Greedy Tip of the Week: Be Greedy About Self-Care
If you aren't at least partly motivated by greed, you may need to spend a little time reflecting on what does motivate you. After all, for lawyers, greed might actually be a good quality that clients may actually want you to possess.
Sure, wanting to do well for yourself, and your clients, on its own, isn't really greedy. But in the legal services industry, especially if you're expected to negotiate at arm's length with clients over your fees, some of those clients can certainly make you feel that way just for getting your regular rate. The same goes for when you're fighting your boss to get time off, or telling a client you need them to be okay without calling while you're on vacation. Below, you can find a few tips on how to be greedy when you need to get away for some much-needed self-care.
Unplug, Power Down, Recharge
Seriously folks, self-care is important. If you aren't regularly taking time to ensure that you're taking care of yourself, how can you expect to take care of clients. There are all sorts of reasons we lawyers suffer from loneliness and substance abuse problems, and while "self-care" isn't always a "magic bullet" cure, it certainly can be, or, at least, be a step in the right direction.
Schedule Self-Care in Advance
The only thing better than looking forward to a vacation while you're working, is actually taking a vacation from working. Scheduling vacations months in advance may already been an established practice for you, and many other attorneys out there. But do you regularly schedule your self-care?
Go ahead and schedule a few hours per week for meditation, or yoga, or some other activity that falls under the mindfulness hub. Develop regular habits of taking care of your both your body and your mind.
Use Your Sick Time for Self-Care
If you actually have sick-time that you can use, then use it. Go to your doctor, a counselor, or just take a "mental health day" to stay home with your family, or have fun with your friends. Just make sure if you plan on using your sick time to do something that doesn't involve a medical emergency, that you're not going to blow any deadlines or stand up any clients expecting to meet that day.
Related Resources:
- Greedy Tip of the Week: Bill Like Your Pay Depends On It (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Greedy Tip of the Week: Find a Smart Side Hustle (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Greedy Tip of the Week: How to Ask for a Raise (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)