Turn Off the Phone—and Work—at Home
Being able to handle this type of job without burnout or negative health effects requires learning to successfully manage stress.
August 15, 2018 at 04:38 PM
3 minute read
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.
At the office, if I feel stressed about being pulled in too many places, I will close my office door for some uninterrupted work time. I may also take a break at lunchtime and leave the office. Sometimes just a change of scenery and getting a bit of sunlight can reduce my stress levels, and I come back to the office recharged. When I am in court, the best relief for stress and anxiety for me is adequate preparation. If I know all of the facts and go into the courtroom organized, there is no reason for an extreme stress level.
(When I was a brand-new attorney, I was often overprepared—which led to sleepless nights and even more stress). Another stress reliever for me is to bring my lunch to court so that during breaks I can find a quiet place to sit, unwind and recharge.
In addition to addressing my own stress levels, I also am cognizant of how my staff and co-workers are doing. I meet with my associates individually once a week to discuss particular challenges in cases so we can work through them together. I also ask about any concerns or difficulties they have had in the past week that they wish to discuss, whether professional or personal. Managers have a responsibility to keep the lines of communication open and keep an eye on all of our team members to make sure they are managing stress and have all the support they need to be their best and most productive self.
Jeanette Soltys is managing attorney of the Atlanta Divorce Law Group.
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
You Might Like
View AllCould Everything Be Alright Without Me Knowing? The State of Professionalism Among Attorneys
Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season: Mediating First Party Property Insurance Claims
Trending Stories
- 1Decision of the Day: Administrative Court Finds Prevailing Wage Law Applies to Workers Who Cleaned NYC Subways During Pandemic
- 2Trailblazing Broward Judge Retires; Legacy Includes Bush v. Gore
- 3Federal Judge Named in Lawsuit Over Underage Drinking Party at His California Home
- 4'Almost an Arms Race': California Law Firms Scooped Up Lateral Talent by the Handful in 2024
- 5Pittsburgh Judge Rules Loan Company's Online Arbitration Agreement Unenforceable
Who Got The Work
Michael G. Bongiorno, Andrew Scott Dulberg and Elizabeth E. Driscoll from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr have stepped in to represent Symbotic Inc., an A.I.-enabled technology platform that focuses on increasing supply chain efficiency, and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The case, filed Oct. 2 in Massachusetts District Court by the Brown Law Firm on behalf of Stephen Austen, accuses certain officers and directors of misleading investors in regard to Symbotic's potential for margin growth by failing to disclose that the company was not equipped to timely deploy its systems or manage expenses through project delays. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, is 1:24-cv-12522, Austen v. Cohen et al.
Who Got The Work
Edmund Polubinski and Marie Killmond of Davis Polk & Wardwell have entered appearances for data platform software development company MongoDB and other defendants in a pending shareholder derivative lawsuit. The action, filed Oct. 7 in New York Southern District Court by the Brown Law Firm, accuses the company's directors and/or officers of falsely expressing confidence in the company’s restructuring of its sales incentive plan and downplaying the severity of decreases in its upfront commitments. The case is 1:24-cv-07594, Roy v. Ittycheria et al.
Who Got The Work
Amy O. Bruchs and Kurt F. Ellison of Michael Best & Friedrich have entered appearances for Epic Systems Corp. in a pending employment discrimination lawsuit. The suit was filed Sept. 7 in Wisconsin Western District Court by Levine Eisberner LLC and Siri & Glimstad on behalf of a project manager who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after applying for a religious exemption to the defendant's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The case, assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor, is 3:24-cv-00630, Secker, Nathan v. Epic Systems Corporation.
Who Got The Work
David X. Sullivan, Thomas J. Finn and Gregory A. Hall from McCarter & English have entered appearances for Sunrun Installation Services in a pending civil rights lawsuit. The complaint was filed Sept. 4 in Connecticut District Court by attorney Robert M. Berke on behalf of former employee George Edward Steins, who was arrested and charged with employing an unregistered home improvement salesperson. The complaint alleges that had Sunrun informed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection that the plaintiff's employment had ended in 2017 and that he no longer held Sunrun's home improvement contractor license, he would not have been hit with charges, which were dismissed in May 2024. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, is 3:24-cv-01423, Steins v. Sunrun, Inc. et al.
Who Got The Work
Greenberg Traurig shareholder Joshua L. Raskin has entered an appearance for boohoo.com UK Ltd. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The suit, filed Sept. 3 in Texas Eastern District Court by Rozier Hardt McDonough on behalf of Alto Dynamics, asserts five patents related to an online shopping platform. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap, is 2:24-cv-00719, Alto Dynamics, LLC v. boohoo.com UK Limited.
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250