By Courtney Brown
Graduate Fellow
Law Career
Development
The legal profession
is filled with high-achievers who often have a real passion for the work they
are doing. This leads to "working exceptionally long hours, taking on exceedingly heavy workloads,
and putting enormous pressure on themselves to excel”, which puts lawyers at
high risk for burnout.
What is Burnout?
"Burnout" was the term coined by Herbert Freudenberger,
an American psychologist, in the 1970s. Although, it is not a medical
diagnosis, the term is frequently used, especially in the legal profession. According
to the Mayo Clinic, “[j]ob burnout is a
special type of job stress—a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion
combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.”
Burnout is not simply caused by working too many hours or working too hard. It occurs when the deadlines and demands of a job exceed the rewards, recognition, and the person's ability to cope with the stress caused by the job.
What Are the Symptoms
of Burnout?
"There are three
main areas of symptoms that are considered to be signs of burnout syndrome:
- Emotional exhaustion: People feel drained and exhausted, overloaded, tired and low, and do not have enough energy. Physical problems include stomach pains and digestion problems.
- Alienation from (job-related) activities: People find their jobs increasingly negative and frustrating. They may develop a cynical attitude towards their work environment and their colleagues. They may, at the same time, increasingly distance themselves emotionally, and disengage themselves from their work.
- Reduced performance: Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work, at home or when caring for family members. People with burnout are very negative about their activities, find it hard to concentrate, are listless and lack creativity.”
How to Prevent
Burnout?
Many techniques used to prevent burnout involve decreasing workload or
taking time off of work to relax. Unfortunately for lawyers whose salaries
depend on billable hours, these techniques tend to lead to more stress.
However, there are some techniques that can be used
by lawyers to prevent burnout which will not have a damaging impact on their income:
Find or Create More Meaning
It is important to check to see whether your values conflict with your
work. For many lawyers, the meaning of their work is already there, they just
need to focus on the importance of their work. If you can’t find meaning in the work you are
doing, try to create meaning by taking on a pro bono case or shift your
practice to serve a cause you care about.
Let Go of Perfection
As lawyers, we have perfectionist tendencies. Although these tendencies
may be important when representing a client, it is important to know when
nearly perfect is necessary and when it isn’t.
Build Awareness
It is important to learn to recognize the signs that you are taking on
too much. These signs could be headaches, anger, or something else. When these
signs appear, you should identify what is causing the stress so that you can
find a solution.
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time
After about 90 minutes of focusing, we get inefficient and less
effective. It is good to take a break after those 90 minutes and recharge, such
as taking a walk or checking personal email.
How to Recover From
Burnout?
If you are feeling exhausted and unmotivated, and think you may be
experiencing burnout, there are ways to recover:
Some people decide it is necessary to step down from their jobs. Others
decide to arrange an extended vacation or sabbatical. If a long absence is not
possible, try to take at least 3-5 days away from the office so that you can
think about your priorities and goals.
It is important to take time to eat good food and get your body moving.
It will make you feel better, allow you to think clearly about your future, and
prevent illness.
Find a Hobby to
Invest In
Having variety in your life will keep your life from getting boring. It
is so easy to become laser-focused on your career and allow your life to become
nothing but work. You may feel more motivated in your actual work, when you are
investing time in a hobby you find joy in.
Help Others
Whether it is finding someone to mentor or becoming involved in a charity
that you have a passion for, helping others will help you understand the
meaning of your life.
