The always-on lawyer risks burnout and decreased satisfaction, but you don’t have to live that way
Too long in the law industry, success has equaled long hours and a relentless climb up the partnership ladder, but now you can say goodbye to the myth of the always-on lawyer. As an independent attorney, you have the ability to reclaim your time and your life, and you can do things your way.
Big law vs. independent law
Size does matter when it comes to law firms, and bigger definitely doesn’t equal better in terms of lawyer work-life balance. Check out these stats quoted by Clio:
“The size of their practice significantly impacts how many hours lawyers typically work each week. For example:
- Lawyers at small- and medium-sized firms work an average of 42-54 hours per week.
- Lawyers at large firms work an average of 66 hours per week.
Among lawyers, those at Big Law firms often work the most hours, with many commonly working 80-hour weeks, in large part because of billable hour quotas.”
In addition, those longer hours often lead to more stress and burnout for many lawyers. Surveys of lawyers show consistent trends toward burnout, with significant consequences that include:
- Depression and anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Lack of life satisfaction
- Mental health declines
- Physical symptoms like headaches
- Substance abuse
Lawyers in independent practice and small law firms can also experience overwork and burnout; however, a strategic approach to developing a healthy law firm culture can help alleviate the problem.
Small law firm culture
If you run your own law firm or work with a small team of lawyers, you have much greater control or influence over the firm’s culture. Decide now to make work-life alignment a key priority for your firm.
Writing for Thomson Reuters, Paula Davis of the Stress and Resilience Institute notes that leaders need to take a values-aligned approach to building a firm’s culture:
“People want a sense of purpose and meaning in their work, and legal leaders need to be able to connect the dots to this higher level of aspiration. While meaning and values alignment are important generally, they are critical must-haves for younger Millennials and Gen Z workers.
Great leadership has always been needed for companies and firms to grow and thrive, but the how of going about it has changed. To be able to effectively lead as the legal landscape continues to evolve, leaders need a blueprint that will give them the tools to: i) address the root causes of both stress and high-performance; ii) build thriving teams that stay engaged, connected, and inspired; and iii) help their teams adapt to and navigate change, complexity, and uncertainty.”
Planning ahead for how you will approach change and uncertainty, for both yourself and your team, can go a long way toward preventing stress and burnout.
Reclaiming your personal life
As business owners, many of us fall into the trap of overwork in the pursuit of our business’ success. However, logging more hours simply leads to more stress and dissatisfaction. As counterintuitive as it might feel, taking breaks and cultivating a life outside of work actually supports business success. A refreshed you feels more positive, creative and ready to take on the challenges of the day.
Start small and rebuild your personal life in meaningful ways. Think about:
- Passions and hobbies you haven’t pursued in awhile
- People you want to see more
- Learning opportunities that fuel your mind and body
- Small positive habits that can help you slow down and stay in the moment
- Big plans for travel, adventure or creative pursuits
Pick one area and make a small, actionable plan for how to devote more time to it: Book a coffee with a friend, linger over breakfast 10 minutes longer or start perusing travel websites. What would bring you back to you?
Our biggest practical tip for creating a sane law practice
Creating a values-aligned law practice means setting goals around financial and business success alongside personal fulfillment goals. Doing so means finding ways to deliver excellent client service efficiently. It also means setting clear boundaries around your time and sticking to it.
Beyond those fundamentals, we believe that there’s a key component that many independent lawyers miss: community. Building your law practice alongside other likeminded law entrepreneurs offers so many benefits, including:
- A source of referrals
- Support when you have questions about running a business
- Feeling less isolated in your work
- A collaborative network that expands your reach
- Positive peer pressure to clock out and go enjoy your personal time
Working in a coworking community or shared office setting can give you instant access to this invaluable community.
Ready to create a sane law firm culture and define your own success as an independent lawyer? Reach out to us to learn more about our lawyer coworking and lawyer shared office spaces in Denver and Las Vegas.
