work life balance for attorneys

I was speaking with a coaching client last year who said, “I don’t know how to turn work off. It’s always on my mind, all the time.”

That stood out to me. 

When attorneys don’t have clear boundaries between their professional and personal life, things get overwhelming. Quickly. 

Your threshold for the amount of work you can do on a case before burning out is personal to you. There isn’t a set amount of energy expenditure or hours worked that fits everyone. This is why it’s important to do an honest inventory of what a realistic, productive work week looks like for you, and take note when the quality of your output starts to drop. More importantly, when your quality of life takes a hit. Note: Your limit is before this happens.

Frequent stressors lawyers cite are long hours, difficulty balancing work and home life, and unrealistic expectations. 

So how do we mitigate those stressors and achieve a higher quality of life while continuing to do great work?

If you’re overwhelmed, I want you to list three things that can go. Is there anything, professionally or personally, that you can get help with? Could your paralegal help with those files a little more? Could a family member watch the kids for a few hours while you catch up? 

Do you HAVE to answer that e-mail about a court date at 11:49pm when the court date is 3 months from now? 

Examples: No e-mails after 6pm, no taking files home, no negotiating on “me time” unless it’s urgent

Lawyers are high achievers, but they can’t be everything for everyone. Set your limits and follow them, and the overwhelm will start to go down.