Lawyer Organization Tips: 5 Organizational Skills for Lawyers

When it comes to lawyer organization, we all have the same amount of time. Here are five things hyper-productive people do every day.

When you think of organizational skills for lawyers, you probably think first of the physical things: an uncluttered office, pristine case files, and the ability to find exactly what you’re looking for exactly when you need it. But critical organizational skills also include time management, strategic planning, the ability to set priorities, and self-care. Here are five things hyper-productive people do every day to maximize their results and build successful law practices.

Lawyer Organization Tip No. 1: Stick With Daily Routines

Twenty-four hours in a day. We all have the same amount of time. But some people seem to get so much more done in their hours than others. Their secret: Consistency and routine. One effective method to enhance productivity is using a time blocking tool to allocate specific times for different tasks throughout the day.

Morning Routine

While many of us start the workday with online news or by immediately digging into emails, I suggest you ditch that habit. What starts as just a few minutes catching up can often turn into hours down a rabbit hole. A 2019 annual email usage study by Adobe found the average person spends more than five hours per weekday on email.

If you must start with email, make it a quick skim to ensure you aren’t missing an important message from a boss or client, then get on with your work.

I typically start my day with a three- to five-item priority list that I created the day before. This is not my entire “to-do” list. But the priority list reflects the things that absolutely must get done.

My favorite way to start work is with a writing project for a client or an article or book I’m working on. While my mind feels fresh and the day is full of possibilities, the writing seems to flow. After writing for an hour or two, I need to stretch, get water, and walk for a few minutes to get the blood flowing. Then I return to the writing project or use a scheduled block of time to return calls or emails.

While I don’t follow my routine every day, I am more productive on the days that I do. The productive morning then sets the tone for the rest of the day.

(Using legal practice management software can help streamline your morning tasks by automating time tracking and document management, allowing you to focus on your priority list.)

Nightly Wind-Down Routine

I got the idea of a wind-down routine from my writing coach, Daphne Gray-Grant. Daphne is a believer in the discipline needed for writing, but many of her suggestions work for anyone who needs discipline to succeed in their career.

The wind-down routine helps me clear my brain for the remainder of my evening — which is particularly important when working from home with only one flight of stairs as my commute. I make sure that I leave my desk neat, that I’ve checked items off my priority list and have created my priority list for the following day. Part of my wind-down routine includes filing any loose documents to ensure my workspace remains organized and clutter-free. The sense of satisfaction I gain during the wind-down routine is important for separating the workday from my personal time.

While Daphne acknowledges the value of using an end-of-day ritual to plan for the next day, she says, “I’ve never been drawn to that. I find it invigorating to plan my day in the morning so I can get excited about what I’m going to accomplish that day.”

While I appreciate her approach, Daphne is an admitted “morning lark.” I prefer to set my priorities the day before, so there is a plan in place when I sit down at the computer. With experimentation, you will find the system that works best for you.

I start my wind-down routine about 30 to 45 minutes before the end of my day. While your routine will be different, here’s a look at mine:

• Do a final review of email.
• Review and check off today’s priority list.
• Create tomorrow’s priority list.
• Shut down the computer.
• Leave work behind and focus on family, friends and self.

Lawyer Organization Tip No. 2: Trade Your To-Do List for Your Calendar

Peter Bregman, the author of “Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Replace Counter-Productive Habits with Ones That Really Work,” suggests rather than working from a to-do list, we put the tasks on a calendar, which serves as our blueprint for the day.

“The reason we’re always left with unfinished items on our to-do lists is because those lists are the wrong tool to drive our accomplishments. Decide when and where you will do something, and the likelihood that you’ll follow through increases dramatically,” he writes.

Calendars help you prioritize, says Bregman. “A calendar is finite; there are only a certain number of hours in a day. That fact becomes clear the instant we try to cram an unrealistic number of things into a finite space.”

Daphne agrees that structuring your day is essential. “My productivity took a huge leap as soon as I started using time-blocking. Each morning I take five minutes to plan. First, I decide on my three to five priorities for that day. Then, I schedule when I’m going to do them by entering my tasks (not just meetings, but tasks) into a daily calendar that’s divided into 30-minute chunks. This is one of my best tips for writing from home.”

Daphne and I both love the Pomodoro method as a productivity tool. Pomodoro is the practice of devoting 25 minutes to a task. It’s perfect for writing, and it’s a great way to manage email. Most productive people only check their email a few times a day. Schedule email management on your calendar and use a Pomodoro timer to guide you quickly through the process.

Lawyer Organization Tip No. 3: Differentiate Between Important and Urgent for Better Time Management

Productive people understand the difference between important and urgent tasks. In the legal field, we are often putting out fires. Sometimes these emergencies are real; they arise unexpectedly and have to be dealt with. But often, we become accustomed to constantly working on deadline, and it becomes our default. It is hard to innovate or take your practice to the next level if you are stuck in the moment. Developing a proactive mindset rather than a reactive mindset is an important skill for successful lawyers.

(Law practice management software can assist in prioritizing tasks by categorizing them based on their importance and urgency.)

Lawyer Organization Tip No. 4: Work on Your Firm, Not Just in Your Firm

You’ve heard it before: Successful lawyers devote time to building their business, not just working in their business.

One of the best lawyer organization tips is to devote time to sharpening your business skills. Consider scheduling regular time away from your office to work on your law firm. Work from a conference center or hotel space or reward yourself with a trip to a resort. Every quarter or at least once or twice a year, take a few days to read the latest business book, attend a business-focused educational program, and devote time to creating a business plan, mission statement and yearly goals.

(Effective organization for lawyers is key to building a successful practice and gaining long-term growth.)

Lawyer Organization Tip No. 5: Practice Self-Care

Much has been written about the importance of getting enough sleep. During the pandemic, I have slept more than usual. In talking with my doctor about it, she assured me it was healthy. During sleep, our bodies rest, rejuvenate and heal. For most people, living through the pandemic has taken an emotional, mental and physical toll — getting plenty of rest is key to well-being.

Exercise is another key component of wellness and self-care. Because I have not been going to the gym during the pandemic, I bought a small set of weights to keep in my home office. I use the weights and floor exercises and stretching in five- to 10-minute increments three times a day. I use my Fitbit to provide reminders every 50 minutes to get up and move around. Sometimes, I just head downstairs for water or a snack. Other times, I’ll run out to check the mail. But at least three times a day, I perform my at-home exercise routine to keep me moving and my head clear.

Whether you add these skills to your routine or establish your own, organizational habits and schedules will improve your efficiency and productivity.

(Maintaining an organized workspace can significantly reduce stress and enhance productivity, contributing to overall well-being.)

Additional Lawyer Organization Tips

Organization is the foundation of any successful law firm. In today’s legal profession, being organized is not just about having a tidy desk; it’s about having robust systems and processes to manage cases, deadlines and documents. An organized law firm can increase client satisfaction by ensuring cases run smoothly and deadlines are met without last minute panics. That’s more productive and less stressful for everyone.

Plus, being organized can make a law firm more attractive to potential clients. When clients see a firm is organized they are more likely to trust it to do their legal work properly. In a competitive market that’s a key factor in winning new business and staying ahead of the competition. By focusing on organization, law firms can create a more productive less stressful environment for clients and staff.

Important vs Urgent

In the legal profession, being able to differentiate between important and urgent tasks is key to managing your workload. Important tasks are those that impact your cases or clients, like preparing for a trial or drafting a key contract. Urgent tasks need attention now but may not contribute to long term goals, like a sudden client query or an unexpected admin issue.

To manage your time effectively, prioritize important tasks and delegate or defer the less critical ones. This way you stay focused on what really matters and avoid last minute scrambles. Using a to-do list or task management tool can be really helpful in categorizing your tasks. Allocate specific time blocks for important tasks and make sure urgent but less critical tasks don’t derail your schedule. This way you’ll be more productive and working towards your long term goals all the time.

Tools and Technology

Using Project Management Tools

In today’s law practice, project management tools are a must for managing multiple cases, deadlines and tasks. Tools like Trello, Asana and Basecamp allow you to create and assign tasks, set deadlines and track progress in real time. These tools are designed to streamline your workflow, reduce errors and improve collaboration within your team. By using project management tools law firms can ensure every task is accounted for and completed on time and client satisfaction will increase.

Cloud Storage and Automation

Cloud storage solutions like Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive give you secure and easy access to your digital files anywhere. This is especially useful for lawyers who need to access case files and documents on the go. Automation tools like Zapier and IFTTT can also help you automate repetitive tasks like document generation and time tracking. By using cloud storage and automation you can save time on administrative tasks and focus on high value tasks that require your legal expertise. This will increase productivity and a more organized and efficient law practice.

Photo by Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

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