As lawyers, we pride ourselves in our high standards. However, this relentless drive can sometimes morph into perfectionism, a trait that, if unmanaged, can lead to significant personal and professional challenges.
This article explores the nature of perfectionism, its effects on lawyers, and practical strategies to manage it effectively.
Understanding perfectionism
Perfectionism is setting exceptionally high standards and being overly critical of oneself. Recognising the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is crucial for maintaining well-being.
As lawyers, perfectionism can manifest itself through the following ways:
- Excessively revising documents
- Striving for flawless presentation such as triple checking formatting
- Over-researching or providing unnecessary detail in written advices or submissions
- Micromanaging teams
- Avoiding delegation
- Spending too much time on minor and routine tasks
- Reluctance to make final decisions for fear of being wrong.
The impact of perfectionism on lawyers is significant including stress and anxiety, decreased productivity, and strain on professional and personal relationships.
Six strategies to manage perfectionism
Awareness
Being self-aware can reduce the automatic responses associated with perfectionism.
Practice self-compassion
Replace self-criticism with self-compassion. Be kind to yourself. Think about what you have achieved and how far you have come already. Everyone’s strengths are different and try not to compare yourself with other people.
Set realistic goals
Setting achievable and specific goals can prevent the pitfalls of perfectionism. Break down larger tasks into manageable steps and focus on progress rather than perfection.
Improve time management
Effective time management can bring into focus progress over perfectionism. This can include:
- Allocate a set timeframe to complete a task and adhere to it. Try to avoid interruptions during this block.
- Create a to-do list for that day or week. That way, you can see the list of tasks you need to complete. Tick off the tasks as you do it for a sense of achievement as you progress.
- Once you are happy with a document, save it as a template so that you can use it again in the future without thinking too much about it.
Define the goal
We are trained to be thorough. We are taught the three Ps in law school – preparation, preparation, preparation.
While high standards are essential, we need to recognise when efforts become unproductive. Therefore, consider your audience and what information they need. For a client, how much, if any, of the legal background do they need to know.
For court submissions, identify and focus on critical points you must win, and less on non-contentious issues. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also makes your communication more concise and to-the-point.
Refocus your priorities
Plan something nice for yourself to look forward to. Put it in your diary. It may be going home earlier to spend time with your family, catching up with a friend, or just some quiet time for yourself to relax.
This will help put work into perspective and give yourself incentive to finish your task rather than dwelling on unnecessary detail.
While the legal profession demands high standards, it is essential to recognise and manage perfectionism to maintain mental health and professional effectiveness.
By understanding its impact and implementing practical strategies, lawyers can achieve a balanced approach to their work, fostering both personal well-being and professional success.
Amy Soong is Legal Practice Director at Ashworth Lawyers and a member of the QLS Wellbeing Working Group.
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