Why you need a personal operating model
Thanks to technology, legal work has become more demanding, not less. Constant interruptions break our concentration, making it almost impossible to do the deep thinking lawyers are valued for. Add in unclear priorities and the pressure to always be “on,” and burnout isn’t far away.
Whether you’re a junior associate, a GC, or somewhere in between, a personal operating model gives you a way to put structure around the chaos, so you’re not just reacting to everyone else’s demands
1. Stop trying to "Just work harder"
It can be tempting to deal with your workload by just staying later at the office, or by constantly logging back in late at night. But research into sleep and productivity tells us that working longer doesn’t equal working better. In fact, after a certain point, it makes us less effective. Sustainable performance beats short-term heroics every time.
2. Write everything down
One of our favourite techniques comes from Getting Things Done by David Allen. Whenever a task pops up — big, small, personal, professional — capture it in a trusted system (whether that’s an app, a notebook, or a Post-it!). This way, your brain isn’t cluttered with open loops, and you can focus on the task at hand. Think about doing a regular “mind sweep” — taking 15-30 minutes to write down or dictate everything that you are thinking about and which is occupying space in your brain (personal, work).
Schedule regular time so you can clarify, organise and reflect on your list, and work out “What action do I need to do?“.
3. Protect your thinking time
One of the best thinkers about productivity, Cal Newport, said (in his “Deep Work Hypothesis“) “deep work is becoming increasingly valuable at the same time that it’s becoming increasingly rare. Therefore, if you cultivate this skill, you’ll thrive”.
Great legal work requires focus. Instead of squeezing it into six-minute windows between meetings, try blocking out chunks of time where you can work deeply without interruptions. Replace reactive working with a clear process and defined workflows
4. Know your energy patterns
We all have natural peaks and dips. Perhaps mornings and late afternoons are your most productive times, while Thursday lunchtime… not so much! Pay attention to when you work best and plan your trickiest tasks or those that require deep thought for those windows.
5. Tame the tech
Don’t let email and Slack run your day. Not only do they eat up your time, but the constant context shifting that you are asking your brain to do is exhausting and reduces your productivity. Try blocking out set times when you check your email (just a few times a day) and setting yourself 2-3 key priorities for the day that you tackle first. Consider whether checking email is the first thing you need to do in your day, or whether you could start with your priority list.
There are also things you can do to reduce the volume, including filtering out cc’d emails (if it’s that important it will be sent to you!) and agreeing clear rules with colleagues for things like document sharing. Small changes like these can save huge amounts of time and stress.
6. Keep it simple
Most importantly, your system doesn’t have to be fancy. Productivity isn’t about apps or colour-coded spreadsheets. It’s about finding a way of working that helps you feel calm, focused, and in control.
A word of encouragement
It’s natural to feel pressure to prove yourself and be responsive to every demand, but you don’t need to run yourself into the ground. With a simple personal operating model, you can create space for both excellent legal work and a life outside the office.
At Obelisk Support, we support consultant lawyers not just in finding interesting, flexible work, but finding the confidence, networks and professional foundations they need to thrive. To find out more about working with Obelisk get in touch!