In the past few years, we’ve come to realize how prevalent burnout is and, in the field of law, this is especially so. A study conducted by Bloomberg Law in May 2021 found that lawyers felt burnt out for half of the first quarter of the year. The survey found that junior and mid-level associates were especially hard hit, with more than two-thirds reporting a decline in their overall well-being. The only ones that felt good were the ones working at the office of a bankruptcy lawyer in Jacksonville FL.
I believe that these findings directly reflect the culture we’ve built in the law profession — one that encourages individualism and competition promotes conflict and discourages any show of vulnerability. If this is the kind of career you’re looking to pursue, here is some advice that I wish I’d given earlier.
Before taking a job, gauge the company culture.
Avoid working for a law firm that values billable hours above your personal sanity. It’s difficult to do in the beginning, but you’re fighting with exceptionally talented colleagues.
The way you begin your career matters. The stress of landing that first gig may feel more significant than waiting at the perfect company, a firm that prioritizes inclusion as well as the well-being of its employees. If you’re starting out at a place of work that doesn’t care about your abilities beyond what they are or takes care of your psychological well-being, it’s likely to be unsustainable in the long term.
Do not ignore your physical triggers.
What if you’ve already found an employment opportunity? What are the best ways to handle burnout when you’re working within a burnout-friendly environment?
The biggest piece of advice that I can provide is to not ignore what the body tells you. Typical signs of exhaustion include the following: an increase in heart rate pain, fatigue, palpitations or sweating, and general discomfort. These signs can manifest gradually, or as they did for me, suddenly. If you’re facing a stressful environment, your body moves into a state that is high alert. It’s preparing itself to face or escape from an attack, the reaction we call “fight or flight.”
Make time for yourself outside of your work.
The hard truth is that the legal profession can be extremely draining. When you choose to be a lawyer, you are taking a decision that usually demands long hours to study and prepare for every case. Some clients are demanding. Your projects can begin as fairly low stakes and transform into high-risk, stressful situations in a matter of hours, based on many factors.
If you’re dealing with emotionally tense cases, which happen often in criminal and family law, you may also experience a level of emotional exhaustion. In these situations, it can become difficult to detach yourself from the life and lives of the people you represent. To protect yourself, and to do your job effectively, you have to set healthy boundaries at work — and this often means having a life and a support system outside of it.
You deserve a little grace.
In some areas of law that require perfection, this tendency is, as I’ve observed not uncommon — especially since the cases you’re dealing with have to demand and you’re frequently directly involved in the personal daily lives of actual people. Although attempting to do your very best is generally beneficial but the problem is creating unrealistic expectations and then becoming too critical of yourself when you don’t meet them. This kind of pattern of behavior can be related to depression, anxiety, and other physical and mental health problems.
Although I fully understand the desire to succeed in every case and do good for your client(s) However, I’ve seen from experience that this pressure can do worse harm than good. You’re not a superhero. You’re not able to just use a magic wand to get things to work. Keep in mind that, like everyone else, you’re making the best of your abilities with the resources you have.