Climbing the Ladder

Discovering a work-life balance

By Shermin Kruse
Barack Ferrazzano
Kirschbaum & Nagelberg

Work-Life Balance — that ever awkward phrase that is a favorite one to utter during recruiting seasons and long chats with our spouses when we are late for dinner yet again. Amidst the paper chase that we young attorneys are learning is our work, we must learn to pause and carve out some time for that which the poets so matter-of-factly refer to as “Life.” But how to accomplish this mythical task is not so easily determined.

We rise in the early mornings to the sound of that pesky ringing time machine that in a moment of pragmatic-lunacy we programmed the evening before for some ridiculously early hour. Some of us have children to feed and rush off to school. Most linger a second or two longer than necessary at the overpriced coffee spot to emotionally prepare ourselves for another day at the grind mill where we work, think, and perhaps hope to build our futures. We lead profitable and intellectually stimulating days, which, if we are lucky (and I am), are also peppered with pleasant interactions with colleagues who we also call friends. We learn a thing or two about how to practice this fantastic thing they call Law (then suffer through jokes from unsympathetic friends as to how much “practice” it takes to get it right).

Amidst all of this, most of us also give our time to charitable causes, perhaps partly to grow and experience more of what our careers have to offer, but primarily to make a real contribution. And at the end of the day, the week, the month, we come home exhausted and usually late for something.

So, where, in all of this, is that Life thing? Surely the work-life balance means more than the occasional fundraiser and those not-so infrequent hours spent “vegging” in front of the TV. It is not, in my humble opinion, the sad life of quiet desperation of which Thoreau warned. It is, actually, a rather blessed life.

So the first step in achieving the work-life balance is to fully appreciate where we are and what we have. This will inspire and carry us through the difficult days and weeks when our lives are crazed with a fury of activity that is sometimes inevitable and must be accepted. The second step to maintaining that balance is determining what in life really matters to us, then making sure to devote enough time to it.

So, if it is your dream to learn the Argentine tango, you must make “the time” for the lessons. But again, how? Sure, there are the usual bullet points: be assertive, keep a calendar, leverage your secretary and support staff, etc. But the way to really accomplish this balance is to become a psychologist. That is, observe and come to understand the behavior of the organisms around you — your colleagues, and that living thing that is your caseload — and look for predictable patterns.

For instance, if you know that a particular partner with whom you really love to work has a habit of editing briefs to death the night before they are due, do not make special plans the night before. Instead of disappointing your spouse by canceling your plans, schedule them on a night you know will work better to begin with.

Your ability to predict and even set your own schedule is also greatly enhanced as you gain a better sense of the role that the partner wants you to play in the case. This understanding permits you to take the initiative on assignments, rather than waiting to have them “assigned” to you, which, particularly if the partner is going through a very busy period, might not come until the last minute. For example, if you know you are going to be writing the first draft of a brief, drop by his office with a proposed deadline for your draft. Now you can plan around that deadline. Besides helping you drive your own schedule, this will actually make you feel like a bigger part of the team and ultimately help you enjoy your work more.

As you gain experience, you will also come to understand that “living” organism that is your caseload, its cycles, and its temperament. Anticipate the busy periods and when things are likely to be slower — and schedule your Argentine tango lessons during the slower times.

I must admit that I am lucky enough to be with a firm that provides the training one needs to move towards this state of self-sufficiency. If you are not so blessed, and also lack a degree in psychology, the task is more difficult, but not impossible. It does become easier with time, as you mature and the patterns lend themselves to greater predictability. Just remember to begin with gratefulness, shift to observation, and then move on to management. You might just end up enjoying your work, rising ahead of your pesky time telling machine, and, ultimately, writing your own poetry of “Life.”