I’m a family law litigator, so high levels of stress are simply part of the job. I’ve observed that many attorneys, especially litigators, are terrible at dealing with anxiety and stress. The root of this problem is likely a combination of disorganization, not keeping a healthy work-life balance and not practicing self-care. In the long run, being able to handle this type of job without burnout or negative health effects requires learning to successfully manage that stress.
For me, one of the biggest sources of my stress was not turning off work when I got home. Early in my career, I used to give my cellphone number to clients and check my work email nonstop. I would get calls and texts from clients at 2 a.m. with issues that I could do nothing to fix in the middle of the night. I now am firm in not giving out my cellphone number or having my phone set up to check work emails. A client with an emergency can speak with our after-hours receptionist, who will contact an attorney in a true emergency. Clients understand that not being accessible 24/7 enables me to recharge and to do the best job on their cases, so this has not had any negative effect on client satisfaction.
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