8.3
Working Uninterrupted

There is only so much time in a day. Managing your time is critical. You must ensure you have time that is just yours, to do the work of a lawyer with an uninterrupted mind. You must ensure that you also have time for the supervision of staff and colleagues, to assist them with their work, and to build culture. And you must ensure that you leave time to manage the administrative side of your business. We recommend you create time, as regularly as possible, for each one of these items, blocked out in your calendar.  

Block off Time for Working Uninterrupted 

We also recommend that you block off time each day if you can, or at least several times per week to work on specific files uninterrupted. You will need to have self-discipline to enforce this important time and we recommend that you not accept any incoming calls or any other interruptions while you work uninterrupted. Working uninterrupted on a file is so important because it allows you time to focus completely and think deeply. Once you start incorporating this practice into your routine, you will likely begin to really look forward to this time.   

Block off Time for Administrative Tasks 

Tending to administrative tasks in the practice of law is inevitable. It is also extremely important and you don’t want to fall behind. It is best if you can carve out some specific time each day, week and month to attend to these tasks. If you have a specific time already carved out, you know you will get to the task and in this way, you can release the weight of the task from your shoulders. We recommend thinking about which tasks you need to attend to daily, which you need to attend to weekly and which fall into the monthly tasks. Perhaps you are the firm’s Responsible Lawyer and have considerable administrative tasks. Even if you are not, there are still items that need consistent attention in a practice such as billing, opening files, closing files, organizing files or updating your file list. 

Block Off Time for Staff and Colleagues 

We need to remember that staff and colleagues alike rely on our availability from time to time. If you find that being available as needed when needed is a bit overwhelming, consider setting specific times when your office door is open, so to speak. In this way, you are encouraging discussions during these times so that you can focus on your uninterrupted work, client appointments and attendance at court.