Got 'the billable-hour blues'?

Dan Klau is a successful New England lawyer who has found a personal outlet by recording "The Billable Hour Blues," a CD of humorous songs and parodies that relate to being a lawyer. The title track has lyrics that too many lawyers can empathize with:

My life is a time sheet
Filled with six-minute slots
I know I make good money
But my stomach's tied in knots.

Dan Klau is a successful New England lawyer who has found a personal outlet by recording "The Billable Hour Blues," a CD of humorous songs and parodies that relate to being a lawyer. The title track has lyrics that too many lawyers can empathize with:

My life is a time sheet
Filled with six-minute slots
I know I make good money
But my stomach's tied in knots.

Lawyers today often confess to being unhappy and burned out. Why did you go to law school and become a lawyer? Do you still love the law and enjoy helping people? Is a career as a lawyer the best way for you to achieve your goals?

Often in my coaching work I counsel lawyers who want greater peace of mind or greater control of their practices. They're not getting it now, their colleagues can't help them and their families don't know how.

Many of these lawyers have workplace issues involving their relationships with colleagues, staff and clients. With a little help, they're able to cross these barriers and become more productive; sometimes even able to enjoy their work more. But it can be a struggle to get there.

Many readers of this column are in solo and small-firm practices and are particularly vulnerable to burnout because of worry over income, client demands and workload. It's very difficult to avoid stress when your income fluctuates, especially for a younger attorney who is also growing a new family. We often are not taught the need or skill set to save money and to live within our means. But cash flow and collection demands ultimately become paramount.

Managing the practice like a business was never taught to us in law school. And most of us want to do that which we love, practicing law, not managing the practice of law. But management skills like delegation can help regain control over a practice and ultimately make being a lawyer more satisfying.

Isolation and lack of camaraderie with other attorneys can, perhaps, be the largest single challenge facing sole practitioners. By nature, we humans are a gregarious species and need to be connected with others. An outside perspective, from a coach or a colleague, can be a critical ingredient in career happiness. Self-audits are hard to do and tricky to evaluate. The best evaluation is an active and interactive process that helps us define what we really want and work to achieve it.

I truly believe that most lawyers, at heart, love their profession. And as Confucius said, "Pursue a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

The trick is to get past the distractions and stress, so you can see your career for what you want it to be.