Surviving the Summertime Slow-Down

BE WELL

BY NIKKI G. MAPLES

It seems undisputed and relatively common for law practices to slow down or experience a different rhythm during the summer months. For years, I have heard lawyers discuss the fretting that takes place as the summer months approach – fear of business slowing down, worry about a decrease in income, angst about how to keep support staff busy, anxiety about how to…relax.

The slower months don’t have to be so downtrodden—there’s a silver lining in most things, right? Consider some of these ideas to help pass the time during the summer months.

HEALTHY PROFESSIONAL IDEAS

Network

This is the perfect time to log in a few outdoor happy hour gatherings and lunches. When business is booming, it is all too easy to skip a conference or bail on a get-together. Take advantage of the slower days and meet a colleague for coffee, then head to the office. We all know that, sometimes, a simple conversation over a cup of coffee can lead to the next referral.

Gifts

Ramp up your marketing by sending gifts to your top five referral sources. Since you have a little time on your hands, put some thought into the gifts. If one of your referral sources has little kids, consider a gift card to a water park or to the movies for the whole family to enjoy. Or, since it is summer, a fun box of margarita makings usually puts a smile on faces.

Clean Out Your Desk

Seriously, the lulls are intended as a reset. Get organized. Purge the old articles and mailers that you’ve promised yourself that you’ll read…accept it, it’s not going to read itself (or, use this time to actually read that stack of newsletters). When our law practices are buzzing with energy and tons of work, we don’t stop to tidy our workspace, we shift and stack piles (admit it, we’ve all done it!).

Update Your Online Presence

Personally, I procrastinate on this task. I admire my peers who stay active on social media. Your internet presence is a marketing form that is tried and true; however, it takes time and consistency. Frankly, I don’t always find myself all that interesting and I oftentimes end up remarking on someone else’s post. The slower summer months can easily be dedicated to revamping or boosting your online and social media presence. Maybe even schedule some new headshots with your glowing sun-kissed face since it’s summer.

Review and Revise Goals

Brilliant! Remember the whole ‘build it and they will come’ pitch? We know it’s true. Put that ol’ faithful pen to paper and outline some new professional and personal goals. Take your legal pad, a pen and a pair of sunglasses and go outside. Go hang out in the sun, away from your electronics, and give yourself the mental space to look at the next five years. There’s no need to go crazy and build out more than five years. Part of this exercise is to help you stay present. Start with envisioning where you want to be in five years. Where (physically) will you be? What will you be doing? What do you want to be earning? What does your case load look like? What does your family dynamic look like? Then, put a few measurable goals in place. Ta-da! Now, you have a fresh, new roadmap to success.

Go hang out in the sun, away from your electronics, and give yourself the mental space to look at the next five years.

HEALTHY PERSONAL IDEAS

Relax

For the love of all sanity, take a vacation! Treat yourself to a getaway. Blow it out or keep it simple, but step away from the monotony of your workspace, especially if you are working from home. Recharge the batteries. Whatever you need to do unplug and escape for a handful of days, do it, plan it, make it happen. For those of us who earn a living by the billable hour, it is harder to be talked into a vacation when the billable hours are strong and the dollar signs are showing up. If we step away from the intensity of the busy months, it can feel like we are walking away from lucrative business. So, if business is slower, then capitalize on that time and invest in your mental health. Also, there’s no better time like the present to do a little yoga or meditation. So, whip out your smart phone and download one of the millions of free apps for a guided meditation or yoga session. You can do it, I promise… and take your yoga mat outside. It’s summer, get hot and sweaty, cleansing does a body good.

Hydrate!

No joke, friends. We live in Texas and it’s HOT! It is necessary to hydrate, especially if there is a need to counterbalance the happy hour cocktails. We’ve heard this lecture most of our lives, but that’s because it matters. Guzzle the water and take care of yourself. If you are dehydrated, your brain literally cannot perform at a healthy level. Ok … lecture over (for now).

Exercise

Don’t overthink it, just do it. Any exercise is good exercise, just move your body. Go for a walk. Start taking the stairs in your office building. Head to Barton Springs and swim around. Treat your body to a little TLC by waking up those muscles and tendons. Or, spend some time in your yard or in the park

The reality is that most of us can anticipate the seasons and cyclical nature of our practices. So, plan for it. There is no reason to sit around and fret. This time can be used to recharge the mental batteries and plan for a healthy and successful uptick in business as the summer comes to an end. AL

Nikki Maples has been in the family law arena for more than 20 years and has practiced family law exclusively for more than a decade. While she is driven to find creative and smart solutions for her clients, she is equally invested in her work-life balance, which starts with living a healthy lifestyle.