Small Law Firms, Solo Practitioners

What To Do When You're Too Busy

Here are 12 suggestions, from small-firm columnist Gary J. Ross.

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Gary J. Ross

Gary J. Ross

I contracted someone to review an SEC registration statement who subsequently decided that [whatever she did for the past two days] was more fun, so I had to pull an all-nighter last night and do it myself. (The whole thing was bizarre – what could be more fun than reviewing a registration statement?) So, I was too busy to write this column, or at least too busy to turn it in on time. So it got me thinking about being too busy.

I sometimes wonder about attorneys who have been practicing for awhile who are not too busy, particularly solos who have remained solo for a long period of time. For me, I felt like I had no choice but to grow. Clients begat other clients, and the firm was off to the races. Believe it or not, in SmallLaw it’s even easier than it is in Biglaw to get into situations where things snowball and you have more demands on your time than you can possibly meet.

So what do you do then? Here are some options:

Panic. Screw Stay Calm and [Whatever]. (By the way, how many different versions of this do we need to see? It’s starting to get annoying.) Doesn’t it feel good sometime to go into a full-throttle panic? Nothing cleanses the nervous system like a full-on panic attack. Only once I’ve let it all out am I truly calm.

Ask for help. Either by using contract attorneys (the contract agencies can usually send someone to your office that very day), or by reaching out to fellow SmallLaw colleagues, either for assistance or for ideas as to managing your workload.

Drink on the job. Alcoholism is a popular coping mechanism for a reason. Those little vodka bottles they give you on planes are just the right size for your desk drawer. And if you keep it up – and let’s face it, daytime drinking rarely leads to productive nighttimes – after a few hours you’ll have other concerns to help get your mind off your workload. Like, where am I? Where are my clothes? Who is this?

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Throw something. This is what I do with the little vodka bottles after I’m finished.  Nothing like the sound of a satisfying crash when you throw a bottle against the wall. Bam! Shatter. Instantly makes me feel better.

Get off the grid. Unplug the landline, take the batteries out of your smartphone, turn off the desktop, close the laptop, put the iPad in a drawer, take off the Google Glass, stash the PalmPilot, remove the beeper, and, I dunno, think peaceful thoughts or do the end part of a yoga class. Just do it.

Take your pants off. You’ll feel more relaxed. Trust me. Close the office door first though. And make sure you’re the only one in your office, or else you’re just asking for trouble.

Call your parents. When you get through hearing about all your screwed-up relatives and childhood friends, you’ll immediately start feeling better. Hey, your biggest problem right now is that you’re a lawyer who’s too busy. Is that so bad?

Call my parents. They’re both retired. They’ll talk to you. Just don’t bring up religion or politics.

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Think about friends back in Biglaw. I liked my time in Biglaw. I liked my friends back there. But this is so much more. I’d rather be too busy in SmallLaw than a Biglaw cog. 

Read. Have non-legal reading material available. For the past year or so, I’ve had a world history book ready to spring into action whenever it’s needed. (Which I suppose must not be too often, since I’m only up to the Mongols invading Russia in 1240.)

Stare out the window. Works best if you have a view of an ocean. I, on the other hand, have a view of a brick wall. However, that brick wall is flooded with sunshine at 3:12 p.m. every day – even on weekends! – and just looking at it makes me feel better. Assuming I’ve locked the door, unplugged the landline, taken the batteries out of my smartphone, turned off the desktop, closed the laptop, put the iPad in a drawer…

Take a walk. Just remember to put your pants back on.

Stay Calm and SmallLaw On.

Gary J. Ross opened his own practice, Jackson Ross PLLC, in 2013 after several years in Biglaw and the federal government. Gary handles corporate and securities matters for startups, large and small businesses, private equity funds, and investors in each, and also has a number of non-profit clients. You can reach Gary by email at Gary.Ross@JacksonRossLaw.com.

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