The Grace Period: Shining A Light on Lawyer Wellbeing
A podcast for lawyers that explores the realities of big law, provides tips for better practice management, and shines a light on lawyer wellbeing.
The Grace Period: Shining A Light on Lawyer Wellbeing
Episode 42: The Power of Pause
Feeling like you're constantly sprinting from one deadline to the next with no time to catch your breath? You're not alone. In this episode, I share my journey from burnout to balance through a surprisingly simple practice: the deliberate creation of "white space" on my calendar.
As lawyers, we're conditioned to believe that success requires non-stop work. I spent years powering through without breaks until exhaustion forced me to reconsider this approach. What began as an experiment with five-minute pauses between meetings evolved into a transformative practice that's enhanced both my productivity and wellbeing.
These intentional pauses—what I call grace periods—aren't just about rest. Science confirms that our brains need recovery time to process information, spark creativity, and perform at their best. Whether it's a quick walk, a moment of meditation, or simply stepping away from your screen, these micro-breaks can dramatically improve your focus, patience, and problem-solving abilities.
Despite knowing the benefits, I still sometimes battle guilt when taking breaks during quieter periods. But some of the wisest advice I've received in my career was to "take advantage of slow times"—because when the intensity returns (and it always does), you'll regret not having recharged when you had the chance.
Ready to transform your workday? Start by adding just one 10-minute protected break to your schedule. Treat it with the same importance as any client meeting. Over time, you'll likely discover these pauses aren't luxuries but necessities for sustainable success in our demanding profession. Because you don't have to choose between wellbeing and ambition—with the right boundaries and habits, you can thrive in both.
Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.
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, a commercial litigator partner and someone who believes there's always room for a little more grace, even in this high-stakes profession. Here I share real stories from my own journey in big law and invite you behind the scenes, past the billable hour, to talk about what it means to stay human in a demanding field. Whether you're a lawyer, a legal professional or someone trying to find your footing, this space is for you. Let's pull back the curtain, start the conversation and find our grace period together. Disclaimer the views and opinions shared on this podcast are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect those of my firm or any organization. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not legal advice, and listening does not create an attorney-client relationship. Welcome to episode 42 of the Grace Period. We're in season five, which is hard to believe. Today I want to talk about something that's simple but also surprisingly hard for many of us in high intensity professions. What is that Pausing? When you're sprinting from one deadline to the next, it can feel like there's just no time to stop. Here's what I've learned Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for your productivity, for your clarity and for your mental health is to deliberately create white space on your calendar.
Speaker 1:Early in my career, I thought the best way to get ahead was to power through. No breaks, no downtime, just hard, consistent work. After a few years and more than a few stretches of exhaustion and ultimately completely burning out, I started experimenting with the idea of micro breaks. I would try to schedule five or 10 minutes between calls. During those breaks I might get up from my desk, go to the bathroom, walk around the floor or even just close my eyes, turn on my favorite meditation app or scroll social media. Turn on my favorite meditation app or, you know, scroll social media. Just a tiny break. Those helped me come back to my work with more focus, better ideas and more patience for the inevitable curve balls.
Speaker 1:Today I take it further. I actually block time on my calendar. You might call these grace periods, moments where nothing is scheduled. I have permission to pause or keep working deeply undistracted if I choose to do so in that moment. Sometimes I go grab a lunch outside the office. I can do with that time whatever I need in that moment, which again sometimes is work and catching up on deadlines. But if all of that is taken care of, I give myself permission to pause, to regroup and to prepare before I jump into the next thing.
Speaker 1:Here's why this matters. Our brains aren't built for endless back-to-back sprints. We need space to process, recover and reset Micro-breaks whether it's a quick walk, a short nap scrolling TikTok or just stepping away from your screen help your mind regroup. They also help you prevent burnout, reduce mistakes and spark creativity. Your brain even continues to process what you're working on during those breaks, often sparking new thoughts and ideas, because the brain is less pressured, less burdened by the intensity, with time to recover and think freely off the clock. That's why a lot of us have really good ideas in the shower.
Speaker 1:For me, even a short nap after a tough morning can change the trajectory of my day. With those unscheduled white space blocks, I have a buffer for the unexpected. I have time to prepare for my week or wind down from my week and prepare for the next. I have a chance to show up as my best self for the next client, the next matter, the next colleague, the next deadline. If you're used to a jam-packed calendar. This will likely feel uncomfortable at first. To this day, I still struggle with guilt when I step away during a slow period or during a break when things are tidied up and nothing is time sensitive. But some of the best advice I got in the beginning of this career was this take advantage of the slow times, walk away, go to Target, get a massage, take a nap, hug your children or dogs in my case.
Speaker 1:When it picks back up again and it will You'll regret that you didn't take advantage of those less hectic micro breaks or grace periods. So I encourage you to try it. Start by adding just one 10-minute break to your day. Protect it like you would any important meeting. Use it for whatever you need most Rest, reflection or a quick reset. Over time, you might find that these grace periods or micro breaks aren't a luxury. They're a necessity.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Grace Period. I hope today's stories and reflections brought you a little clarity, a little comfort and a new way to think about pausing and taking breaks, even small ones. Remember you don't have to choose between your well-being and your ambition. By setting boundaries, building supportive habits and giving yourself permission to pause. You can thrive in law and in big law, and even in life. Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other. That is the path to our grace period. Disclaimer the views expressed here are solely my own and do not represent the official policy or position of my firm or any organization. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only, not professional or legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
