Responding to urgency is rewarded in legal practice.
It is normative in the culture of most law firms.
People seek the help of attorneys because they
are experiencing some sort of crisis - and they
expect you to solve it. So urgent demands are
not going to disappear.
As an attorney and goal-oriented person it's
natural for you to think that you can set a
specific, achievable goal of reducing urgency
or regaining control. It's appealing to think
that you can find a formula that allows you to
balance your life.
But life balance isn't a goal; it's a process.
More importantly, it won't happen over night.
And trying to change everything immediately just
gives you one more urgent thing to do.
So consider the suggestions I offer; take one
small step at a time. Most importantly, keep
in mind that balance isn't something you just
do. It's like riding a bicycle - it requires
constant readjustment.
1. Urgency vs. Importance
Stephen Covey (1) introduced the four quadrant
box of urgency and importance as a means
of increasing effectiveness and life balance.
Importance is defined as your most important
goals, the priorities that give your life
meaning.
Urgency refers to how quickly action is required.
A ringing phone is a simple example of urgency.
Draw a box with importance along the horizontal
and urgency along the vertical lines.
Divide your box into four equal parts.
The top left quadrant is the high importance,
high urgency box. The top right part is the
low importance, high urgency quadrant.
The bottom left section is the high importance,
low urgency quadrant, and the bottom right
box is the low importance, low urgency quadrant.
You'll probably discover that much of your time
is spent in high urgency quadrants, some of
it important, too much of it unimportant.
To lead a life of optimal effectiveness and
satisfaction, you need to spend your time
in the high importance, low urgency quadrant.
2. Use Importance as the Foundation of Time-Management
Typical approaches to time-management involve
making "to-do" lists. Over and over, women
attorneys complain to me that their "to-do"
lists tyrannize them. They can't possibly
finish everything on the list in the allotted
time. When this method fails, you can feel
very discouraged.
The problem with "to-do" lists is that they keep
us focused on prioritizing the urgent.
It is far more important to clarify what is
important. This is the first step in any truly
effective time-management strategy.
3. Clarify What's Most Important
What if you articulated clearly what
is most important to you and revisited
this list weekly?
If you think there's a chance this might
make a difference in your life, then try writing
down what is most important to you.
Consider all of your life roles - lawyer,
parent, spouse, daughter, friend, community
member - whatever fits your particular
circumstance. What are your most important
goals for each of your life roles?
4. Assess Whether You're Spending Your Time
Doing What's Important
Compare how you've been spending your time to
how you would spend it if you were doing what
is most important to you. If there are glaring
discrepancies, you have your first clues about
things you need to change to make your life more
balanced and satisfying.
Making this comparison is only a beginning.
It does not mean you have to change everything
at once or that you've been doing everything
wrong. You are simply a very competent person
trying to live a life in a culture and profession
that discourages life balance. Greater balance
and control are possible if you approach them
in small, intentional steps.
5. Visualize Alternatives
Try visualizing yourself facing a typical
crisis and handling it in a completely different
way. Be irreverent, outrageous -- remember
it's only a fantasy. The point is to begin
to realize that there are alternatives.
6. Assess True Urgency
Keep in mind that not everything that demands
your immediate attention is really urgent.
Many ostensibly urgent demands can wait. Some
deadlines are arbitrary or artificial and
some are intended to assert power or intimidate
you. Many deadlines can be changed by attorneys,
clients or courts.
Try remembering a time when you didn't respond
to an urgent demand -- that is, you did the work
but rejected the time table. Did disaster ensue?
7. Compare Urgent Demands To Your List of Priorities
Keep a list of what's most important
to you in a visible place. Every time you're
presented with an urgent demand, compare it to your
list. Will accepting the supposed urgency contribute
to your highest priority goals? If not, is this task
truly urgent -- if you don't meet the deadline, is a
catastrophe really likely to occur? If not,
what are your options?
Can you soothe the person making the demand
so that he or she can see that their problem
will be solved even if you change the deadline?
Can you show the person making the demand that
she or he will benefit even more if the time-
demands of the task are changed?
8. Triage
Use the concept of triage as a frame of reference.
Everyone goes to the ER believing that their situation
is urgent. But the doctors don't allow the patients to
define urgency. Patients with life-threatening problems
are attended to first. Intermediate solutions
are provided to ease distress for others who can
wait for more thorough solutions. People whose
health concerns can wait without harm to them
simply have to wait. This analogy, though limited,
is still useful.
9. Anticipate Urgency
Try setting aside a specific time each day for
dealing with urgent matters. This helps reduce
some of the stress of urgency and also allows
you to work on what's important without interruption.
10. Make Small Reductions in Time Spent on Urgent
Demands
Of course, genuine emergencies will still crop up.
But if you can reduce the amount of time you spend
doing urgent but unimportant things by even 10%,
you're already regaining more control over your
life, making conscious choices and reducing the
kind of stress that creates serious health risks.
11. Consider How a Coach Can Help
A professional and personal coach may be able
to help you clarify what is most important to
you. She can help you craft a plan that allows
you to spend more time on what is important but
not urgent, thereby increasing your sense of
personal control and satisfaction. Many women
attorneys find that a coach's support is an
invaluable resource in meeting this challenge.
"Characteristics of successful women include the
fact that they: realize the importance of a mentor
or coach, know how to increase their visibility,
know how to develop an effective network, have
learned to communicate effectively, to balance work
and home, to take smart risks, and understand the
politics of their various organizations." (2)
Notes:
1. Covey, S.R.(1989)."The Seven Habits of Highly
Successful People." New York: Fireside.
2. Brooks, D. & Brooks, L. (1997). "Seven Secrets
of Successful Women." New York: McGraw-Hill.
**********************************************************
BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR ™ is published monthly by
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D., founder of LawyersLifeCoach.com.
She brings 20 years of experience assisting women
attorneys to her work in Lawyers Life Coach ™.
LawyersLifeCoach.com is a professional and personal
coaching firm specializing in working virtually (by
phone with email and fax backup) with women attorneys
interested in developing strategies to find greater
satisfaction in their careers within the law or
in exploring career alternatives for lawyers.
Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D. established Lawyerslifecoach.com
to coach busy lawyers who might benefit from the
insights gained from 20 years as a psychologist
combined with her experience and familiarity with
the legal profession.
Ellen holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
from the University of Rochester and is a managing
member of Metropolitan Behavioral Health Care, LLC.,
a multispecialty, multidisciplinary psychotherapy
practice in Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland.
She is a member of the International Coach Federation
and a graduate of the Mentor Coach Program ™.
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NOTE: BEYOND THE BILLABLE HOUR ™ is intended
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It is not a substitute for a personal consultation
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(c)Copyright 2000 Ellen Ostrow. All rights reserved.
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