Can We Be Truly Happy As Attorneys?

CAN WE BE TRULY HAPPY AS ATTORNEYS?

A recent Washington Post article was entitled “Want to be happy? Then don’t be a lawyer.” Is it possible to be truly happy as an attorney? Are you fulfilled, and do you find enjoyment in your work? If not, how can we change that?

In this newsletter, I will briefly discuss the Washington Post Article; review some of the major stresses we face as attorneys and share some thoughts about how we can find joy and fulfillment in our legal practice.

The Article

In her article, Kathleen Parker offered the opinion that it probably surprises very few people that, according to their research, “lawyers are the unhappiest people on the planet, at least when it comes to their jobs.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/20/jobs-happiness-lawyers-nature/ That is based on data analysis by The Post-including a survey of attorneys. According to her, the causes are high-stress levels and the lack of “meaningfulness” in their work. What do you think?

Causes of Stress for Lawyers

So what are the major stresses that we face? These are just some of them:

1. Billable hour requirements. One of the most important, for sure, is the exhausting billable hour requirements. We are always on the clock. Tracking our time. Measuring our worth in minutes recorded on a time sheet. Feeling like there is never enough time in the day.
2. Financial concerns. If we are a partner in a small firm, we are always working on bringing in more work to make enough profits and income. In larger firms, we need to generate fees to justify our appropriate share of the firm revenues. As younger attorneys, we feel compelled to build a book of business to make partner or build leverage. And it always seems that there is not enough money. After taxes and expenses, there often does not seem to be enough to go around.
3. Client pressures. Clients can be so demanding. It can be very difficult to satisfy them. They can place unreasonable demands on when the work is performed and the outcome.
4. Other attorneys. Sadly, one of the worst stresses we face is the conduct of other attorneys. They often engage in unnecessary personal attacks. They may not return calls. They are much more interested in fighting than solving problems.
5. The pressure of failure. In litigation, there are winners and losers. Even the best attorney trying a great case will not infrequently lose. That can create real emotional pressures.
6. Work-life balance. It can be so difficult to find time for our family and our personal activities, hobbies, and self-care when work can become so all-consuming. We can lose sight of what is most important to us.
7. Firm Competition. In some firms, there is internal competition to do better than the other associates, to bill more hours, and to bring in more clients. Rather than a sense of teamwork, there can be stressful and challenging conflicts in our own firm.
8. Demands of our partners. Often, no matter what we do, it sometimes seems not enough. The partner gives us more work and is seldom happy with the work we do.

Is this a fair summary of what we all encounter? No, of course not, but all of us have experienced at least some of the stresses from time to time.

How Can We Create More Joy and Freedom in Our Work

Perhaps it is a challenge sometimes to find true happiness as an attorney, but there are steps we can take to create more joy and fulfillment in our life. Here are eight:

1. Choose your best future. Sometimes, we are not on the right seat on the bus. The place where we are presently working is not the right place for us. It is too toxic or too demanding. We always have choices. We can evaluate our priorities and our goals, and find the right place for us, where we can have more satisfaction and a happier work environment.
2. Focus on productivity. Sometimes we get so stressed and overwhelmed that we can be very scattered in our work performance. Focus on working on one matter at a time. Batch your phone calls and emails together and reply to them at the same time,? instead of interrupting your work for them. Take breaks during your day. Prioritize your assignments. Time block your day. There are many things we can do to more efficiently and productively handle our work.
3. Practice acceptance. Some things in our world we can’t change. Our partner may be demanding, or our client may be difficult. But we cannot change those things; instead of resisting them, accept them. Accept them as being exactly what they are supposed to be, then choose the best way to respond.
4. Be mindful. Too often, we can get caught up in the future and the stresses and worries it creates. Instead, try to be truly present in the moment. Have an undivided focus on what you are doing. Be aware of your feelings and your thoughts. Don’t get carried away into frustration about the past or worries about the future.
5. Change your thoughts. Often, the negative thoughts we feel create additional stress. We can change your thoughts. We can have more optimistic, positive thoughts. Instead of imagining a bad result or outcome, visualize a successful one. Having a more positive attitude can create better results.
6. Be grateful. Of course, not everything in our world is what we want it to be, But, don’t we have a lot to be grateful for? Write down three things you have to be grateful for one month each day. At the end of the month, reflect on those many things you have to be grateful for. You will obtain a new appreciation for your life and what it's about.
7. Find fulfillment. We became lawyers not to make a lot of money or work many hours but to help and serve others. We are professional problem solvers. We help our clients find solutions. When we focus on what we find fulfilling in our work, helping our clients, we can obtain much greater satisfaction.
8. Obtain support. We are never alone. Our world is filled with professionals who will help us. It may be a coworker or professional acquaintance at another firm. We can all benefit from using a mentor or coach, who has undivided loyalty to us, and brings a wealth of experience and perspectives that can help us. There is always a solution.

Conclusion

Can lawyers be happy? We have many challenges in our profession, but there are real and meaningful steps we can take to create greater satisfaction in our legal career. Which of these are helpful to you?