Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The Low Down on LBO...Lawyer BurnOut
Lawyers and Burnout
With the stress of the holidays and the approach of the New Year, this is an ideal time to take a look at an issue that affects thousands of lawyers all over the country…burnout. This is the first installment in a series of articles about lawyer burnout or what I commonly refer to as LBO.
So what is burnout??
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term exposure to demanding work situations.
According to Michael Gendel a psychiatrist in private practice and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, the three primary symptoms of burnout include:
1. Detachment (especially from clients and staff)
2. Exhaustion (physical and especially emotional)
3. Loss of satisfaction or sense of accomplishment (no matter how hard you work or your level of success…you experience a deep sense of dissatisfaction.)
Are you at Risk for LBO?
Depends.
Based on my experience and research, "Type A" lawyers are prime candidates for burnout.
Consider this, you may be more prone to burnout if:
- You identify strongly with your work and lack balance between work and your personal life. Critical problem for most lawyers
- Your job is monotonous. Common problem for those who specialize in a particular practice area.
- You find it difficult to relax or to leave work at the office.
- You’re always thinking about work-related matters when involved in non-work related activities… in a way that causes you to be distracted and disconnected from other areas of your life.
Next week you’ll receive another article in this series…stay tuned!
Next Steps
Finally if you want to make some changes in your career as the New Year approaches...call or e-mail us to schedule a Complimentary Career Assessment No Strings….
Call 704 814 6135 or send an e-mail to Info@EsqDevelopmentInstitute.com.
