Having a career in law can be dynamic and stressful as it is a high-performing environment. If you feel overwhelmed by the mere thought of having to search for a particular document that is somewhere underneath a chaotic pile of papers, or if you feel like you’re wasting precious time trying to find a client’s file, you might need the help of some valuable tips on how to get organized as a legal professional.
Let’s not forget that you might also find yourself missing certain billable hours on invoices as a result of failing to regularly and efficiently track time. Do not panic though as there is a plan to achieve organization which will ultimately lead to an improved working environment, better mental health, and long-term success of your law practice.
Below, we list some bulletproof ways to get more work done in less time.
This might sound incredibly tedious, but lawyers spend a lot of time trying to find documents, emails, and reports every day. This doesn’t make the work more efficient, but only more frustrating. Thus, a lack of organization can even cause you to lose focus on what you were doing in the first place.
Organization within your law office, whether it is physical or digital material, will make it easier for you to get the information you're looking for. A clear example is a mailbox. How often do you clean it? Continuously sorting important emails in various folders or clearing unimportant ones, makes it easier for you to keep track of what you have.
People tend to use their mailboxes as unwritten to-do lists where emails pile up and remain unread. This can affect productivity and focus. A multi-email app like Edison Mail gives you and your employees access to all email accounts through a single app. It can also help filter out junk mail and unnecessary distractions. This can increase your team's productivity and it will help them to focus their time more efficiently.
Today, technology plays a major part in our personal and professional lives. The best part of this is that we can now use technology to make things easier for us in the workplace. Thus, streamlining the work of every law practice, simplifying processes, and saving us time and money.
However, you must make sure you’re using the right modern technology for your law firm. For instance, if you work with immigration law, use the latest immigration forms software. This can provide robust case management and an all-in-one solution exclusively for immigration law firms.
Legal professionals must understand that new technology allows them to adapt to clients’ needs. Thus, delivering better results. The right legal technology can help law firms operate and tackle tasks more efficiently. While also researching cases faster, and satisfying clients better.
When the brain is alert, we should use it to the max. If during the night you come up with a lot of things you forgot, write it down. Even if it is something new you want to add to your case or workplace, write everything down immediately when you get to work.
Writing down all the things that you’re worried about gives you a greater overview of what needs to be done. If it still feels stressful, it may be a good idea to start with the simplest tasks first. The brain's reward system will make it easier for you to take on the other obligations and better focus on your top priorities.
One way that can directly hamper the efficiency of your work is email. You might be in the middle of working on a case and have a good workflow when an email comes in and makes you lose focus and concentration. The email can also lead you to take on other tasks that need to be done. But, these may not have had the same priority as what you were doing. When you then return to what you did before, you have either forgotten where you left off or lost the flow altogether.
Make sure you get a routine and structure when you read your emails. It may be enough for you to open the email every two hours, or even less. Then, of course, you shouldn’t ignore urgent emails. But, those emails about this summer's legal conference can wait until you have more time.
Make sure to organize your thoughts and to-do’s once you step into your law firm. If you need additional help, find a user-friendly management software to handle files, improve communication with clients and help you keep track of important information. Organization ensures your work is manageable and you can get into the routine of things. Thus, making your law firm more efficient.
