Most lawyers believe that their biggest asset is TIME. This is understandable because they often charge per hour.
However, the difference that makes a significant impact on the quality of their life, which goes beyond billing, is not TIME but HOW they spend it.
The TOP thing that influences how you spend your TIME (and that forms the backbone of my entire method LAW-LIFE SUCCESS CODE) is FOCUS.
And no – focus is not just about switching off notifications on your phone and working distraction-free.
In my legal time-management method LAW-LIFE SUCCESS CODE there are 3 TYPES OF FOCUS you NEED TO MASTER in order to:
- manage your attention in a world where being distracted is a norm,
- leverage your time for optimal productivity & to increase quality of your service
- have more free time for yourself / greater work life balance as a lawyer.
Let’s look into:
- what they are
- why they are relevant for you as a lawywe
- and how you can enhance them
- HIGH LEVEL FOCUS: VISION
If you do not know where you are going, no productivity tool can get you there faster.
That’s when having a bigger picture vision comes into play. It gives you clarity that is necessary to efficiently use productivity tools and measure your progress.
Practically speaking, this clarity sustains your motivation and discipline, offering context and meaning to tasks that may not be immediately enjoyable but are undeniably beneficial in the long run. This holds especially true for lawyers who endure extensive training, bar exams, and studies to realize their dream career. Having a vision gives you an essential sense of purpose.
The concept extends to work-life balance. Lawyers may seem unbalanced in the moment, often working long hours, but they can achieve equilibrium in the grander scheme of things. Their dedication to demanding work provides lucrative compensation, offering lifestyle improvements and future opportunities.
Keeping your overarching life vision and long-term benefits in mind makes the “challenges” more manageable, preventing you from feeling like you’re suffering aimlessly. This perspective calms the nervous system, shifts your outlook, and equips you to navigate both professional and personal tumult with resilience.
Finally, having a clear long term vision will help you to maintain the right focus and effectively manage your attention.
HERE’S HOW TO CREATE THE VISION:
Imagine if you had the best three years of your life – how would your life look? What would have happened?
What would your career have looked like, and what would you have achieved?
THEN (and this is important), tie this vision to the present day and set three immediate priorities that you are committed to doing to get you closer to that vision.
2. DEEP LEVEL FOCUS – CONCENTRATION
This is a focus on a deep level.
In a world where distractions abound, the ability to maintain focus is a crucial skill. Concentration on a specific task at hand is fundamental for productivity and stress management. It will enable you to work efficiently, complete tasks with greater accuracy, increase the quality of your work, and minimize the anxiety induced by multitasking and constant interruption.
By immersing yourself in a single task and minimizing the influence of omnipresent distractions, you can better manage your workload, enhance productivity, and ultimately reduce stress levels, ensuring that their efforts are both purposeful and efficient.
HERE’S HOW TO PRACTICE DEEP FOCUS:
Singular focus – set a clear goal and select a single task to complete. Avoid multitasking.
Manage distractions – Put your phone on airplane mode, turn off notifications, and close all the tabs/apps you do not need.
Time frame – Set a specific time block to work on the task. Set a timer (I recommend 50 minutes) and stay in deep engagement with the task for the entire time.
Energy management – After the timer goes off – take a break.
Repeat.
3. ONGOING FOCUS & CONSISTENCY – PLAN B
In the legal profession, where lawyers frequently encounter unforeseen situations and tasks, maintaining focus amid these unexpected events becomes even more critical. The nature of legal work often involves rapid adaptations to new developments, emergent issues, or last-minute client demands. Despite the inherent challenges, lawyers must strive to keep their attention unwavering. A strong ability to maintain focus amidst these unexpected situations not only ensures that clients’ needs are met promptly but also upholds the quality of legal services. It becomes a vital component of success in a profession where agility and unwavering concentration can make all the difference between effective representation and potentially missed opportunities.
HOW TO KEEP FOCUS WITH RESPECT TO UNFORESEEN DEVELOPMENTS
Foresee them. As a lawyer with several years of experience, you already know they will occur. So hoping they won’t is not a good strategy. Here’s what is:
- For each task on your to-do list, add some buffer.
- Keep at least one hour of whitespace in your schedule to account for unexpected circumstances.
- Develop the ability to prioritize (You can learn how to effectively prioritise even if everything seems urgent and important – in my previous article HERE).
And most importantly – Have a proactive PLAN B:
- Consider beforehand what are optimally the biggest types of disruptions to your schedule and workload.
- Ask yourself how you can minimize them – and even if many of them are not within your immediate control, brainstorm at least 3 (even tiny) steps you can take to prevent them.
- Ask yourself what are 3 things you can do to minimize the impact when they occur.
- Then establish what are the minimal (non-negotiable) routines and activities you maintain in your work and personal life even in case of emergencies.
If you want to go deeper into how to prepare for emergencies at work and create a solid contingency plan – then read my previous article: HOW TO NAVIGATE WORK EMERGENCIES (BE PREPARED NOT SCARED).
Are you a productivity master but struggling with work-life balance?
I got you – get 10+ hours of personal time weekly without cutting down on a single billable hour.
YES, it’s possible! I’ve curated & tested a system of 5 daily & weekly routines for lawyers like you – so you can enjoy a work-life balance in a way that creates more personal time without affecting your career.
👉 SIGN UP FOR MY FREE BALANCED LAWYER BLUEPRINT and get an exact template with daily & weekly routines I curated specifically for lawyers to create more balance in your life without affecting your career.
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