As a lawyer, you know that the typical 9 to 5 schedule is not attainable for the vast majority of attorneys. In fact, depending on the size firm they work in, most lawyers work on average between 42 and 66 hours per week.

When your workload is that demanding, organization and time management are incredibly important. Below, we’ll dive into how to get organized, as well as some top time management tips for lawyers.

Why Organization and Time Management Are Important

Before we dive into how to handle organization and time management in your firm, let’s talk  some about why these skills are important.

Not only can disorganization increase the risk that you lose important case files, but it can also have a serious impact on how you work. 

Cluttered spaces can increase stress and create distractions, making it difficult for you to bring your best to a case.

As for time management, a 2017 study showed that on average, lawyers only bill for 30 percent of the hours they work. If you work for a firm that requires you to meet a certain quota of billable hours, this could leave you working long hours every week to keep up.

Learning better time management can help you reclaim some of that 70 percent of working hours that go to non-billable work and achieve a better work-life balance.

How to Get Organized

Organizing your firm can seem overwhelming at first, but the trick is to take it one small step at a time. There are a few areas you should focus on to begin with.

Don’t Rely on Your Memory

The first thing you need to learn about organizing your firm is to write absolutely everything down. Relying on memory is a great way to forget important information and lose files.

Save your brain space for legal work; use tools like planners, calendars, project management software, and digital notes and to-do lists to keep up with your work.

There are a few powerful tools we recommend for clearing your mental space.

  • Digital calendars – Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook calendar, Google Calendar, Business Calendar 2
  • Digital to-do lists – Todoist, Apple Reminders, Microsoft To Do, Asana
  • Project management software – Monday, Trello, Basecamp, Teamwork, Wrike
  • Digital notes – Notability, Apple Notes, Microsoft OneNote, Obsidian

As we’ll discuss later, legal practice management software can also provide a good all-in-one solution for your firm.

Declutter Your Desk

Once you’ve decluttered your mind, it’s time to turn your attention to decluttering your desk. 

Start by getting any loose papers off your desk and filed in the appropriate spots. If you need to keep certain files within easy reach, consider using a desk organizer or tray system.

Next, find a way to organize any other supplies you may have on your desk. Remove any items you may not need to keep on your desk; remember, a clean desk makes it easier to focus.

Finally, don’t forget to clear off your virtual desktop. Keeping your computer organized can make it much easier to find files when you need them.

Identify Your Organizational Style

As you’re going through this organizational process, it may also be helpful to identify your organizational style. In her book The Organized Lawyer, Kelly Lynn Anders identifies four organizational styles.

  • Stackers – Stackers prefer to organize things in different stacks. These people tend to be a little more visual and tactile, and seeing their organizational system visually can be helpful.
  • Spreaders – Spreaders like to spread their things out across their workspace. They tend to be visual too, but they like to see everything all at the same time.
  • Free Spirits – Free spirits tend not to feel the need for personal items in their workspace. Instead, they tend to keep resources like books and magazines around them while they work.
  • Pack Rats – Pack rats, on the other hand, tend to hold a lot of emotional attachments and like having personal items in their workspace. They may also like to tell stories about these items.

Knowing your organizational style can help you learn to manage it and keep things tidy while also fulfilling your workspace needs.

Use Technology to Help

One of the best things about modern time management is that we have lots of technology available to help. Of course, digital calendars and to-do lists can be incredibly helpful for keeping your schedule organized.

But did you know that some legal practice management software can also help you manage your time better?

Some of these programs offer time tracking software that can give you a good view on where each hour in your day is going. This can help you optimize your schedule and look for places where you might need help from a legal assistant or freelance lawyer.

Some legal practice management software also has digital calendar tools designed specifically for lawyers. You can organize your calendar by case, keep up with deadlines, and see your entire firm’s schedule at a glance.

Limit Your Notifications

Constant interruptions can massively disrupt lawyers’ workflow and lead to a lot of time loss each day. And unfortunately, in today’s digital society, it can feel hard to catch a break from notifications that demand your attention.

One of the best ways to reclaim your time is to set hours when you aren’t reachable except in case of emergency. 

Pick a specific block of time that you’ll spend responding to emails, and outside of that time, close your email app. 

You may also set blocks of time when you let the people in your office know you won’t be answering your phone. Set it on silent, put it in a drawer, and focus on the task at hand.

Break Your Time into Blocks

Another great way to cut down on the time you spend switching between tasks is to break your day into blocks.

You lose a lot of time when you move from one task to another, so batching tasks by type or working on one task to completion can save you a lot of extra time. Look at your schedule and make a list of tasks you need to accomplish that day.

Then take each of those tasks and block out a chunk of time when you’ll tackle that task. Using a digital calendar and a series of alarms can be helpful for this tactic.

From there, all you have to do is commit to following that schedule. If you think of another task that needs to be handled while you’re working in a time block, make a note of it somewhere and then get back to what you were doing before.

Focus on Clear Communication

You might be surprised what a big difference clear communication can make for your time management. 

When you don’t communicate clearly, you have to spend time later going back and clearing up the misunderstandings that result. You may also lose valuable work time from your staff if they don’t understand what you’re asking them to do.

Unclear communication can also damage your clients’ trust in you, which you’ll have to spend time repairing.

Make sure that from the start, you’re managing communication among your team and with your clients well. 

Tools like Slack, Teams, and Zoom can help you keep everyone on the same page and foster open communication in your firm. Likewise, client relationship management tools can help you maintain strong communication with your clients.

Set Up Solid File Management

Along those same lines, having good file management in your firm can help you make the most of your time.

How much of your day do you spend searching for a piece of information or a needed file? All those little minutes can add up to a lot of inefficiency and extra wasted time.

If you haven’t already gone paperless, that can be a great first step for keeping everything you need at your fingertips. 

As you’re setting up your digital file organization systems, remember: consistency is key. All your files should be named using the same convention, and if you’re just beginning to convert to paperless, you may want to stick to the same format you were using with your digital files.

And be sure to devote some time to thinking about how you want to organize your files, including folder structures and naming conventions. 

Although this work can be time-consuming at the start, once you have all your files organized, you’ll find that your work goes a lot more smoothly.

Of course, the tool that ties all of this advice together is legal practice management software. The right software can help you stay in communication with your clients, manage different tasks in your day, organize your files, and more.

These tools can also help you manage your budgeting and billing – both tasks that can take up a huge chunk of your time. 

If you’re looking to start small, something as simple as a Microsoft Excel RACI chart can be helpful. A RACI chart is a matrix that you can use to assign roles and responsibilities for tasks and decisions on different projects. 

RACI stands for “Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.” In your chart, you’ll list project tasks on the left and different team members across the top. In each cell, you’ll indicate whether a team member is responsible, accountable, consulted, or informed on each task.

Trello and Microsoft Planner can also be helpful project management tools. And if you’re ready to dive into a full-scale legal practice management software tool, be sure to check out our blog reviewing the best options on the market!

Reduce the Time You Spend on Marketing

When you have the enormous workload a legal career demands, it’s important to look for ways to optimize your workflow. Staying organized is a huge first step and should encompass everything from your desk to your legal files. Then you’ll want to turn your attention to your time management tactics, including breaking your day into designated blocks, focusing on clear communication, and limiting notifications during your working periods.

And, of course, another great way to improve your time management is to turn over tasks like marketing to the experts! LawRank provides legal marketing that works, including SEO, PPC, web design services, and more. Contact us today and start getting the most out of your marketing efforts!