Time Management for Lawyers: Making Every Six Minutes Count

Time Management for Lawyers: Making Every Six Minutes Count is a comprehensive guide designed to help legal professionals take control of their time and enhance both productivity and wellbeing. In a fast-paced and high-pressure profession, time management is the key to thriving – not just surviving. This book explores practical strategies for managing overwhelming caseloads, maintaining a healthy work–life balance, and preventing burnout. It covers the latest technological influences, including how AI is reshaping how lawyers manage time and tasks, while also addressing the mental and emotional challenges of working in law. From optimising focus to managing client demands and avoiding distractions, this book helps lawyers achieve peak performance while still leaving room for creativity, innovation, and personal wellbeing. With expert advice on delegation, prioritisation and setting clear goals, Time Management for Lawyers: Making Every Six Minutes Count equips you with the tools to reclaim your time and thrive in your legal career.

Table of Contents:
Executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix About the authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix By Catrin Mills Chapter 1: A work day unique to you –understanding your own working rhythms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 By Dr Todd Hutchison, global chair, International Institute of Legal Project Management In conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Chapter 2: Prioritization – focusing on what matters most . . . . . . . . . . . 25 By David Skinner and Karen Dunn Skinner, co-founders, Gimbal Consulting The real cost of doing it all . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 The high-value work only you can do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Don’t let urgency determine how you prioritize your to-do list . . . . . 28 Delegation – the superpower you’re not using . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 When, what, and to whom – smarter delegation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The time you could get back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Where to start – a practical path forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Reclaiming your time, reimagining your practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Chapter 3: Making time for business development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 By Joanna Gaudoin, ClientWise Why lawyers struggle with business development and how to overcome this . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 The importance of business development for your firm and your career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The key building blocks you need to make time for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The 5 Ps of Proactive Business Development© . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 How to build business development into your working day . . . . . . . . . 47 How to get the support you need to manage business development effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 In conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Chapter 4: Work–life balance and wellbeing protecting your health and energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 By Jean-Baptiste Lebelle and Alice Boullier de Branche The rise of wellbeing in the legal profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Rethinking work–life balance – a dynamic equilibrium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 The consequences and benefits of balance – scientific insights . . . . . . 55 The collective responsibility – culture, leadership, and the profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 A sustainable future for the profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Thriving in business law through sustainable time management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Chapter 5: The impact of working from home efficiency or distraction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 By Nikki Alderson, international talent retention and women’s leadership specialist, TEDx speaker, coach, author, and former criminal barrister A profession transformed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 The pros of remote work for lawyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 The cons and controversies of remote work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Cultivating focus and productivity, connection and longevity – practical strategies for leaders, individuals, and teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Home working as a cultural catalyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Case study: A tale of two lawyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Chapter 6: AI and time management – a game changer for lawyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 By Sarah Murphy, general manager, Clio International The six-minute myth is cracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 AI in legal practice – what it really means . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Automation, machine learning, and generative AI what’s the difference? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Why AI isn’t replacing lawyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 How AI reshapes time management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Task management transformed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Client interaction – better, faster, smarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 The client-centric firm powered by AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Getting started with legal AI – a roadmap for lawyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Start with low-risk, high-reward use cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Time to take back your time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Chapter 7: The culture of busyness – breaking free from constant overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 By Gary Miles, The Free Lawyer The hidden epidemic in legal practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 The perfect storm creating modern attorney overwhelm . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 The psychological drivers of attorney overwhelm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 The devastating hidden costs of chronic busyness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 The productivity paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Eight strategic tools for breaking free from overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Creating space for strategic thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Measuring success differently . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Implementation strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 The choice that defines your career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Chapter 8: The “always-on mindset” – setting boundaries and managing client expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 By Mila Trezza, executive coach and former general counsel Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Why disconnecting is so difficult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Strategies to reduce being “always-on” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 More strategies to break the “always-on” cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Chapter 9: Neuroproductivity – mastering your mind to master your time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 By Anna Marra, consultant and trainer Master your mind, master your time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 How we perceive time – what your mind does with minutes . . . . . . . . 112 How we manage time – rhythms, neurofocusing, and strategies . . . . 116 The two main enemies of time – perfectionism and procrastination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Conclusion – mastering time starts with understanding your mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Chapter 10: Making space for creativity – a path to wellbeing and peak performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 By Karen Dunn Skinner, co-founder, Gimbal Consulting Improving productivity with creative rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 The power of small doses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Creativity as a stress-reduction strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Increasing confidence with creativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Achieving better outcomes for lawyers and clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Chapter 11: Career planning and strategic time management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 By Dr Todd Hutchison, global chair, International Institute of Legal Project Management Balancing mental wellness into the plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Portfolio careers bring diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Behavioral profiling highlights your natural strengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Clarity and leverage are key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Getting your own clarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Strategic time management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Last thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Chapter 12: Mastering time for a successful legal career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 By Rachel Brushfield, The Talent Liberator™®, founder, EnergiseLegal Why are lawyers so time pressured? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 How to free up time in the working day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 The importance of taking time to plan your career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Practical examples of how to make time to plan your career . . . . . . . . 162 Strategic tools and frameworks for career planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Career scenario planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 The role of the physical environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 The impact of AI on career planning and strategic time management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Career planning self-reflective questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Tips to help you say yes to saying “no” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Self-reflective questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 About Globe Law and Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175