Work-Life Balance for Attorney’s is Not a Myth: Achieve It By Working Remotely

Work-life balance can be defined as the healthy intersection between one’s career and one’s personal life. To achieve such an effective balance, one must establish boundaries and define relationships. These guidelines vary from attorney to attorney, but factors like salary and lifestyle priorities help shape this intersection.

• Out of 100+ occupations examined, “lawyers are the most likely to suffer from depression and were 3.6 times more likely than average to do so.”
• 1 out of 4 lawyers experience heightened feelings of psychological distress (ex. feelings of depression, inadequacy, inferiority, anxiety, and isolation)
• Across the nation, “substance abuse among lawyers is as much as double the national average”
• Over a quarter of “respondents exhibited symptoms of clinical depression, and almost 12% said they contemplated suicide at least once a month”

Working remotely is just one component of self-care. The independence and freedom associated with working remotely is beneficial to the mental and emotional wellness of attorneys. Below are just a few benefits of working remotely.

5 Benefits of Working Remotely

• You can be more productive. Per the State of Work Productivity Report, “65% of full-time employees think a remote work schedule would increase productivity.” Without the typical distractions of a traditional law firm setting, attorneys have more time in their work day and more time to focus on their mental and physical needs to boost efficiency.
• You can set your own schedule. Your schedule can be as flexible you would like. Sure, you can still work 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, you have the option to tailor your schedule to your needs and your clients’ needs.
• It’s better for your health (and the environment). People are typically more stressed due their commute to work. With less time due to the morning and afternoon commute, unhealthy snacking habits increased. Attorneys are less active and live less healthy lifestyles. On the other hand, “80% of remote workers reported higher morale and 82% said it helped lower their stress levels.” Moreover, telecommuting is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint…less emissions, less paper, less space.
• You can avoid office politics. Gossiping and posturing is common in any traditional law firm setting. Skip the idle chitchatting and breakroom drama.
• You can learn more and develop new skills. Without having coworkers a few steps away, you’ll have to be creative in finding answers.

Advantages of Working Remotely for Law Firms

Firms share similar benefits as attorneys. Regardless of how successful a firm may be, all firms can benefit from offering attorneys the option to work remotely.

Firms can cut down on a variety of overhead expenses by having few attorneys physically present. While clients still have access to attorneys, fewer attorneys requiring office space equates to fewer offices to be leased. In addition to a decrease in office space to be leased, firms can save money on furniture, utilities, electronics, technology, parking fees, etc.

FirmVO Can Help Give Attorneys Peace of Mind

Besides providing office space and live reception, FirmVO offers a number of services to relieve attorneys of certain responsibilities. For example, attorneys can receive mail at a FirmVO location instead of their home. Mail is digitalized, so you don’t have to spend time sorting through it. Plus, instead of being bombarded by calls on your personal phone number, FirmVO provides a local number.

While there are plenty of benefits for attorneys establishing boundaries and for attorneys working remotely, remember: “never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”