As lawyers, we spend valuable time planning for the future, analyzing our options, and strategizing the best course of action. But we can go too far.

As lawyers, pursuing excellence and attention to detail is a fundamental part of our profession. However, when these tendencies become excessive and unrealistic, they can lead to perfectionism, which often harms our well-being and success.

We face many high-pressure situations and demanding workloads that can lead to stress and burnout. We work long hours in a competitive environment, handling emotionally challenging cases.

You see someone proficient, better than you, at something you want to achieve, and you compare yourself to them. We want to be better in our profession, so it makes sense to compare ourselves to the best, doesn’t it?

Have you felt you are working hard, so busy, with too many things on your desk, keeping all the balls in the air? Do you think you got nothing accomplished? I know I have. Busyness is harmful to our business and ourselves.

The Power of Productivity: Why Lawyers Need It to Thrive

So many of us struggle with this problem. Our partner keeps giving us more work to do. The court schedules unexpected hearings. Our clients call, asking us to help resolve a crisis. We are constantly interrupted by staff calls and emails. We have so much work to do and seemingly so little time that we feel overwhelmed and stressed. What to do? How do we manage this daunting workload?

Do you ever feel unfulfilled by your practice? Do you struggle with the belief that you are inauthentic in your practice? Do you ever suffer from burnout?

What was your motivation for becoming a lawyer? Very few of us became lawyers to make a lot of money. Primarily, we did it to be of service to others. We encountered onerous billable hour requirements, demanding clients, competition, and complex work requirements. The pressure and stress wiped out our sense of fulfillment. How can we rebuild our purpose of service, which initially motivated us?

These are all fundamental questions that many law firm partners do not know the answers to. Yet, they are critical for our success. The law firm must answer those fundamental questions using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). It seems everyone now is throwing around the term “KPI.”. But do we understand KPIs, how they work, and how to best utilize them?