The Grace Period: Shining A Light on Lawyer Wellbeing
The Grace Period: Shining A Light on Lawyer Wellbeing
Episode 10: Listener Questions
Ever felt lost in your career, questioning whether you're on the right path? You're not alone. Join me, Emily Logan Stedman, as I take you through the highs and lows of navigating the demanding world of big law. In the season finale of The Grace Period, we recap the journey of Season 1, touching on everything from defining big law and tracking billable hours to mastering time management and taking ownership of your legal matters. With over 1,500 downloads, your support has been the driving force behind this passion project, and I can't thank you enough.
As we wrap up this season, get ready for a sneak peek into Season 2, launching on September 24th, where we'll zero in on lawyer well-being—a topic close to my heart. Next season, we'll discuss mental health statistics, share personal stories, and provide tools to combat burnout, including meditation, journaling, and therapy.
Curious about how to refocus after being pulled in different directions? On this episode, I’ll also answer some of your most pressing questions, from overcoming feelings of being lost to finding that elusive flow state. Don't miss this episode as we celebrate our journey and look forward to prioritizing mental health in the legal profession.
Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.
Welcome to the Grace Period where we get real about attorney mental health and well-being and pull back the veil on the high stakes world of big law. I'm your host, emily Logan Stedman. In this demanding profession, it is crucial that we don't lose ourselves in the hustle for billable hours. On the Grace Period, we have honest conversations about driving consistency, minimizing chaos, developing coping and practice management strategies and destigmatizing mental health. It is time to prioritize our shared humanity, to find our grace period. Welcome to episode 10, the last episode of season one of the grace period. Today we'll recap this season, share what is to come on Season 2, and I'll close by answering some listener questions. Let's get to it. This season, on the Grace Period, we defined big law, defined and discussed how to track the billable hour, addressed opening and closing rituals, explained what a master case chart is and how it can be useful. Closing rituals explained what a master case chart is and how it can be useful, addressed the importance of time management to support your career and well-being, defined what it means to take ownership of your matters, discussed how to nudge and stalk partners and addressed how to take time off. What a season.
Speaker 1:I didn't know what to expect when I started this passion project. In fact, I sat on this idea for about a year. I finally told my business development coach about it earlier this year and she was all in, immediately supportive and get going. The feedback and support has been incredible. As of today's recording, the nine substantive episodes have been downloaded over 1,500 times. I feel like that's a lot, especially for a new and small podcast that relies only on word of mouth and my social media outreach to get listeners. To each of you I am so grateful. Thank you for giving your time to listen. I do not take it for granted, not one bit.
Speaker 1:Season 2 will premiere in about two months, on September 24th, and that's the timing I hope to commit to going forward Ten weekly episodes, two months off, and repeat Next season. I'll focus on a topic near and dear to me lawyer well-being. During the next 10 episodes, we will define well-being and lawyer well-being, address the statistics around lawyer well-being, mental health and other concerns, explore my story and why I am here talking to you about lawyer well-being. We'll discuss tools for improving well-being and preventing burnout, including things like meditation, journaling, therapy, time management. We'll also examine the impact of the billable hour on Lawyer Wellbeing and other myths related to the business case for Lawyer Wellbeing. If there are specific topics related to Lawyer Wellbeing that you would like me to address on season two, please reach out on LinkedIn, twitter, by email. I'd love to hear from you.
Speaker 1:Finally, to conclude season one, I want to answer some of your questions. Question one did you ever feel lost and, if so, how did you ever overcome that feeling? Did I ever feel lost? Of course, I'm a human and, specifically in 2019 and 2020, I burned out. I reached a very, very low point and I ended up questioning whether I wanted to leave the law altogether, and I ended up questioning whether I wanted to leave the law altogether. It was really that experience that pushed me to open up about lawyer well-being and mental health for attorneys. I'll share more about that story in Season 2.
Speaker 1:For now, I'll talk about how I overcame that feeling. One I got help. I continued therapy and started going more often. I also talked to my doctors, my friends, my family and I shared my story. I overcame it slowly. It took time to regain my confidence, to regain the belief that I'm good at this job and meant to do it, and I overcame it by being patient with myself and mentoring others, showing others that it does not have to be the way it always has been.
Speaker 1:Question two how do you get into a flow state for work? How do you refocus after being pulled to a different task? So this is hard and I've experimented with numerous techniques to get in a flow state or refocus after being distracted. I cannot recommend Cal Newport's book. Deep Work enough. Lawyers need deep work, but the longer you're in this profession, the harder it is to find and keep time for that focused deep work. Cal Newport's book helped me rethink my time. It encouraged me to experiment with time blocking, made me think about how to create space for the things that do require deep work, like research, writing and more.
Speaker 1:I get into a flow state by turning off all notifications, closing Outlook, using timers and the Pomodoro method, which we talked about earlier this season. I also give myself grace lots of it. Some days are easier to focus than others because of meetings, interruptions or simply because of how my brain feels that day. You cannot be focused every time or all day. So take breaks and then set a timer for five, ten minutes and just tell yourself I'm only going to work for that. Five to ten minutes. Usually that's enough to get me over the hump and keep going.
Speaker 1:Question three if you're in a whirlwind of work and life and things just aren't stopping, how do you take care of yourself without taking an extended break? What's the first step? This is really really important. Big, substantive breaks are not always available to us, but small breaks matter and can make a difference. So I do this in a couple ways. One I try to do one thing each morning and every night. That is just for me. That can be as short as a five-minute meditation or reading for 10 minutes. It can be as long as a workout or a long walk on the lake.
Speaker 1:During the day, I try to pause between tasks, go to the bathroom, get a snack, listen to a fun song, walk a lap around the building or the floor that I'm on, and I also am really, really, really protective of my sleep. I've had several periods in my career where sleep felt like my only reprieve. That's not ideal by any means, but it's also okay and sometimes the reality. And so having a wind down, routine and gentle alarm clock to help me separate from the day and start it off on the right foot has really helped me with. This foot has really helped me with this. I use the hatch alarm clock and at night I have 30 minutes to read and then a wind down meditation and then some white noise while I sleep and it turns on about 30 minutes before I'm supposed to wake up, kind of gently wakes me up. Not everyone likes this type of alarm clock or routine, but it has been extremely helpful for me and I cannot recommend the Hatch clock enough.
Speaker 1:Question four is it okay to not worry about productivity and efficiency? If yes, when and how do you do that? Is it okay to not worry about productivity and efficiency? A hundred thousand percent, yes, but of course I must tell you that I'm not a great example in this space. Thinking about productivity and efficiency is something my parents and teachers would likely tell you is something I've done from a very young age. It is innate for me, it is part of who I am, but that's not always healthy and I do work to keep it in check. The billable hour, of course, plays into this tendency that I have, but it is important to not let it be all-consuming, no matter how hard that is, so I try to turn this off when research and writing.
Speaker 1:In terms of time Efficiency is important, but getting it right is also important and often more important. I cannot do my best research or writing when I feel too constrained by productivity and efficiency, so instead I focus on the output, and usually the efficiency figures itself out. Output, and usually the efficiency figures itself out. I also try to turn off thoughts about productivity and efficiency when resting. We are humans, we are not machines. Getting a JD and passing the bar does not magically create some superpower in us that makes us immune from needing rest and time to recharge. I'm constantly checking my self-talk around taking breaks and resting. So if things are tidied up, if there's no loose ends or time-sensitive deadlines, I do everything I can to leave the productivity and efficiency urges to the wayside and take a break. Lately that's been to take naps and really recover from the last couple of years of real intense work. Again, this voice around productivity and efficiency is really loud. For me it's really consistent, and this might sound silly, but I listen to that voice, I hear her out and then I tell her to shut it. You know there's science behind telling these thoughts no or stop, and it works. And the voice gets quieter the more you tell it to be quiet.
Speaker 1:Question five what would I tell my younger self about the practice of law? So so much. I have one. Two, three about six things I would tell Emily in 2013, after she graduated and before she started her clerkship, or in 2016, as she prepared to join big law. One you are enough. You have the skills and emotional intelligence to do this job.
Speaker 1:The learning curve will be steep, so be patient with yourself. Two believe in yourself. Others will try to knock you down a peg or two, and some of them will succeed. That's okay. Get back up and keep going. You are meant to do this. Three know and be yourself. Trust your gut. You are a rule follower, but every time you've colored outside the lines, it has paid off. Keep doing that. Three rest when it is slow. 3. Rest when it is slow. Walk away whenever you can.
Speaker 1:The hectic times will come. It is not a weakness to sometimes doubt or struggle, so get the help you need and deserve. Six brag on yourself. Nominate yourself for awards. Go for it. Being told no is not as scary or hurtful as you think it is, so that's it. Season one of the Grace Period is complete as you think it is, so that's it. Season one of the Grace Period is complete. Thank you for joining me Truly. Thank you. I appreciate you being here from the bottom of my heart Until September. Remember you don't have to sacrifice your well-being for career success by prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries and seeking support. You can survive and even thrive in the law and big law Until next time. Take care of yourselves and each other. That is the path to our grace period. Disclaimer this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including legal advice. No attorney client relationship is created by listening to this podcast.
