Lawyers face more than their share of interruptions: last-minute emergencies, impromptu client calls, and constant communications from staff, clients, and the courts. Combine that with a high-stress environment and a pressing workload, and it’s no surprise that lawyers find it challenging to focus.
Fortunately, once you understand what causes lack of concentration, you can take actionable steps to regain control, prioritize effectively, and reduce that overwhelming feeling.
Why Is It so Hard to Focus at Work?
Stress can be part of any profession, but the challenge with lawyers and the legal industry is that the same qualities that make a good lawyer – dedication and drive – are prized in the legal field while also contributing to stress.
Add in the competitive nature of law firms and the glorification of overworking combined with a lack of support systems, and it’s a recipe for burnout. In fact, 52% of attorneys responding to a survey said they had experienced some form of burnout, with the feelings of burnout becoming more prevalent near the end of the year.
5 Top Reasons Lawyers Can’t Focus at Work – and How to Overcome Them
There can be numerous factors that contribute to poor focus and concentration. Understanding these causes can help you identify and address how to regain focus at work. Here are some of the main reasons you may be struggling:
Reason #1: Manual Tasks
The legal industry frequently relies on manual tasks as standard procedures. Lawyers and legal professionals invest significant amounts of time in tasks such as writing standard client letters, preparing filings, generating invoices, and managing data entry.
Apart from being time-consuming, manual methods are also prone to errors, making them an inefficient way of carrying out these tasks.
The Fix
Legal technology offers the capability to streamline repetitive tasks, including invoicing, client intake, and generating standard documents, among others. By implementing automation, you can free up valuable time to concentrate on the unique aspects of practicing law that requires your expertise. PracticePanther, for example, is a legal practice management platform that allows law firms to automate routine tasks like billing, document management, and much more.
When implementing automation, start by identifying the most time-consuming tasks that could easily be standardized. For example, use document automation for engagement letters or create templates for frequently filed motions.
Reason #2: You’re Burned Out
Lawyer burnout can arise from the stressful and exhausting nature of the legal industry. When you experience burnout, it’s extremely difficult to maintain focus. You may feel perpetually exhausted, no matter how much sleep you get, and lose interest in the work you once enjoyed.
Worse yet, burnout can have serious ramifications for your work. The lack of focus can come with a lack of attention to detail in your work, or you may forget to track your billable hours — both leading to process errors that can impact your business.
The Fix
Combating burnout starts with setting realistic boundaries around your time and energy. If you’re part of a larger firm, discuss ways to promote sustainable practices firm-wide, such as offering flexible schedules or creating a rotation for weekend or emergency coverage. Addressing burnout collectively can reduce the pressure on any one individual to “push through” at the expense of well-being and focus.
Using legal case management software can also help, as it supports organizing cases, tracking deadlines, and prioritizing important tasks, allowing you to work more strategically rather than reactively.
If you find burnout impacting your mental well-being or ability to focus even after trying these adjustments, consider speaking with a medical professional on additional steps you can take.
Reason #3: Poor Client Communication Management
When lawyers don’t have a system in place to manage client communication, they can find themselves easily disrupted by phone calls or responding to emails. While in the moment it may seem like a small amount of time — these distractions can add up. Additionally, if you’re too busy to respond in a timely fashion or don’t communicate effectively, you risk providing a poor client experience which can impact your firm’s client retention.
The Fix
Set clear guidelines on communication early in the client relationship. During intake, provide clients with a detailed outline of your communication process, including who will handle inquiries, response times, and preferred methods of communication. For larger firms, specify which team members handle routine questions so that clients aren’t constantly seeking updates from senior attorneys.
A practice management platform can help implement these strategies with features like secure client portals for real-time updates and message tracking, so everyone involved has access to the information they need without constantly interrupting workflow.
Reason #4: Multitasking
Lawyers often pride themselves on being good multitaskers, but in reality, no one is. Humans are wired to be monotaskers, which means we focus best when we’re working on one task at a time. Legal work, particularly tasks that involve complex analysis, benefits from focused, uninterrupted time, and switching between tasks leads to missed details and diminished quality of work.
The Fix
Instead of treating each notification or interruption as equally urgent, create a task hierarchy. Work through tasks in order of priority, giving the most critical ones your undivided attention. For instance, reserve the first few hours of your day for client casework, and allocate administrative tasks or email responses to a designated time later in the day.
Additionally, limit interruptions by setting your devices to “Do Not Disturb” mode during your deep-focus periods and use a project management tool to log tasks and track progress. This helps you maintain a clear view of your priorities without the mental strain of constant task-switching.
Reason #5: Too Many Distractions
As mentioned, it’s hard to focus when you have constant distractions. For lawyers, this can be messages on various channels, staff members interrupting work to ask for something or new project developments. All of these situations can affect your ability to complete one task at a time, leading to poor focus.
The Fix
Implement a time-blocking technique where you allocate specific time blocks for different tasks or types of work. Dedicate uninterrupted periods for focused work and establish boundaries to avoid interruptions during those blocks. It’s best to add these time blocks to a shared calendar so your staff is aware.
Also, consider scheduling short “office hours” when colleagues or staff can reach out with questions or updates. You’re still encouraging communication this way but without disrupting your focus throughout the day.
Rethinking Focus for a Sustainable Practice
Staying focused in a demanding legal environment doesn’t require burning out or losing precious time. A balanced approach to managing repetitive tasks, communication, and daily priorities can help lawyers protect their focus for the work that matters most.
PracticePanther offers an all-in-one platform tools to help with exactly that, from automating everyday tasks to organizing client communication. See how it fits your practice with a free trial or schedule a demo today to explore the ways PracticePanther can help you reclaim your time and focus.
