Work v. Life: T'is the Stressful Season

More than any other holiday, this time of year can be the most difficult time to strike that work/life balance.  Cases that were relatively quiet might suddenly flare up.  Holiday plans with family might change six or seven times.  You waited until the last minute to get your shopping done - again.  This can be a stressful time for any attorney and even more so for the sole practitioner.  The current economic situation only adds to that stress.  However, the key to remember here is that lawyers are trained to solve problems.  It's what we do: we solve other people's problems.  Client stress levels about their case decrease when they see that their attorney is taking a proactive approach to resolving their problem.  Being proactive in managing our work/life balance may be of similar benefit, especially during the holidays.

Some ways of being more proactive in managing your schedule and holiday work/life stress may include:

1.  Subtly and politely remind your clients that, like them, you have a life too.  This can be accomplished by simply telling them that you'll be out of the office for a few days.  Let the client know which day you'll be back in the office and whether you can be reached via email (or cell phone, if your client does not have email access) in case of an emergency.  

2.  Don't put off today what you'll end up having to work on during the holidays.  The nature of our profession and limited hours in the day forces us to prioritize our daily tasks.  Inevitably, something gets pushed to the back burner.  Take a look at anything that will be due immediately after the holidays and move those items up the priority line.  

3.  Make efficient use of your "down time."  Those with public defender or prosecution backgrounds likely already know this concept well.  How many times have you sat in the courtroom for long periods of time, waiting for your case to get called up for a hearing?  While you won't always know whether you will have a lot or a little "down time," bring some work from the office anyway.  You might be surprised by how much you get accomplished.  

4.  Keep each other in the loop.  Scheduling conflicts are among the greatest stressors in the work/life balance struggle.  By keeping your loved ones in the loop as to what's going on with your work schedule you can avoid being double-booked.  Of course, this applies in reverse to our spouses and family.  

5.  Keep the holiday spirit in mind.  At some point in our careers we learn the meaning of the phrase, "you reap what you sow."  Pushing the adversarial nature of our legal system to the point of all out war with your opposing counsel is a great way to add to the holiday stress.  Extend professional courtesy to the other side to the extent that your ethical duties to your client allow.  Don't earn the reputation of being the attorney that ruins other lawyers' Christmas.  

While it's impossible to avoid bringing some work with you during the holidays, the amount of that work can be successfully managed by being proactive.  Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.