LAW PRACTICE WORKFLOW PART 1: CREATING A PEACEFUL AND CALMING ENVIRONMENT
Streamlining your law firm’s workflow is undoubtedly one of the keys to a successful, thriving, enjoyable law practice.
LAST WEEK
Last week I interviewed branding expert Karin Haggard of KHaggard designs who specifically works with purpose-driven, focused business owners. She offered a holistic big picture of how she offers her services. And, I want to emphasize that taking a piecemeal approach to getting your voice, messaging, and visuals will generally result in a disjointed experience for clients. There is too much competition to treat your online visibilty in a haphazard manner. Make sure you ask the right questions to ensure you are working with someone who sees the big picture of you, and your practice. In all I do for my own clients, it is most important that we capture what sets you apart, and that your online presentation represents you just as well and professionally as you present yourself offline!
This month is going to be our March (not so) madness month and I’ll be focusing on various aspects of creating systems, strategies to streamline your workflow practice with one main focus for each of the next 5 weeks in March. Lawyers work hard. It’s simply the nature of the business. Practicing law is a demanding job that often requires long hours. Your schedule tends to be at the mercy of the court and the unexpected service of opposing counsel’s reply papers on a Friday afternoon can completely derail your weekend plans. That’s why it’s so important that your law firm’s workflow is as efficient as possible. Improving workflow efficiently will save you both time and money, ultimately reducing your stress levels and allowing you to focus on what you do best–representing your clients. That’s also one of the many ways to becoming the happy lawyer you were meant to be, which is the focus of my 5 part series this month of March!
So, starting this week and throughout the month of March, I’ll discuss some of the different ways to improve your law practice and your outlook to help you discover how to practice law so that you can become the happy lawyer you were meant to be. We’ll explore a variety ways to improve your law practice, including:
- First, we’ll talk about creating a peaceful, calming environment,
- Second, finding balance and possibly even changing your career path,
- Third, carefully choosing your clients,
- Fourth, streamlining your work processes,
- And finally, taking advantage of online strategies and technology to streamline your practice.
- DECOR
So, let’s start with Does your workplace stress you out? I’m not talking about your everyday tasks, projects and deadlines; but rather the physical environment.
Maybe your desk is too messy, or your colleagues are too loud. Perhaps your boss is always looking over your shoulder, the dated technology gives you anxiety or you can’t stand the florescent lights.Whatever the culprit, there’s a good chance it’s affecting your attitude and performance.
“I certainly think a fair percentage of people are exposed to various levels and flavors of stress within their work environments,” says Jenny Foss, a recruiter, author, career coach and founder of JobJenny.com. “Whether it’s physical or emotional stress (or both), many people suffer within stressful workplaces.”
- PERSONAL TOUCHES
If your workspace stresses you out, it might help to add personal items to your desk, cubicle or office that have some special meaning to you, Burton Ways says. “These could be photographs, inspiring artwork, books, a special lamp or a decorative accessory in your favorite color.” Need some inspiration, check out color and organizational schemes on this Pinterest board https://www.pinterest.com/explore/office-color-schemes/?lp=true!
- ERGONOMIC considerations
Don’t forget about the benefits that an ergonomic work environment can have on both your mental and physical well being. Incorporate ergonomic work processes and office equipment into your day-to-day activities in order to ensure that you experience as little repetitive physical stress and pain as possible. One recent ergonomic trend that many law firms are exploring is standing desks. Practicing law can often be a very sedentary process. When we’re not in court, we’re often drafting or reviewing pleadings and other documents while seated behind our desks. Standing desks are increasing in use because they help to reduce the stressors placed on your body after long hours spent seated in one position.
- LEARN TO HANDLE, OR IGNORE INTERRUPTIONS
Maybe you have a colleague who constantly stops by your desk to chat. Or you sit near the noisy elevator. Or your office has large windows. If you make an effort to learn how to properly handle these interruptions or ignore distractions in the workplace, you could significantly decrease your level of stress, Kousek says.
- ADAPT TO CHANGES
Does change make you anxious? If your workplace sees a lot of turnover, physical changes (office layout), or new software or technology (printers, computers, etc.), you’ll have to learn to adapt quickly.
- BE A GOOD COMMUNICATOR
Poor communication often causes confusion (and therefore, stress) in the office. If those around you aren’t communicating well, ask questions, make suggestions and do whatever else you can to improve the situation.
If you’re stressed out by a co-worker who talks on the phone too loudly or a boss who’s always looking over your shoulder, figure out a way to effectively communicate your frustration or concerns. If they know their actions are causing you stress, they might be willing to make changes.Because this can be one of the most significant stressors in any workplace, but esp one that is moving at a rapid pace where decisions need to often be made efficiently, I’ll elaborate on this point.
- Listening
Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who only cares about putting in her two cents and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If you’re not a good listener, it’s going to be hard to comprehend what you’re being asked to do.
Take the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding (“So, what you’re saying is…”). Through active listening, you can better understand what the other person is trying to say, and can respond appropriately.
- Friendliness
Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your coworkers to engage in open and honest communication with you.
It’s important to be nice and polite in all your workplace communications. This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to coworkers and/or employees – a quick “I hope you all had a good weekend” at the start of an email can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.
- Respect
People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person’s name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation.
Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing email, the recipient will think you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.
BIG TAKEAWAY: LISTEN MORE THAN YOU SPEAK
Great communicators listen more than they speak. When they speak, they are frequently asking questions to draw out the knowledge and opinions of their coworkers.
When you allow yourself to listen, you often hear what is not being said. You can read between the spoken lines to understand the whole context of the other person’s thinking and needs. This does not mean that they never speak, but it places the emphasis on using the knowledge of the team. It affirms for others that their opinions matter and they are valued. It marks you as a great communicator who cares about what others think.
WEEKLY TIP, TOOL, QUICK-TO-IMPLEMENT STRATEGY
This app comes packed with features, including a five-day guided meditation practice, meditation reminders, personalized meditation offers, and timers for keeping you on track. There’s even a health app integration capability. This is the gold standard app for anyone serious about the practice of meditation.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430
Thanks for taking the time to join me and hope you’ll join me next week when we’ll start talking about FINDING BALANCE, CHANGING YOUR CAREER PATH. You need to have the right mindset. It’s important to prioritize your wants and needs and realize that your life–and your career choices–are within your control: It isn’t about building a law practice. It’s about living a life. It is about living a life of our own choosing. As for the fantasy of being famous or having a big dream, that is for everyone. But, sooner or later, we recognize that the reality of our lives is what we make of them.