, is to head to the gym. Don't laugh - do some cardio, work out or take a yoga class. But the bonus is taking a long sauna or steam at the end as a reward for your hard work. It will warm you up so that you won't even mind climbing back into your snow covered car. 

Truly, doing regular exercise all winter will not only keep you in shape, but will keep you mentally balanced as well.

And if all else fails - hop a plane and I'll buy you a drink at the ocean."

- Mark Berlin, Professor of Practice, McGill University
 

Fine Dining

"I enjoy going on dates with my wife to recently opened restaurants in Toronto that are garnering either good word of mouth buzz or reviews in newspapers such as Now Magazine or the North Toronto Post on weekends. I also enjoy spending Saturdays night with my wife preparing a meal and enjoying a nice bottle of wine that I have recently read about and bought at the LCBO."

- Robert Shawyer, Shawyer Family Law & Mediation
 

Retail Therapy

"Anyone who knows me knows my favourite way to de-stress and survive the winter is shopping! I lock my office door at 5pm on a Friday, take off my Gucci heels, change into my Sketchers walking shoes and head to a nice shopping mall like Yorkdale Shopping Centre or Sherway Gardens. While I don’t always find something to buy, it’s more about escaping from my desk, stretching my legs, and being surrounded by luxury brands.”

- Harpreet K. Sidhu, General Counsel of Pethealth Inc.
 

Netflix and Chew

My ideal February pamper yourself equals schlepping my husband and kids off to my in-laws on a Saturday (after noted husband has helped me clean the house) for them to spend quality bonding time together.

I put my pajamas on, order a pizza, get a bucket of popcorn, chocolate (Ferrero Rocher) and ice cream and  watches hours of mindless reality TV or movies." 

- Elizabeth Mourao, Ricketts, Harris LLP
 

Meet Me In The Smoking Room

Although, I am not a regular smoker, I do enjoy smoking luxury cigars as a way to unwind and relax. I am a member of a prominent businessperson’s cigar club that meets a once a month, where I release the stress of being a full-time litigator.”

- Yuvraj S. Chhina, Fortis Law Practise 
 

Get Outside

"I try to get outside, even for a few minutes, even if it is absolutely frigid outside. My mood during winter improved greatly once I took up skiing and snowshoeing!"

- Susanne Gresibach, National Bank Financial