A Lawyer’s Guide to Stress-Free Holidays

Yes. It can be done.

When we talk about going on holiday, the first thing that pops into mind is not a lawyer taking leave. Let’s be honest.

While the cliché is a lawyer chained to their desk working late into the night, 7 nights a week. It’s kind of true. The lawyer’s work schedule can often be demanding, with long hours and tight deadlines, especially during critical cases. With the demands of meeting billable hours, preparing for cases, and managing client expectations, it can feel like work never stops.

In fact, according to Runsensible – 

“most lawyers work between 50 and 80 hours per week, far exceeding the standard 40-hour workweek. For those in Big Law or high-pressure specialties such as corporate litigation or mergers and acquisitions, the hours can be even longer, especially during critical periods of a case or deal.

While billable hours vary by firm and location, many big law firms set expectations of 1,800 to 2,200 average billable hours for attorneys annually. Working “big law hours” often means putting in 60 to 80 hours a week, with many lawyers facing long nights and weekend work to meet client demands and firm expectations. This figure does not include non-billable tasks such as administrative work, business development, or training, adding to the total time lawyers spend working.”

It’s enough to make anyone feel a little frazzled. 

As this time of year rolls around, the long hours and pressure of always being on call has almost worn the average lawyer out completely. And this can, in turn, lead to total mental exhaustion and often mental breakdown. And 2024 is no exception. It really has been a mixed-bag kind of year, and it feels like everyone just wants to be done. Close the book. Turn to a new page. Perhaps a new book altogether. 

As a demographic, lawyers are not known for their ability to relax, to disconnect, and to just have some fun. The opposite is far more accurate. But it’s not without cause – the fact that lawyers work some of the longest hours out of any other profession (bar the medical profession), well it’s enough to drive any legal professional crazy.

But the benefits of increased lawyer well-being are compelling, and the cost of lawyer impairment are too great to ignore.

Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” — Eleanor Brown

It’s a forgone conclusion the world over that when employees don’t take leave, their use of sick time increases and their productivity decreases. Lawyers included. So it stands to reason that vacation is seen as a type of periodic maintenance. Which is true.

With that said, lawyers – just like everyone else – get to take a break. Get a chance to put their feet up. And they can do this guilt and stress free.

How to go on stress-free holidays 

How can lawyers go on leave without unnecessary stress? Well, it starts by – 

1.         Planning ahead – this is absolutely vital and whilst it’s difficult to predict schedules at the best of times, managing calendars and teams can be simply and effectively done if it’s planned a couple of months in advance. It makes obvious sense. Also try and find a time of the year that is quiet, taking advantage of the fact that most of your clients will be on holiday as well. That way you can try mitigating any major catastrophic legal event and reduce the likelihood that urgent matters will arise in your absence, especially if your client is having some much-needed down time too. December is a great time for this in South Africa! Planning ahead of time will also enable you to assess your financial situation and help you save money for those sunny days. Remember, for the sole practitioner it’s crucial that their financial affairs are up to date and planned for, so money troubles (and stresses) don’t creep up while on holiday. Spend what you know you saved for your time off. No more. Planning for this (ahead of time) is important for a happy and stress-free holiday. 

2.         Give notice – once you’ve committed to going on holiday, it’s time to shout it from the rooftops. Give everyone you work with – be it client, colleague, boss, correspondent and opponent – as much advance notice as possible, even if your holiday is months away. Why is this so important? To avoid getting calls, emails and texts while you’re away. But good and advanced communication is also key to prevent matters from proceeding in your absence and preventing important communications (that could have a significant impact on your case) from coming to your attention. Good, advance communication will also reduce the possibility of having your plans derailed by a sudden influx of work.

3.         Set boundaries – you have worked hard the whole year, and are entitled to take a break. You are also entitled to set boundaries both with your employers and your clients. Try “I will not be contactable during x date and x date. I will respond to all queries upon my return. For urgent matters, please contact my colleague x.” In this regard, discuss having a back-up with a colleague who doesn’t mind being your point of contact while you’re away. If you are a one person show, try scheduling one hour an afternoon to take calls for urgent matters only. But with this, think very carefully. This is your time off. And you should be focusing on you, your family and getting some much-needed rest. The point here is, set realistic boundaries that you’re comfortable with. The same goes for social situations, say no if you’re not happy with a situation. Develop “social scripts” that can help you gracefully decline invitations or leave events early while maintaining relationships.

4.         Let technology support you – having software that can support you when you are “out of office”, that can help you check in once a day (if you absolutely need to) and maintain remote contact (if necessary), to quickly assess or attend to urgent work, assign any new tasks, record billable hours or whatever else that may be pressing, before going back to enjoy the beach and your Piña colada, is not only a necessity nowadays but is also critical. Being able to work remotely, even when on holiday is do-able and, with our online society, and Apps like AJS Mobile, it’s more possible now than it has ever been before. In this regard, AJS can offer best in class support and products that will enable you to manage your law practice from wherever you are.

5.         Take breaks – why are we saying “take breaks” while on holiday? Well, the truth is, holidays are filled with activities, with socialising, with doing stuff. And it can often be overwhelming. To avoid burnout and additional stress, make sure that you schedule in time for you to take a break. Learn to say no and mean it. Taking breaks is good for you both physically and mentally. It helps calm your central nervous system and improves how your brain functions. So, schedule in that nap. Take a break from social media. And say no to attending whatever it is that you didn’t really want to attend.

6.         Disconnect – Despite being able to remain connected and work from wherever you are, we encourage you to – Turn on your “Out of office”! And then, once settled into your hotel room, it’s time to do what you went there to do – and that should be relax. Whatever has featured on your holiday to-do list – checking out Table Mountain, lounging on the beach or enjoying your sundowner game-drive, that should be your priority – not emails or the thousands of “to-do’s” that you feel an urge to attend to whenever you have a free moment or some free WiFi. Disconnect. Commit to doing pretty much anything that isn’t work. Even if that’s absolutely nothing. And if a staycation is on the cards – Netflix and Chill is still an amazing and viable non-work option. Leave your phone and laptop in the hotel room (or in a cupboard if you are at home) and honestly live in the moment. You deserve this much-needed time off!

And remember, if you have planned ahead and have the technology to support you, there will be nothing for you to worry about.

With all of that said, we hope that you can get some rest to recoup and regather your thoughts and your energy – it has been a mixed bag kind of year, and everyone is tired. 

Last but certainly not least – from all of us at AJS – we wish you a Holiday Season filled with love, good food, great company, lots of laughter and memories in the making! 

See you in 2025!

In the meantime, if you are ready to incorporate a new tool into your existing accounting and practice management suite, or if you need to start from scratch, feel free to get in touch with AJS – we have the right combination of systems, resources and business partnerships to assist you with incorporating supportive legal technology into your practice. Effortlessly.

AJS is always here to help you, wherever and whenever possible!

– Written by Alicia Koch on behalf of AJS