Between holidays, family obligations, work parties, year-end deadlines, and — depending on where you live — cold, dreary weather, it’s no wonder this time of year can leave even the most organized among us feeling overwhelmed and mentally drained. Add to that the constant drumbeat of work in the legal industry, and you have the perfect recipe for burnout during what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.
Safely navigating the end of year can be challenging, so here are just a few tips to help you out.
Avoid Overscheduling
During the holiday season, many of our calendars are chock full of office parties, family events and tasks that must be wrapped up before the new year. Of course, we all want to make it to events we’re invited to, and it can be extremely difficult to decline invitations. But sometimes, it’s important to be selective. Overextending yourself can only hurt in the long-term, as once the holiday buzz dies down, you’ll be returning to work feeling tired and unable to focus.
Remind yourself that you can’t be everywhere. Make a habit of blocking out time on your schedule to take a break and recharge. Your well-being should be the top priority when dealing with holiday obligations.
Delegate When Possible
One of the benefits of leading (or being part of) a team is that there are always others to back you up. Use that to your advantage. If you’ve reached your limit of task saturation — as can often happen at the end of the year — delegate work to others when you can. As legal administrators, we take pride in the quality of our work, but that doesn’t mean we are the only ones who can do it. While some responsibilities are ours to shoulder, some more routine tasks can likely be left to others with a lighter workload. An added bonus: Your team members may appreciate the opportunity to help out and show what they’re capable of.
As legal administrators, we take pride in the quality of our work, but that doesn’t mean we are the only ones who can do it.
