Associate burnout is common with the intensity and long hours accompanying corporate law. My busy days always feel worse without a proper night’s sleep. I do what I can to log off at a reasonable hour with time to decompress before bed. Two of the most important skills I have learned as an associate are properly managing my own time and “managing up” for others.
Time Management for Yourself. There are a couple of components to this concept:
· When possible, do not procrastinate. I know, sometimes you do not feel like sending that email/drafting that document and want to online shop. As you will see, your days in corporate law can be unpredictable. Your seemingly minor research assignment can soon be compounded by two additional unexpected emails and before you know it, it is 9pm. Starting on work as soon as possible after receipt creates space for the additional assignments inevitably coming down the pipeline. It is better to consistently chop away at your tasks than to procrastinate and try to surf a tidal wave later. Staying on top of your emails and to-dos decreases stress and will probably enhance the quality of your work product.
· Track the urgency of your assignments. If you have two assignments and one needs to be completed by the end of the day and the other by the end of the week, work on the task due EOD first. This seems obvious but sometimes it is difficult to discern who needs what and when. A common mistake is assuming that because a partner assigned something, you should work on it before a task assigned by another associate. If you are not sure, ask. The last thing you want is to have worked on the less urgent task all day and then have to burn the midnight oil to finish the task due an hour ago.
Manage Up when Necessary
“Managing up” requires an understanding of the personalities of your team and the general timeline of your deal. Over time, you will be able to deduce which team members are good planners and who seems to forget about impending deadlines until right before the partner needs something. If you are working with the latter, it is in your best interest to think ahead. For example, if a deal is closing and closing documents need to be drafted two weeks prior to closing for proper review, ask your superior, “Hey, do you want me to get started on closing documents for XYZ deal?” three weeks out from closing. This will show that you are proactive and likely save you a late night or two. Of course, this advice is subject to the general disclaimer that you will work with varying personalities. Try this technique and measure your colleague’s response. If they appreciate it, do the same next time. If not, consider just having the documents ready for when they do eventually ask for them. Understanding the work style of your superiors can make your life a lot easier but comes with time, so be patient!
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