By Sarah MacGillis
As I write this, I have 18 tabs open across the top of my screen. I dart from article to article searching for relevant information while simultaneously chuckling at what I am researching: the idea of slowing down to avoid burnout and get more done—or “strategic slowness,” as it’s sometimes called these days.1 One article contains a grim prediction about our hyper-speed work life (“Fast is deadly”)2 while another promises relief (“Rest is productive.”)3 At the very least, I want to explore the concept of slowing down during my workday both to see what it would look like and to do a reality check on its viability as a work strategy.
Why slow down?
The concept of strategically building periods of momentary rest into our day is not new, but it seems to have a new life in today’s workplace, where concepts of wellness and longevity have taken root. In support, some convincingly argue that “spending more time resting during the workday doesn’t just stave off burnout—past research shows it can stimulate creativity, help you concentrate better and make the time you spend on meetings and tasks more efficient.”4 Simply put, strategic breaks during the day give your brain the rest it needs and thus boost productivity and prevent burnout.
Being strategically slow in your client interactions also benefits both lawyer and client. Without a “hurry up and get the necessary information” mindset, active listening becomes easier, and the client feels heard. There can be little doubt that the value of deliberate, paced engagement with client helps build a stronger long-term connection with the client. 5 Good relationships lead to better client retention.
Finally, many believe that the benefits attendant to a workplace where mindful breaks are encouraged lead to a more sustainable work environment for everyone.6 Slowing down is catchy, in an effective way. It can lead to greater retention, better new hires, and attorneys who deliver improved client experiences.
How to build a pause into your workday
Strategically slowing down can come in any form that provides a pause.7 It may mean shutting off all notifications, putting your office phone on DND, blinking your eyes shut, and taking five big box breaths. It may mean taking a brisk walk outside and feeling the sun on your face for 10 minutes between projects. It may mean scheduling some of your meetings to take place five minutes past the hour to provide a few moments for everyone to reclaim calm before starting anew. It may mean writing your memorandum with more deliberation and less speed or ending a 90-minute sprint work session with a true break at the end.8 Experts recommend 10–15-minute breaks, called micro-breaks, two to three times a day. Recognizing the necessity of these rest periods and actively building them into our day can make for less stress in your everyday legal practice.
Changing your scenery is also known to be beneficial for the brain. This could mean moving to a communal area to edit your memorandum or reading a case next to a window. Enforcing hard stops on meetings will not only give you time to address your own well-being, but it will also telegraph to others that you value their time, and they should too. Trying various ways to bring “rest” into your day will show you what is most restorative to you and likely lead you to more effective lawyering over time.
When you are slowing down according to whatever method speaks to you, give yourself a well-earned nod for this act of self-care. This added acknowledgment not only reinforces that you are giving yourself permission to do something new; on repeat, it will improve your motivation to continue the practice.
Some of us strive to work at top speed with extraordinarily little attention to our internal need for rest. After all, working hard is generally seen as virtuous and desirable. But armed with the knowledge that breaks can be an effective strategy for many reasons, we can start scheduling them as guilt-free parts of our workday and break the habit of inefficient and exhausting work.
Of course, if you are struggling with feeling overwhelmed, or anything else, LCL can help. We are here as a resource anytime you need us.
Sarah MacGillis is the outreach director of Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (mnlcl.org) and a member of the MSBA Well-Being Committee.
Notes
1 Thomson Reuters, Strategic Slowness for Legal Professionals, the Next Big Trend
(2/12/2024) https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/strategic-slowness-for-legal-professionals-the-next-big-trend/
2 Forbes, Fast is deadly: Why your organization should slow down, (3/11/2021) https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2021/03/11/fast-is-deadly-why-your-organization-should-slow-down/
3 CNBC, Rest is productive: How slowing down at work can help you get more done. (1/6/2023) https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/06/how-slowing-down-at-work-can-help-you-get-more-done.html
4 Id.
5 National Law Review, Mastering the art of client relations (2/14/2024) https://natlawreview.com/article/mastering-art-client-relations-comprehensive-guide-lawyers-create-stronger
6 Supra note 1.
7 Forbes, The Power of The Pause, a Strategy for Success, Self-Preservation, and Speed (4/26/2021) https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/04/26/the-power-of-the-pause-a-strategy-for-success-self-preservation-and-speed/
8 Harvard Business Review, For real productivity, less is truly more (5/17/2010) https://hbr.org/2010/05/for-real-productivity-less-is