Why Lawyers Really Struggle for Work-Life Balance

Lawyer work-life balance: Why Lawyers Really Struggle.

Link Christin recently posted a fine article titled “Shoot for a Realistic Work-Life Balance.” While he does a nice job presenting practical steps you can take right now, as many firms shift away from unhealthy work models, I want to examine the root causes of these harmful models and present a process for building a more successful law firm and successful life.

Otherwise, it’s like telling someone with a broken leg to “just try to be more careful walking, and take a lot of aspirin.” Palliative, but not curative.

Let’s Address the Real Reasons Law Practices Don’t Work

What’s my definition of a practice that doesn’t work? In a phrase, it’s one with a structure that has not changed significantly since its earliest days.

When a practice is small, it’s easy for the attorney to keep track of and stay on top of a few files, and stay in communication with a few clients. But as the practice grows within the legal industry, the typical response is simply, “I have more work to do, so I have to work harder.” So, the attorney keeps working harder, adds a couple of staff, and now has both more work to do and more people to try to manage. Unfortunately, the attorney typically has no managerial skills nor a plan for growth except to “work harder, work longer.”

Soon, working nights and weekends is the norm, along with waking up at night worrying about what didn’t get done and getting calls from irritated clients.

“That’s just what it takes to have a successful practice.”

Young attorneys with lots of energy and a “sacrifice now to succeed later” mindset work long hours, try to keep that ever-expanding number of matters in mind and on their desks, and grow older. Over time, the energy and drive they had at 30 decreases. But the work — if they’re lucky — keeps expanding, and every year it becomes harder to maintain the 30-year-old’s pace.

Is it any wonder the profession has high rates of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, heart disease, divorce and suicide? Achieving a good work life balance is crucial to combat these issues. Setting boundaries, taking breaks, and communicating with employers can help cultivate a healthier work environment that allows for both hard work and personal well-being.

In the Legal Profession, Success Kills Attorney Work-Life Balance

The problem is that law school embeds a “no boundaries” mindset about the practice of law. Big exam tomorrow? Big load of assignments? Work until the wee hours, pull all-nighters and take amphetamines to keep going. Then go out for some celebratory, stress-relieving drinks afterward. Associates in large firms know that mentality continues into practice. Thrown an overwhelming load of work on a short deadline? Work until the wee hours, pull all-nighters, start missing family time and personal time, and go out for a drink after work to relax. This lack of boundaries severely impacts attorney work life balance. Well, “That’s just what it takes to succeed in the practice of law.”

In most larger firms, associates are still working in a kind of extended boot camp, where it’s “let’s see who can survive the pressure.” But for many, the alternative — starting their own firm — can be a nastier edition of the same game. Struggling to make a living. Then seeing the work expand to take over their lives — without an escape clause. They just have to keep working harder as the firm grows, because “I’m making good money, my name is on the door and I have some prestige. I can’t give that up!”

The path to achieving better work-life balance starts with refusing to accept that “this is the way we’ve always done it.”

And it starts with asking a clear question: “How do we need to operate differently so I can have my nights and weekends free again?”

Strategies for Achieving Balance

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is important for attorneys to maintain their physical and mental well-being, as well as their professional success. Here are some strategies for achieving balance:

Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing

Setting clear boundaries between work and personal life is essential for achieving a healthy work-life balance. This can be done by establishing a clear distinction between work and personal time and prioritizing tasks accordingly. For instance, attorneys can set specific hours for work and personal activities, so that they don’t overlap. Learning to say “no” to requests that don’t align with your priorities or values is also a good skill. By doing so, you can protect your personal time and focus on what matters.

Prioritizing tasks is another important aspect of achieving balance. Focus on the most important and urgent tasks first, and delegate or defer less critical tasks. This approach helps manage your workload more effectively and reduces stress. By setting boundaries and prioritizing, attorneys can create a more structured and manageable work environment, and get to a healthier work-life balance.

Effective Time Management

Effective time management is critical for achieving a healthy work-life balance. Attorneys can manage their time more efficiently by using tools such as calendars, to-do lists, and time-tracking software. Techniques like time-blocking, where specific blocks of time are dedicated to particular tasks or activities, can also be highly effective.

Leveraging technology can further enhance time management. Automating repetitive tasks, using project management software, and setting reminders and notifications can streamline workflows and free up valuable time. By managing their time more effectively, attorneys can reduce stress, increase productivity, and achieve a better work-life balance.

The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care is important for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Attorneys can prioritize self-care by getting into activities that promote physical and mental well-being, like exercise, meditation, and spending time with loved ones. Regular physical activity and meditation practices can help reduce stress and improve overall health.

Self-care is also about setting boundaries and prioritizing tasks, as well as seeking support when needed. Taking time to recharge and disconnect from work can help increased productivity and get you a better work-life balance. By making self-care a priority, attorneys can enhance their well-being and help professionally.

Seeking Support and Resources

Seeking support and resources is also important for getting healthy work-life balance. Attorneys can seek support from colleagues, mentors, and professional networks, as well as from mental health professionals and wellness experts. Building a support system can provide valuable insights, encouragement, and assistance in managing work-related stress.

Also, utilize resources like law firm wellness programs, mental health resources, and work-life balance tools and software. These resources can offer practical solutions and support for managing stress and achieving a better work-life balance. By seeking support and utilizing these resources, attorneys can see some progress with their well-being, increase in productivity, and achieve a healthier balance between their professional and personal lives.

Six Steps Toward a Successful Law Firm Owner and Successful Life

Successful lawyers learn new ways to operate their firms so they can keep building their practices while having (or recovering) a life.

At the 20,000-foot level, here are my six steps:

1. Acquire better management skills.
2. Implement better technology.
3. Create and install better systems and procedures.
4. Develop better teams — lawyers, paraprofessionals, support, contract staff — and delegate more work.
5. Build a better market focus.
6. Deliver better legal services.

Notice the placement of the element that is most lawyers’ greatest pride: legal services. Last. Why? Because most of the work of any firm is procedural and straightforward. It’s not rocket science. And frankly, if you rarely need the rocket scientist, it’s cheaper to collaborate with another firm than pay for such expertise. Conversely, if you have a practice that is all rocket science, like appellate or patent law, it’s a different animal and one that is harder to grow. So the logic for that situation is reversed. The most successful practices deliver non-rocket science services because the market is larger and the services are easier to deliver.

One Cautionary Tale

Most lawyers are cheap. They have a cash-flow mentality: “We can’t afford that.” They think of cost first and desired result … well, rarely. So even as they address any one of these six steps, they will tend to reduce their decision to the lowest — or cheapest — level. Then, when early actions fail to deliver the desired efficiencies or revenues, they will discard it as a bad deal and return to the “more work means more work” approach.

Successful attorneys (my standard: one who has a great practice and still has a great life) understand the need to look beyond costs to benefits that can increase profitability and improve everyone’s well-being. For instance, in a rising market, successful attorneys never hesitate to hire a skilled (expensive) paralegal because they know a good paralegal will be a profit center — they can and should bill about three times their salary. Successful attorneys never hesitate to make a “capital investment” in people or technology because the goal is a long-term payoff of happier clients and better, more expedited work. They also know a few tricks to manage their time more effectively and overcome challenges by learning from others’ experiences. And they never stop the quest for a better market focus and a better client base.

They don’t get stuck in “Well, that’s what we do.”

Did you get that? Capital investment. It means cost now, return later. It’s the difference between a “practice” and a “legal business.” Truly successful firms understand that to deliver the best legal services, to develop the best reputation and establish the best client base, they must have a foundation of great business practices.

“Practice” and “business” are not antithetical. They’re complementary. Collaborative. Cumulative.

Read More

I’ve been deeply invested in showing lawyers how to create better practices and lower their levels of pain and frustration. I share detailed advice on how to implement those six steps for success, here.

Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com

Subscribe to Attorney at Work

Get really good ideas every day: Subscribe to the Daily Dispatch and Weekly Wrap (it’s free). Follow us on Twitter @attnyatwork.