In the last few years, we’ve learned about how prevalent burnout is and, in the field of law, it is especially common. A survey by Bloomberg Law in May 2021, reported that attorneys felt burnt out for half during the initial quarter. In the survey, junior and mid-level associates were the most affected, with more than two-thirds reporting a decline in their overall well-being.
I think these results directly reveal the culture we’ve created in the legal profession — one that prizes individualism and encourages competition and deters any display of vulnerability. If this is the type of profession you are looking to pursue here are some tips I wish I’d given earlier.
Before taking a job offer, assess the culture of the company.
Beware of working for any law firm that is based on billable hours more than your own sanity. It’s difficult to do in the beginning, but you’re being compared to a group of very talented colleagues.
What you do to begin your career matters. The pressure to land the first job might feel more important than waiting for the chance to work at the perfect company one that is a leader in inclusion in the workplace, belonging, and the well-being of its employees. If you start working in a place that doesn’t care about you above your capabilities or care for your psychological health, it’s bound to not be sustainable in the long run.
Don’t ignore your physical triggers.
What if you’ve already found your dream job? How do you handle burning out when you work within a burnout-friendly environment?
The biggest tip I can give you is: Do not ignore the signals the body tells you. Typical symptoms of exhaustion can include high heart rates, fatigue, headaches, palpitations or sweating, or general discomfort. The symptoms can appear slowly, or as they have for me at the same time. When you’re in a stressful environment, your body moves to a state of alert. It is preparing itself to face or escape from an attack, the reaction we refer to as “fight or flight.”
Build a life outside your work.
The hard truth is that the legal profession is very draining. If you decide to become a lawyer, you are making a choice that frequently involves many hours of study to prepare for each case. Your clients may be demanding. Your work may begin with relatively low stakes but turn into stressful high-stakes situations over the course of various factors.
If you’re handling emotional-stressed cases, like a criminal defense lawyer in Jacksonville FL usually does, since it occurs frequently in criminal and family law, you may be experiencing a degree of emotional exhaustion. In these instances, it may be difficult to remove yourself from the life of the clients. To safeguard yourself and to do your job effectively you must establish healthy boundaries at work -that often means having a life and an assistance system outside of it.
You deserve a little grace.
In some legal areas there is a tendency towards perfection that is, in my experience widespread, given the circumstances, you deal with can be very important and high-risk and you’re often getting directly involved in the life of people. While attempting to be at the best level is generally good there is a risk in setting unrealistic standards and becoming too critical of yourself when you fail to reach them. This kind of pattern of behavior can be caused by anxiety, depression, and other physical as well as mental health problems.
While I am aware of the desire to succeed in every case and do the right thing for your client(s) But I’m aware from personal experience that this pressure can do more harm than good. There is no superpower in you. You can’t just flick a finger and create magic. Keep in mind that, like everyone else, you’re doing your best with the resources you have.
