Busy - Busy - Busy. We lawyers are all very busy (or, at least, we would like to be).
So we must recognize that our "time" is very precious. If we are going to be honest about the time we expend on behalf of our clients, we had been be cognizant of those daily interruptions that rob us of our valuable (billable) time.
Phone calls, emails, social networking, chatty colleagues and well-meaning clients and friends who stop by every now and then - - the list of daily interruptions is almost endless. And once interrupted, it is very difficult to get back on task. So, a better strategy is to avoid the interruptions as much as possible during the workday.
Here are a few suggestions for keeping your workday working:
Arrive at the office earlier than everyone else. Try to arrive an hour before others in your office start to trickle in. Use that hour to answer emails that need attended to and check your phone messages. Then when you are ready to start your work, you will not have the task of getting to those things throughout the day.
Set one or two times a day to deal with your emails and phone messages and stick to them. Don't constantly check your emails or answer each message as it comes in. This will distract you from achieving your daily work goals.
...and, speaking of "daily work goals," at the end of each day, set out (on paper or in the computer) those things that you want to get done the next day. In that way, you will be able to get a "jump start" when you arrive at your office the next day.
Go through your "in-box" and take care of everything you possibly can as you come to it - - admittedly, difficult for lawyers to do. But, try not to lay too much aside for later, which usually just creates piles of things that you might be tempted to procrastinate taking care of.
Be friendly with others in your office, but don't start conversations that are likely to linger. Stay focused and get on with your work. Learn how to end conversations, by saying things like, "OK, nice talking with you. I better get back to what I was doing or I won't finish what I'm working on before lunch," and such.
You, "dear reader," undoubtedly have many other such suggestions and, if so, kindly add them as a Comment to this Post to share with other readers of this Blog.
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