Cure For The Lazy Lawyer Syndrome

By Chuck Newton

You know what a syndrome is?

Well, medically or psychologically speaking syndrome refers to the association of several clinically recognizable features or signs (discovered by a physician) or symptoms (reported by the patient) which often occur together so that the presence of one feature alerts the medical practitioner to the presence of the others.

But, with lazy lawyer syndrome you do not need a physician.  You know something is wrong.  You intend to get into work early to catch up, but fail to do so.  You just cannot seem to make yourself finish that brief that is due in a week.  You avoid phone calls you know you should take.  You take a phone call and you know should make a note, but you just cannot make yourself get around to it.  Then you forget the necessary details. You know you should call your client, but it is so-o-o-o inconvenient.  You start to feel overwhelmed and you cannot find a starting place from which to even begin to catch up.  You are just feeling tired, depressed and rundown.  Vitamins do not seem to help much.

I am tempted to tell you to eat a cheesecake, take a nap, and let it pass.  A great start by the way, but we all know that really will not solve the entire problem.

I have got some good news.  You are not lazy.  You are burned out.

Work-life blending or balance sometimes gets confused with let me work all of the damn time.  Let me be on call 24/7.  Look, you are not some call center operator in Bombay.  You are a dedicated attorney but you have perverted the concept of solo practice and the work/life experience.  And now you are paying for it with your lethargic self.

Look, sometimes it cannot be helped.  This last week I have been preparing for an upcoming trial.  It has taken its toll.  But, you cannot let yourself get into a rut.  Most of the time you just have to make yourself do better.

My suggestion is that you will feel better about yourself, your practice and your competence if you will concentrate harder on the practice of law for shorter periods of time.  When you are in the zone, be in the zone.  Focus, but not so long that you get eye strain.  When you are at home, be at home.  Try, for example, working just four days a week on most weeks, but hit it hard during those four days.  Or, take needed breaks.  In the Summer I like to take off a little early and go to the community pool for a dip.  My wife and I like to sneak out of the office to watch cheap film matinées.   There is nothing better than sneaking a soda and Junior Mints into a $4 movie to get your mind off work for a little while.  It is great to be connected all of the time, but you need to disconnect sometimes.  Just stand up from your desk unexpectedly and go home and mow your yard.  Is there anything more cathartic than a power washer and a dirty house?  I think not.  You will be more enthusiastic about your work when you get back.

Here is something that I blogged about on my own blog - take a nap!   Do not apologize for it.  Do not try to hide the fact.  Just take a freakin' nap.  You need it.  You deserve it.  It is restful.  It will allow your thoughts to organize.  It will put you in a better frame of mind.  And, not just on the weekends.  It does not have to be a long nap.  Even a five minute nap can be refreshing.  Some people refer to it as "meditating".  Whatever.  I would rather meditate in the prone position with a pillow under my fat head, but that is just me.

My point is really this, give into your laziness every now and then so that you are not the lazy lawyer all of the time.  Short times away from your work (and I mean absolutely disconnecting from your work) will help you to be more productive and energetic back at your work.

You do not have to leave town to get away.  Just leave work.  You do not have to be gone all day long.  Just be gone.

And, this advice goes for home office lawyers, connected lawyers and Third Wave lawyers especially.

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