Managing your wellbeing in the age of AI

Wherever you turn, there is a conversation about AI. People around the world are in a race to find the next breakthrough in artificial intelligence, all with the objective of trying to do something better and faster than anyone else.

As we stand on the edge of a global technological shift, the pace of change is relentless.

Just as you have adapted to a new piece of technology, another one comes out five minutes later, promising to outperform the last.

So how are we supposed to keep up?

Technology has always promised to save us time. Yet somehow, despite this, we still feel busier than ever.

I think there are three main issues arising:

• There is a constant pressure to keep up to date with the rapid rate of change so that we do not feel ‘left behind’;

• Managing expectations when the more we achieve, the more is expected of us;

• For some areas of law more than others, the uncertainty of jobs in a few years.

Keeping up

Keeping up with the law is usually more than enough work, but now we are keeping up with the rapid change of technology. We are constantly exposed to new tools coming out promising faster and better output.

Whilst it is important to stay on top of emerging technologies, this can feel overwhelming.  The main point here is to get back to the basics and understand your workflow. You do not need every new tool or product, particularly if yours is already serving its purpose. Also, many people underuse the tools they already have. Consider if there is an existing tool already in your tech stack that you can use for the purpose.

Further, rather than reacting every time a new tool is released, consider setting aside time a few times a year to review your technology and assess whether anything new would genuinely improve your workflow. You will inevitably be bombarded with marketing throughout the year of the latest products. Make a note of anything that interests you but assess it later against your actual needs. This will help you stay focused instead of reacting to every new tool.

Managing expectations

How do we manage client expectations when it feels like the more we do, and the faster we do it, the more is expected? Why does it still feel like we are all working harder than ever, despite all this technology?

This is because expectations have changed. We now live in an on-demand world where there is an increasing expectation that everything happens immediately. There was a time when you would post a letter and expect a reply several days later. Email changed that by making communication instantaneous. Smartphones then made that communication always accessible. AI has added another layer, with faster turnaround times quickly becoming the new normal.

To manage this:

• Accept that you do not always need to be ‘on’ – Nothing will collapse if you take some time to step away.

• Set expectations with clients – Explain how and when you communicate. Clients are generally comfortable waiting when they know what to expect.

• Prioritise tasks by importance – We all fall into the trap of responding to the latest thing. However, many communications do not require an immediate response.

• Use technology to create capacity for yourself – If AI saves you an hour, do not automatically fill that hour with another task. Consider using some of that time to rest, think, or simply switch off. The better rested and healthier you are, the better you will perform.

• Carve out uninterrupted time – give yourself blocks of time to complete specific tasks. During that time, close your emails and put your phone away. Instead, set designated times throughout the day to check them. Nothing is likely to go too astray in an hour or two. This is easier said than done, but it is about building the habit over time, and it does get easier.

• Ruthlessly unsubscribe from everything and anything – we are bombarded with emails, notifications and alerts every day. Even something as simple as a restaurant booking can generate multiple confirmations. It takes a bit of effort initially, but it will reduce your interruptions and distractions over time.

Staying relevant

There are certain areas of law more prone than others, tipped to be replaced by AI in the not-too-distant future.

Lawyers practising in areas involving significant amounts of structured text, repeatable workflows and document-heavy tasks may be more susceptible to disruption from AI.¹ Examples include employment law, insolvency, discovery, due diligence and high-volume commercial advisory work.²

This creates another source of stress as we are trying not only to stay competitive with each other, but now also with AI.

This has generated a lot of discussion in recent years and also raises bigger questions about our identity and function as a profession.

What are clients actually buying when they hire a lawyer? This question makes us really consider what value are we actually offering as a profession.

Generally, clients are not buying legal knowledge or information. They are seeking professional judgment, skill, strategy, insight, experience, to form a practical and effective solution to their legal problem.

So, to stay relevant in the age of AI requires a shift in thinking:

• Accept that change is part of the process – The legal profession has adapted before. AI is another evolution. Change is inevitable and more will come in ways we are unable to anticipate. Think of this stage as an opportunity.

• Remember where your value lies – Clients still rely on lawyers for judgement, strategy, experience and accountability. Those skills become even more important as AI becomes more capable.

• Build your skill stack – Continue to refine your skills in advocacy, negotiation, communication, leadership and strategic thinking. Information will become increasingly available. Your value will lie in how you apply it in creative ways. This means gaining new perspectives. One way of doing this is by expanding your complementary knowledge. It is no longer enough to be a lawyer who simply understands the law. The broader your knowledge across different disciplines, the more perspectives you can bring to a problem, and the greater your value over a machine.

• Use AI to your advantage – You would have heard the saying that the future may not belong to AI, but to those who know how to use it. Learn how to use AI to improve your practice, save time and remove repetitive work, rather than seeing it as something to compete against. At the same time, protect your critical thinking and always apply your judgement.

Whether we like it or not, this is the reality lawyers and other professions are facing with AI. Instead of resisting change or fearing it, focus on what you can control.

Accept where we are, but do not feel you need to keep up with every new development. Progress should not come at the expense of your wellbeing. Find a balance between learning, adapting and giving yourself permission to slow down when needed. Broaden your perspective, stay curious and look for opportunities.

Now is the time to be curious and rediscover the creativity, originality and imagination that define us as human beings, qualities no machine could ever truly replicate.

Footnotes
¹ Sam McKeith, ‘AI to Slash Graduate Law Jobs over Next Decade’ (11 June 2026) Law Society Journal, reporting comments of Laina Chan https://lsj.com.au/articles/ai-to-slash-graduate-law-jobs-over-next-decade/.
² Ibid.