By John F. Sase, economist
Gerard J. Senick, general editor
Julie G. Sase, copyeditor
William Gross, research
Most of us get it. Some of us have families to remind us of the importance of it. Lawyers and Economists have busy jobs, which is an understatement. Often, it is nearly impossible for busy legal and economic professionals to make time for themselves to slow down when they're constantly getting swamped with work. As difficult as it might seem to get away from the office, it remains worth the effort. Taking a summer vacation as a lawyer seems possible and, in many cases, even necessary.
If the weather's heating up and you're starting to wonder what it takes to escape from the hustle and bustle, remember these tips to take a summer vacation for lawyers.
Why Should Attorneys and Economists Take Vacations?
Retreating from the never-ending grind for a few days of vacation is not only a nicety but a necessity. Why should blocking out some vacation time be a top priority in your busy schedule?
Stress relief: Too much stress from a hectic work schedule can wear you down to the point that it's hard even to catch a breath. Just a few days out of the office can take a massive burden off your shoulders and relieve stress.
Improved productivity: It might sound counterintuitive initially, but taking a break from work can mean what you need to become more productive. Returning to work after an extended break can lend you a fresh perspective on complicated problems.
Better Health: Feeling stressed for too long isn't just going to impact you mentally. It can also affect your overall physical health, such as your heart and blood pressure.
Five Tips for Effective Vacationing
While vacationing may seem all about ease and relaxation, we cannot deny that getting started can take a lot of time and effort. Consider these tips to take a vacation effectively, efficiently, and responsibly.
– Plan Early and Schedule in Advance (If Feasible)!
Early planning months ahead of time for a summer vacation is essential for all professions and that goes double for attorneys and a few other life paths (like Economics). For those who work in such a dynamic, fast-paced industry, it's vital to look at your schedule months in advance to start planning things out. You'll want to ensure that you have a clear agenda without any significant obligations on the near horizon. For example, court holidays offer a natural time for vacations.
However, we want to assure our clients that they will be able to reach us during our vacation times for matters of urgency and necessity. One way for us to get started includes scheduling out-of-office messages for your voicemail and email inboxes. In addition, we suggest emailing all current and potential clients in order to let them know that we offer limited reachability during our vacation time. Such steps can prepare most clients to transition smoothly to our necessary and well-deserved leisure time as we should to their such times.
– Sorting Out Client Projects Ahead of Time.
Unfortunately, preparing for summer (or winter) vacation as an attorney or other professional does not always turn out as simply shutting down our computers and catching a cruise ship to the Bahamas or Northern Territories. Before we make a "grand escape," we need to ensure that putting effort and time into taking care of existing client projects so that we do not leave them hanging at critical points while away.
We might begin by working through current, ongoing client projects and acting upon them. If necessity demands, we might organize our entire process by crafting a to-do list with concrete plans of action to make headway on all current responsibilities. By carefully managing our approach to ongoing client work, we can rest more easily knowing that we have left our clients in a good place. Not only will our clients be satisfied that they receive the service they need, but you'll be able to enjoy a guilt-free vacation knowing that we have gone above and beyond.
– Delegating Tasks Effectively
Even if we complete all of our primary tasks before heading out on vacation, it remains an unavoidable truth that our work does not stop even while away. However, we should keep emails and various assignments from stumbling while out. Instead, if working at an organization with other professionals or working staff, we might delegate certain specific responsibilities to them so we may continue to make progress while away.
Some of us make progress more easily by using available practice-management software that includes features that automate workflows or event reminders.
We must only reassign some, or even most, of our projects. However, having fellow team members handle even minor tasks can make substantial headway in our success. Often, we make the jobs of our coworkers easier by leaving them to-do lists of duties that we need done or even by giving them an emergency number for difficult situations.
– Returning to Status Quo
Even the most relaxing vacation can get sullied if we return to work only to find our inboxes on our emails stuffed with multitudes of urgent messages demanding immediate attention. Therefore, we might reduce emotional shocks by preparing ourselves before returning to work.
For example, we may give ourselves some time at the end of our break or on the first day back to work as we readjust to our daily routine. We can use this time to catch up on our emails, make to-do lists, and draft strategies for significant projects.
– A Few Words About Practice-Management Software
We cannot deny that legal and related work often comes packed with tedium. Furthermore, only some of us find it common for attorneys and other professionals to confront file folders of paperwork we need to sign and develop, invoices to draw up, and case information to manage. While on vacation, we may temporarily set some of these issues aside or seek help through the automated practice-management software available.
Conclusion
In conclusion, setting up a vacation or other break time may feel daunting. However, momentarily taking a step back can help keep it within reach. Taking the abovementioned steps allows us to prepare for a restful and fulfilling break comfortably.
A special thank you to Sarah Merken of the National Law Review for her inspiration and suggestions posted in her view on the subject, and to Eric Kent Franz of the Oakland County Legal News who reminded me of vacations along upper Lake Huron.
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Dr. John F. Sase teaches Economics at Wayne State University and has practiced Forensic and Investigative Economics for twenty years. He earned a combined M.A. in Economics and an MBA at the University of Detroit, followed by a Ph.D. in Economics from Wayne State University. He is a graduate of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School (www.saseassociates.com).
Gerard J. Senick is a freelance writer, editor, and musician. He earned his degree in English at the University of Detroit and was a supervisory editor at Gale Research Company (now Cengage) for over twenty years. Currently, he edits books for publication (www.senick-editing.com).
Julie G. Sase is a copyeditor, parent coach, and empath. She earned her degree in English at Marygrove College and her graduate certificate in Parent Coaching from Seattle Pacific University. Ms. Sase coaches clients, writes articles, and edits copy (royaloakparentcoaching.com).
