Welcome back to the third installment in our "Lawyers Need Vacations Too" summer series!
Upon seeing this title, you might already be wondering "How on earth can vacation make me a better lawyer?" After all, the legal profession isn't exactly known for encouraging time away from work, and lounging on a beach somewhere seems pretty counterproductive to your practice's needs.
Between client demands, court deadlines, overflowing inboxes, and the ever-present temptation to complete just one more task, many attorneys struggle to fully unplug, which is why our last blog posed the idea of a workcation. Yet, research has shown us that vacations aren't simply a luxury. They are also an investment in our mental and physical well-being. Some studies suggest it takes several days of being off work before we truly begin to experience the restorative benefits of time away. For lawyers accustomed to operating at full speed, it's an important reminder that true recovery takes time.
In other words, stepping away from work may actually help you improve at it. Read on to find out just why that is...
Distance creates perspective. Have you ever spent hours wrestling with a problem, only to find the solution arrives when you least expect it to? Maybe after talking a walk, sleeping on it, or doing something completely unrelated? The same principle applies to vacations.
When you spend every day immersed in deadlines, client matters, and legal analysis, it's easy to get trapped in the details. Time away from all of that provides the opportunity to zoom out and regain perspective. Problems that once seemed overwhelming often feel more manageable after you return from a break. New ideas can emerge when the brain is given space to breathe. And taking a step back can remind you of the bigger picture of life, and what truly matters.
Your brain needs time to recover. As you already know, lawyers rely heavily on concentration and decision-making. Those mental resources aren't unlimited and you cannot afford for them to become depleted. You also cannot afford to fall victim to the dreaded burnout.
Research has found that vacations can improve well-being and morale, reduce stress, and even increase mental flexibility. Some studies have shown that people generate a wider range of ideas after returning from vacation, suggesting that time away can support creativity and problem-solving. In a profession where strategic thinking is essential, this is a fact that should not be overlooked. So the next time your boss denies your vacation day, tell them you need it to increase your mental flexibility!
Stepping away improves productivity. It may sound counterintuitive, but it's not. Constant work isn't always the most productive approach and can dull anyone's sharpness. Many attorneys assume that taking time off will cause them to fall behind, but in reality, exhaustion creates its own problems. Fatigue can easily increase mistakes and make each task feel more difficult than it should.
A well-timed vacation can help break that cycle. Returning with renewed energy often allows lawyers to work more effectively than trying to push through the burnout. Besides, you don't want to lose those precious vacation days, do you?
The best vacations aren't always the longest. A study found that eight days seems to be the "ideal" vacation length, as far as relaxation and rejuvenation go. That idea stems from research suggesting that happiness and well-being often peak around the eighth day of the trip before leveling off or declining. Before then, we spend several days trying to sink into that sweet state of relaxation (meanwhile, our dopamine is often highest before the trip even begins).
Don't go blocking off exactly eight days in your calendar just yet! Remember that vacation isn't a one-size-fits all. Some might feel refreshed after a long weekend. Others might need two weeks before they're able to completely unplug from work. And let's be honest, if your travels are taking you halfway around the world, one week is not worth the jet lag. The real takeaway here is that meaningful recovery rarely happens overnight. It might take a few trial runs to realize the perfect vacation length for you, and it might be longer or shorter than that eight-day average.
Vacations aren't to be earned. Lawyers are infamously good at caring for clients and bad at caring for themselves. Many delay vacations until they finish a project, close a case, or reach some other extravagant milestone. Unfortunately, work is always flowing in and there's always another deadline waiting around the corner.
If you have a tendency to view vacations as rewards for surviving work...stop. They should be viewed as part of what allows you to sustain a long and successful career. Our bodies need rest. And if you keep raising your standards, trying to earn that "reward," then you may never see it come to pass.
In conclusion...the legal profession demands a great deal from those who practice it. Long hours, complex problems, and significant responsibilities come with the job. But even the most dedicated attorneys aren't machines. Everyone needs opportunities to rest, recharge, and live a life outside work.
So the next time you're tempted to cancel that vacation or spend your entire trip checking emails, remember this: stepping away from work doesn't mean you're neglecting your practice. In fact, you just might be doing your practice (and yourself) the biggest favor you could offer it.
