Working While Traveling: Find The Balance
Vacations are getting harder and harder to take, but you can still enjoy the moment with a little effort.
With the continued advances in technology supporting our field, and the increased mobility of the workplace, it is easy for a lawyer — or really any other professional — to blur the line between work and vacation. While it is often helpful to be able to check emails and review timely documents, (and in fact sometimes less stressful than being completely unavailable for long stretches of time), finding the right balance and allowing ourselves to truly enjoy our vacations has become more difficult.
As someone whose family is spread out across the country and travels often to see them, I have found that having a vacation strategy and being adequately prepared helps to achieve the necessary balance. I am fortunate that our firm has embraced mobility, but it certainly took some trial and error to discover what works best for me and for my team.
Before taking any time off, confirm with your employer what their expectations are in terms of your availability to respond to calls and emails, as well as your availability (or lack thereof) to do substantive work, like researching or drafting documents. Every workplace is different in this regard, so it is important to have a discussion well before you will be out of the office to ensure that you and your colleagues are on the same page.
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If you will be completely unavailable, make that clear and create a plan weeks beforehand. Even though technology allows us to work from essentially anywhere at this point, that does not mean that we should constantly be working through a vacation.
Be prepared. Before going on any trip on which I plan to do work, I like to take an inventory of what I may need, and what documents I need access to. I make sure that any necessary documents (particularly if I am flying or in a foreign country) are downloaded onto whatever device I have with me. It is always important to take note of power sources, and the availability of the Internet or cellular service.
But, on the same note, be prepared for all of that preparation to be thrown off by some unexpected obstacle. I was recently on a plane to Park City, Utah, and, as is typical for me on flights, I was trying to complete most of my work before I landed and truly started my vacation. I am a terrible flyer, so I definitely do not view the flights as part of my vacations. But at about an hour into my flight, I found myself wildly frustrated at the plane’s Wi-Fi, which was so slow that I could not send or receive a single email, let alone download a document from the court that I had planned to review.
After several minutes of venting my frustration to my travel companion (who kindly and very correctly pointed out that we had survived without Internet on planes until only just a few years ago and that I should focus more on the still amazing fact that we were flying through the air at 36,000 feet), I was able to take a breath and move on to something else that was still productive. These types of minor frustrations happen all the time when working remotely, so it is important to learn how to simply take them in stride (a fact that the story above shows I am still working on).
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Plan ahead with deadlines. In most circumstances, there is no reason why a litigator should have a deadline when he or she is away. If the court assigns one, complete your work before you go. To do otherwise will cause unnecessary stress to you (and your family or travel companions), and to your team. If an emergency arises, have a knowledgeable colleague available to step in.
If you are planning on doing work while away, set aside designated times. The worst feeling is to have work hanging over your head while you are trying to enjoy a moment on the beach or time with your family. I find that setting aside an hour or two in the morning and another, hopefully shorter period of time in the afternoon helps, both in terms of your own stress as well as that of those you are with. This also prevents that hanging over your head feeling that unfinished work can create. In particular, I like to take advantage of travel times. For me, airplanes are an excellent opportunity to do focused writing, while car rides are often great for phone calls.
However, all of this being said, it is still so important to actually take and enjoy your vacations. While it is possible as a lawyer to work constantly and never take a break, it is unnecessary to do so at all times. Taking the time to recharge and enjoy your friends and family and to discover the world will actually make you a better lawyer. Find the balance that is right for you.
Jillian L. McNeil is an attorney at Balestriere Fariello who represents clients in trials, arbitrations, appeals, and in consultation on transactions. She focuses on complex commercial litigation, including business disputes before federal and state courts in matters involving contract disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets and proprietary information, tortious interference with contractual relations, unfair trade practices, and defamation. Jillian also has represented plaintiffs and defendants in False Claims Act and Dodd-Frank Act litigation in courts around the Nation. You can reach her at jillian.l.mcneil@balestrierefariello.com.</strong