Copy of 8 Time Management Tips for IP lawyers
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How do you organize your day to best prioritize your time? One of the biggest disruptors of productivity can be poor time management. It is so easy to get distracted or to slip out of your planned schedule, a meeting runs longer, something unexpected comes up, these things happen.
It is how you pivot your plan to stay on track, how you manage the distractions and the ways you utilize your work time productively, that really matters. Because when it comes to increasing productivity, time management is critical.
Understanding and practicing good time management as a skill, will maximize productivity and efficiency. Think of it this way, if you could add just 30 more billable minutes a day, that would add up to more than $32,500 a year in revenue (assuming a rate of $250 an hour) – without spending any more time at the office.
Effectively managing time also allows for uninterrupted down time, which leads to so many benefits, rest, relaxation and clearer line between work hours and downtime.
We have compiled our top 8 time management tips, to help you prioritize your tasks and better manage your time.
1. Do a self-assessment
This is the initial step in becoming more effective at managing your time, first you need to assess where you are now. How do you spend your time each day? Where are you allocating your planned work time, are distractions derailing your planned work schedule? Track your time for a typical week and enter everything you do during the day.A good thing to do in conjunction is to also note down your high and low energy times.
Once you’ve created a profile of your time, you’ll be able to see where you can optimize your time allocation. You’ll also know if your peak energy periods are, for example, the first three hours of the morning or from 4:00 until 5:00 in the afternoon. This information helps to better schedule your time for maximum productivity.
Plan your time
Good time management starts with a plan, so set a plan of where your work hours will go in terms of focus points and when.
2. Prepare weekly and daily “to-do” lists
Think ahead to what needs to be done in the coming months. To-do lists are crucial if you want to accomplish stay on track to meet your goals. Each Monday, determine what tasks must be completed that week, and prepare a weekly to-do list. Then, each day, devote 15 minutes at the start of your morning to writing your to-do list for that day.
3. Prioritize and schedule tasks
Block out and schedule time in your diary specifically for attending to tasks. Set a tier system if it’s helpful, to allocate time in terms of importance. If the project is large, break it down into sub-tasks that can be completed in one-hour or 90-minute chunks. If it is helpful, create artificial deadlines to help complete your tasks with a purpose.
4. Set aside a reserve of time
Plan for the unexpected and leave time for genuine emergencies and last-minute matters that can inevitably arise. Don’t overbook yourself. “Under-promise and over-deliver,” says Irene Leonard, a professional development coach who practiced law for 18 years. If you think you can prepare the contract by Tuesday noon, tell your client you’ll have it done by Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Then if you deliver it on Tuesday, you will exceed your clients expectations.
5. Allocate work according to your high and low energy periods
Work on the most critical or complex tasks (preparing for an examination for discovery, drafting a new agreement, etc.) during your peak energy periods. Deal with less crucial or demanding matters (signing correspondence, etc.) when your energy lags.
6. Take advantage of technology.
Tech has revolutionized the practice of law. The sea of software and apps designed to make your life easier and your work more efficient is seemingly endless. So be sure to take advantage of those advancements and learn to incorporate technology into your routine in ways that eliminate unnecessary work and speeds up manual processes.
For instance, Digital planners are an excellent tool for having a continuous snapshot of your day — including time spent, availability and priorities — right at your fingertips.
7. Learn to say “NO.”
Being able to say “no” diplomatically is an essential skill to be an effective time manager. Here are a few “NO” examples:
● “I already have a meeting at that time.”
● “I can start that next week and deliver something by ….”
● “I am not able to handle your matter for two weeks. May I suggest someone else? Or would you like to wait for me to handle it?”
● “I’m in the middle of something now. May I get back to you ...?”
● “I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend. Thanks for asking.”
● “Let me call you back at 3 p.m. when I have more time to give you the attention you deserve.”
8. Stop multitasking
For most IP lawyers, multitasking is second nature. However, while it may seem like it’s saving you time, it’s often just making you more inefficient. Numerous studies show that juggling multiple tasks at once makes you more inefficient and less effective on any one of them. So, while you may think you’re getting more done by multitasking, you’re actually not.
Being an IP lawyer can be rewarding, lucrative, and fulfilling–and it can also be incredibly time-consuming. Making small changes to your daily routines may buy you only a few extra minutes each day, but these actions will help you build good habits, and as a result create a healthier work life balance.
I’d love to hear what time management tip you like the most!
Knowing and practicing good time management skills will help you be more productive and efficient. Think. If you could seize just 30 more billable minutes a day, that would add up to more than $32,500 a year in revenue (assuming a rate of $250 an hour) – without spending any more time at the office. Effective time managers also feel less stressed and more satisfied with their work.
The following time management tips will help you prioritize your tasks and better manage your time.
1. Do a self-assessment
This is the first step. To be more effective at managing your time, you must first assess where you are now. How do you spend your time each day? What amount of time do you spend on billable work? On personal phone calls or chatting over coffee with other lawyers down the hall? Track your time for a typical week and enter everything you do during the day. Also, record your high and low energy times.
Once you’ve created a profile of your time, you’ll be able to see where you waste time and what things you can cut back on. You’ll also know if your peak energy periods are, for example, the first three hours of the morning or from 4:00 until 5:00 in the afternoon. This information will help you to better schedule your time.
Plan your time
Good time management starts with planning how to spend the time you allocate to practicing law.
2. Prepare weekly and daily “to-do” lists
Think ahead to what needs to be done in the coming months. To-do lists are crucial if you want to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion. Each Monday, determine what matters must be completed that week, and prepare a weekly to-do list. Then, each day, devote 15 minutes at the start of your morning, writing your to-do list for that day.
3. Prioritize and schedule tasks
Block out and schedule time in your diary for attending to tasks. Separate crucial tasks from less urgent ones. If the project is large, break it down into sub-tasks that can be completed in one-hour or 90-minute chunks. Create artificial deadlines to help move a task to action.
4. Set aside a reserve of time
Plan for the unexpected and leave time for genuine emergencies and last-minute matters that inevitably arise. Don’t overbook yourself. “Under-promise and over-deliver,” says Irene Leonard, a professional development coach who practiced law for 18 years. If you think you can prepare the contract by Tuesday noon, tell your client you’ll have it done by Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Then if you deliver it on Tuesday, your client will be especially pleased.
5. Allocate work according to your high and low energy periods
Work on the most critical or complex tasks (preparing for an examination for discovery, drafting a new agreement, etc.) during your peak energy periods. Deal with less crucial or demanding matters (signing correspondence, etc.) when your energy sags.
6. Take advantage of technology.
Tech has revolutionized the practice of law. The sea of software and apps designed to make your life easier and your work more efficient is seemingly endless. So be sure to take advantage of those advancements and learn to incorporate technology into your routine in ways that eliminate unnecessary work and speed up manual processes.
For instance, Digital planners are an excellent tool for having a continuous snapshot of your day — including time spent, availability and priorities — right at your fingertips.
7. Learn to say “NO.”
Being able to say “no” diplomatically is an essential skill to be an effective time manager. Here are a few “NO” examples:
● “I already have a meeting at that time.”
● “I can start that next week and deliver something by ….”
● “I am not able to handle your matter for two weeks. May I suggest someone else? Or would you like to wait for me to handle it?”
● “I’m in the middle of something now. May I get back to you ...?”
● “I’m sorry I won’t be able to attend. Thanks for asking.”
● “Let me call you back at 3 p.m. when I have more time to give you the attention you deserve.”
8. Stop multitasking
For most IP lawyers, multitasking is second nature. However, while it may seem like it’s saving you time, it’s making you more inefficient. Numerous studies show that juggling multiple tasks at once makes you more inefficient and less effective on any one of them. So, while you may think you’re getting more done by multitasking, you’re actually not.
Being an IP lawyer can be rewarding, lucrative, and fulfilling–and it can also be incredibly time-consuming. Making small changes to your daily routines may buy you only a few extra minutes each day, but these actions will help you build good habits. I’d love to hear what time management tip you like the most!