Unlocking time: Achieving work-life balance to prioritize what matters most

If there’s one thing that unites solo attorneys and lawyers at small law firms across the country, it might be this: Most, if not all, of them feel like there is never enough time in the day. No matter the practice area or geographic market, lawyers regularly report feeling strapped for time — and that isn’t good on either a professional or personal level.

We can’t put more hours in your day—no one can—but what we can do is support you as you reframe your thinking and make your well-being part of your professional goals. In the 2023 U.S. State of Small Law Firms report, 84% of respondents say they consider work-life balance to be one indicator of success in their professional lives. That’s all well and good, but it’s also easier said than done, especially in a profession notorious for burning the candle at both ends.

In this blog post, we’ll share some strategies that might help give you time back in your day and achieve a more harmonious work-life balance.

Plan out personal time

Being around people you love can cut down on stress, strengthen emotional bonds, and serve as a positive reminder that work isn’t everything. It might not be easy to find the time with a workload like yours, so one approach you could try is to make an appointment with yourself, more or less. Remember to protect your time. If you schedule and prioritize having lunch with a friend or arranging an outing with your family, it’s more likely that you will do it and have an improved work-life balance.

Can AI do it for you?

There are many things artificial intelligence (AI) can do, including increasing your well-being, jump-starting your content marketing plans, and transforming your legal drafting workflow. For example, if you need to write an article for an alumni publication, an AI tool could proofread your copy to make it less dense and more accessible to the average reader. AI can’t do your work for you, but it can make many elements of your work easier.

Take stock of where you’re losing time

Think about your average workday or work week. What’s taking up a lot of time for little payoff? Maybe it’s office administrative work, or maybe it’s a new business development venture that sounded good in theory but turned out to be less than that in practice. It isn’t possible to be 100% productive, of course, and low-value work can’t always be avoided. Even so, it’s worth taking a look at what’s eating away at your resources and get more time and energy back by delegating it, hiring a vendor, or changing your approach to improve your work-life balance.

Add something new to the mix

It might feel odd to add more tasks to your busy schedule but consider trying a new hobby or rekindling a pastime you once enjoyed. A recent study reported on by Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing found that “as compared to people who didn’t have hobbies, those who did reported better health, more happiness, fewer symptoms of depression, and higher life satisfaction.” This was an observational study and shouldn’t be taken to mean that hobbies automatically mean a greater degree of well-being, but it should be taken as evidence that a life outside of work can greatly enhance your life overall.

Know when to call it quits

Lawyers don’t like to admit when something has failed. But if there’s an aspect of your practice that hasn’t yielded dividends and is sapping your time and energy, it might be wiser to let it go. For example, if you’ve been giving free monthly informational sessions on a certain type of law for eight months and haven’t gotten a single signed engagement letter, it would be OK to stop doing that. It might help to change your perspective from “that failed” to “that doesn’t make sense anymore.” Looking at things from a strategic and practical perspective often helps reduce the feeling of not winning.

Ultimately, the most important thing to remember is that you need a healthy work-life balance to be the best lawyer you can be. By prioritizing your well-being, you’ll not only enhance your professional effectiveness but also enrich your personal life. Your clients, your practice, and your loved ones need you, and you can’t be there for them if you are constantly burned out, stressed, or trapped behind your desk.

The legal marketing experts at FindLaw are here to help you grow your business so you can have a life. Get started by scheduling a free consultation today.