Time Management

Do you remember that catchy slogan for Wrigley’s Double Mint gum? Way back when, “the Double Mint twins” used to sing about the joys of all things “double.” Well, I have something to add to their list: double monitors. If you’re still working with only one computer monitor, you’re limiting your productivity more than you […]

Are you ready for great things in 2010? You should be. If you’re a solo practitioner or have a small practice, 2010 can be your best year ever. Just make the decision and go for it. Where do you want to be a year from now? Wherever that is you need to start moving in […]

For years I’ve been telling my clients that each interruption they deal with during the day is costing them, on average, 10 minutes. Well, it looks like I’ve been wrong. It’s more like 20 minutes! According to research in Winifred Gallagher’s new book, Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, it can take the brain up […]

That’s what they call a rhetorical question – according to Webster’s “a question to which only one answer may be made.” And I know the answer to this question is a resounding, YES! Every lawyer I talk to is driven to distraction by email. – Too many, not enough time to deal with them, an […]

“Most people haven’t realized how out of control their head is when they get 300 e-mails a day.” David Allen Is that you? Maybe it’s more like 400, 500, 1,000? An out-of-control inbox is a problem for almost every attorney I know. It’s impossible to function with that kind mess in your inbox. So, what […]

There is a saying in the military: “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” In your law practice, the “enemy” may show up in a number of disguises: a member of your staff, opposing counsel, a client emergency. The “enemy” is anyone or anything that “blows up” your plan for the day or the week. […]

“Easier said than done,” you’re probably thinking. How to deal with email overload is one of the most consistent questions I’m asked with respect to increasing productivity. The truth is there are no easy answers. The key is to find the strategies that work for you and implement them. If you’d like some ideas on […]

Attorneys often get stuck in a sense of overwhelm. Overwhelm occurs when you feel like there is just too much to do and not enough time in the day to get it done. Sound familiar? Often, when we’re experiencing overwhelm, rather than tackling something, we opt for tackling nothing. Rationale: “I just don’t have the […]

“Most people haven’t realized how out of control their head is when they get 300 e-mails a day.” – David Allen Can many lawyers relate to the quote above? You bet! Just a quick update on David Allen, the GTD Guru. (See post under Time Management & Productivity, Sept. 22, 2006.) If you’re looking for […]

A: “The one you’ll actually use.” I can’t tell you how many attorneys I speak with who are still keeping their time on some sort of manual system. Most often this involves taking a few minutes at the end of the day to recall what they did, estimating time spent, giving the list to their […]