Unproductive Month

It's been an "unproductive" month.

I likely will not hit my monthly billable-hour goal.

This is true even though I have plenty of billable work on my plate.

This can feel "bad" when the billable hour defines productivity in your world.

I struggle with the guilt of low-billing days.

I likely always will, even though I know they happen, and often for good reason.

As we round out August, I’ve tried to let “billing a full day” include both traditional, billable time and the non-billable work—because it is work. It is part of what pushes my practice forward.

This month, I've:

🏆 Participated in on campus interviews and call backs.

🏆 Recorded a webinar on the ethics of lawyer well-being.

🏆 Recorded my first podcast—a two parter on work-life balance.

🏆 Connected with so many people through lots of social events and gatherings.

🏆 Given myself space for breaks and time to address the life happening around me.

Yes, I need to catch up on billable work.

Yes, I still need to meet my billable hour requirement.

Yes, these non-billable things are "wins" from this month.

Yes, I will have more than enough billable work over the next 80 days to fill my plate and catch up from this lower billing time.

All of that can be true while I exist in a space where the billable hour drives things.

The tension is real.

It is the reality of associate life.

The ups and downs.

The cycles.

It is all part of the gig.

#lawyerwellbeing #professionalwomen #gettingthingsdone