I sat down to write this article during my five-week hiatus from practicing law, while travelling in South America. Prior to my travels, I was feeling uninspired. I didn’t feel the passion I usually felt when a new client came through the door. I wasn’t excited about the challenge of a new research assignment. I tuned into an employment law case before the Court of Appeal on a potentially law changing issue, but caught myself instead staring at the clock waiting for the appearance to conclude.
My indifference to the practice arose from a variety of practices that I think many of us unfortunately pick up in the legal profession. Despite preaching this to others, I did not set boundaries for myself. I did not talk to my colleagues about feeling overwhelmed. If I felt stressed about work, I worked more under the false pretenses that it would alleviate my stress. I was on the way to burning out, but that’s a story for another day. Instead, I want to focus on the refresh that my time off has given me.
It is rare for a lawyer to have the time to completely disconnect from the profession. I had no files or deadlines looming over me. I could turn off the constant worrying going on in my brain and be completely present in the moment. Surprisingly, however, I began to miss the practice of law.
For anyone feeling like I was, uninspired, on the verge of burning out, or questioning why they entered the profession in the first place, I’ve tried to summarize my reflections in three main points below. Although we cannot all take five-week breaks, hopefully some of these points speak to you and your practice.