LPM Tip
Go on vacation and shut off your smartphone
In my
last LPM Tip, I wrote about the importance of keeping up your
marketing momentum during the summer months. While it is true that
you do not want to start the fall season with zero momentum, summer
is also a great time to take breaks and enjoy the limited months of
good weather that we have in the Northeast. Your brain also needs a
rest.
One of the great things about mobile technology is that we can
physically leave the office but still keep in touch. At the same
time, 24/7 connectivity is a terrible occupational hazard for most
professionals. Vacation is supposed to be a time to enjoy yourself
and recharge. Summer is a great time to do that (at least for a
portion of the summer).
But if you go on vacation and constantly check your e-mail and
voicemail, you are depriving yourself of an important mental break
from your work.
For those of you who run your own practice and do not have
anyone covering for you, then it may not be possible to ignore
messages for several weeks; however do not underestimate the value
of shutting your phone off for a day or two or at the very least,
only checking your messages at the end of the day.
Law is a stressful business and your mind needs a chance to
rest. In fact taking breaks throughout the year will enable you to
better handle the pressures that come with representing clients in
difficult situations (i.e. it will make you a better lawyer).
So take a break, shut off your phone and enjoy the outdoors.
Especially if the temperature ever drops below 90°.
Tip courtesy of Stephen Seckler, president, Seckler Legal
Consulting and Coaching.
Published July 19, 2012
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To learn more about the Law Practice Management
Section, which is complimentary for all MBA members,
contact LPM Section Chair Thomas J. Barbar or Vice
Chair Stephen
Seckler.