Four Tips to Help Legal Professionals Who Feel Overwhelmed

As we kick off a new year and dive back into the realm of work, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the tasks ahead. Looming deadlines and residual holiday stress can take a toll on mental and physical well-being. Many legal professionals find themselves between eustress (a positive stressor that sharpens the senses) and burnout (a stressor that results in exhaustion, negativity, and detachment), according to an article by Caterina Cavallaro on ACC Docket.

Marco Imperiale, founder of Better Ipsum, a consultancy focusing on legal well-being, shares insights on identifying and overcoming the feeling of being overwhelmed. He describes it as a state of being unable to properly prioritize tasks, leading to altered time perception and physical symptoms — and sometimes thought paralysis.

This overwhelming feeling is exacerbated by the fast-paced legal world. Imperiale explains that being overwhelmed is temporary and situation-specific, while burnout is a chronic state of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy.

To combat feeling overwhelmed, Imperiale suggests the following steps:

1. Accepting the situation encourages a moment of detachment to contemplate the long-term impact of current behaviors. 
2. Addressing the pride of being extremely busy can help us overcome feelings of being overwhelmed. “Once we start taking pride in not being able to know or do something, there’s space for healing,” Cavallaro writes.
3. Adopting a strategy that includes prioritizing tasks, setting achievable goals, and maintaining schedules that include periods with no activities. 
4. Delegating tasks, saying no, and having honest conversations about workload risks.

Imperiale emphasizes the positive aspects of stress, citing research that demonstrates that framing our experiences properly is crucial. Professionals who view stress as an opportunity for growth stay engaged during difficult times and make choices to change situations are better equipped to thrive under stress.