The stress of practicing law is overwhelming much of the time. Between the money pressure, the client pressure, and the pressure of being responsible for your staff, it’s sometimes crushing. There are days where showing up is all you can do. It’s no wonder substance abuse is such an issue in the profession.
Here are seven things you can do right now that will help reduce the stress and make your work more manageable.
1. Fire a client. Pick your worst client—the one driving you and your team insane—and call him or her and refer the client out. Tell the client that it’s time for you to go your separate ways. One fewer client won’t break you, and that client is causing you the trouble of five clients. Send the client packing. Getting rid of this one awful client will make room for several new clients who won’t drive you nuts.
2. Have the conversation. There is an issue between you and one of your key assistants or attorneys. You’ve been holding off on discussing it. You’re waiting on the right time. Unfortunately, the right time isn’t going to come. Go ahead and have the conversation now. Get it over with, and you’ll feel the relief of having it behind you. These conversations are never as bad as we imagine.
3. Book a vacation. You should always have a vacation on the calendar. If you don’t have one booked right now, then go ahead and plan something. If you’ve got kids, then book something to a beach or a Disney resort. If you’re kidless, then plan the trip to that spot you’ve been meaning to visit. Life is short, and now is the time to visit that place you’ve been dreaming about.
4. Hire a virtual assistant. Find someone good and bring the person on to your team. Then, when you’re on overload and everyone on your team is on overload, you’ll have someone to turn to for help. You won’t pay for the help unless you use it, and you won’t use it unless you really need it. Go ahead and line someone up now so you’ll know you can deal with the chaos when it comes.
5. Schedule a physical. Most lawyers I talk to haven’t had a physical exam in as long as they can remember. Most lawyers also have some health concern they aren’t addressing. Go ahead and book the appointment for an exam and let the doctor order the necessary lab work and do the necessary tests. You’ll gain some peace of mind when you determine that you’re in good health and are going to stay alive a bit longer.
6. Write down everything you need to do. A good task list will go a long way in reducing your stress. Get in the habit of writing down everything you need to do. Knowing you’ve got everything on the list helps you relax, and you won’t find yourself up in the middle of the night worrying about what you’ve forgotten.
7. Start interviewing replacements. There’s a person on your team that you can’t imagine losing. If he or she were to quit, then you’d be lost, right? Wrong. You’ll survive the loss of anyone, and you’ll keep chugging along. Stop worrying about the loss and start interviewing replacements. You don’t need to hire the replacement yet, but knowing that there are plenty of great people out there who can take the job will make you feel better. If you keep interviewing and always have a plan to replace the key employee, then you won’t be nearly as worried as you are now. While you’re at it, ask that key employee to write a “drop-dead” manual for his or her job, “just in case.”
Stress is manageable: after all, it’s all in your head. Take these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to reducing your stress and feeling better about your practice.
