{"id":560,"date":"2014-08-26T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-26T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hub.findingsimple.com\/au\/blurred-lines-find-work-life-balance\/"},"modified":"2022-08-03T16:04:43","modified_gmt":"2022-08-03T05:04:43","slug":"blurred-lines-find-work-life-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insight.thomsonreuters.com.au\/legal\/posts\/blurred-lines-find-work-life-balance","title":{"rendered":"Blurred Lines: How to Find a Work Life Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Working long hours is crucial for meeting targets, cementing client relationships and impressing your principals \u2013 or is it? In fact, the truth to work life balance is quite the opposite. Long hours can lead to burnout, so if it\u2019s success and longevity you\u2019re after, work smarter, not longer.<\/p>\n

Burning the candle at both ends simply doesn\u2019t work. Mental health problems impact many professions and are known to be rife within the legal profession especially. Overworked, overtired lawyers cannot possibly produce the quantity or quality of work required for a sustained period. The negative impact of stress on individuals and law firms is inevitable, and can have dire consequences.<\/p>\n

Incidences of depression are four times higher for lawyers<\/a> than the general population, with research indicating alarming numbers of lawyers contemplating suicide. Anxiety and other illnesses amongst lawyers of all levels are also on the rise. Up to 33 per cent of practising lawyers suffer from one or more disorders<\/a>, one of which is alcoholism (18 per cent), while 80 per cent of complaints against Australian practitioners feature substance abuse as a significant issue.<\/p>\n

Finding a work life balance<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The statistics are alarming, but it\u2019s not all bad news. Firms are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of making too many demands of their staff and the increasing importance of work life balance. With the recent introduction of the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation’s Psychological Wellbeing Best Practice Guidelines<\/a> for the Legal Profession, greater emphasis is now being placed on the importance of finding that work life balance.<\/p>\n

Anton Block, principal lawyer at Kliger Partners<\/a>, encourages his staff to use common sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe work hard, but we don\u2019t expect crazy hours,\u201d Block says. \u201cWe lead by example by living the work life balance lifestyle, and not exceeding what is sensible.\u201d Block is impressed by staff who show diligence by being on top of the issues they need to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving to chase work, follow up and fill in gaps is no good. Keeping partners aware of what\u2019s going on and where problems arise are more important than seeing someone at their desk late at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Block also advises that senior lawyers need to be aware of junior staff and their circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201c[pullquote align=”left” back=”4″ cite=”Anton Block – Principal Lawyer Kliger Partners”]We have an open-door policy and are available to talk, answer questions and help solve problems. That really makes a difference to how juniors cope.[\/pullquote]\u201d<\/p>\n

Recognising the risks<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Many law firms now offer external psychological and other support services to support work life balance, but by recognising the warning signs early on, you can take steps to avoid major burnouts.<\/p>\n

Contributing factors to work life un-balance:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation identified conflict and lack of autonomy as a cause of increasing depression amongst lawyers. It also pointed to the culture of competitiveness in law firms and disillusionment as a major problem. Be aware of working long hours on a regular basis, taking on increasingly large volumes of work that you can\u2019t complete in your allocated working hours and of being insufficiently rewarded for your efforts.<\/p>\n

Warning signs: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Lethargy and fatigue, lowered immunity, insomnia and changes in appetite should be cause for concern. Stress can damage confidence levels and lead to withdrawal, work avoidance, negativity and the use of drugs, alcohol or food for comfort. Burnout can manifest as irritability, anxiety and depression. Seek help as soon as you notice any of these symptoms.<\/p>\n

To avoid burnout: <\/strong><\/p>\n