Well-Being Week in Law: Falling in love with lawyering

by Raven Ballard, PLPC, MOLAP clinician and well-being coordinator

The legal profession has a high rate of burnout, mostly attributed to poor work/life balance, the growing demands of the job, the billable hour, caseload management, and general high stress. The Missouri Lawyers' Assistance Program sees a fair share of lawyers who struggle with stress and anxiety. Some clients come to counseling knowing they like their job but need ways to better manage stress. Others are not even sure if they want to continue with their practice anymore. Often, they feel stuck.

Is a change of environment, such as a new firm, needed? Or maybe switching to a different practice area would provide the needed stress relief. For some clients, the profession as a whole really is the concern, though I believe that this outcome is fairly rare. Most lawyers seeking career assistance through MOLAP are needing to find ways to fall in love with their career – or re-fall if they once had the spark and lost it.

So, what are your options if you’re feeling burnt out and stuck? Ask yourself: is it the situation that you’re needing to change (i.e. find a new job), or is it your perspective? For lawyers who say they like their coworkers and workplace, like their paycheck, and don’t want to change jobs, it is often the perspective that needs to make a shift. Perspective is the driving force of a life experience. If we are always negative about everything, we are only going to see the negatives in life, and that applies to our work, too! If we are not taking the time to reframe work in our minds and make the conscious effort to enjoy our jobs, it is so incredibly easy to slip into the “I-hate-my-job-mindset.” Below are some strategies for reframing your work to support a more positive relationship with your career:

Rewrite the narrative: While it may be hard to do so, we have to remember that what we tell ourselves has power. Want a better relationship with your job? Start thinking of your profession in a more positive light. Allow yourself to get hyped for work in the morning. If you feel negative thoughts of work creep in, try intentionally replacing them with positive ones. For example: “I may be tired, but I’m excited to see what work has in store for me today!” Again, our minds our powerful tools and we are the ones who write the script.
Change your vocabulary: If there are daunting or difficult tasks that you dread doing, try switching up your vocabulary. Instead of “I absolutely hate doing ______”, try reframing with “This is a challenging task, but I’m excited to see how it makes me a better lawyer.” Again, perspective is everything!
Gratitude tracking: At the beginning or end of your work day, write down three things about your job that you like, or even three things that you’re looking forward to in your work. Need inspiration? Check out these examples from other Missouri lawyers.
Remember that you’re in the driver’s seat: Often, happiness has to be a choice that we actively and intentionally strive for. A change in mindset won’t happen until you’re willing to make the change. Talk about an awesome opportunity for autonomy.
Try to prioritize your identity outside of being a lawyer. Burnout is such a real phenomenon, and having healthy boundaries with work is only going to better your relationship with your job.

At times, the idea of loving your job may feel out of reach. MOLAP strives to provide lawyers with the space, tools, and resources they need to make good changes happen, and we would be delighted to have the opportunity to serve you in the area of career counseling.

If you would like to talk to a professional about career-related concerns, the Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program is here to help! Please consult the Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program at 1-800-688-7859 for free, confidential counseling.