New Business Time Commitments and Work/Life Balance

Leaving daily grind of working for someone else to start your own law practice, or any business for that matter, may seem like a dream come true...at first. The first week or two is incredibly exhilarating- you're getting your office set up, you're implementing the first steps or stages in your business plan and your dreaming about all the money that you could potentially make. After about the third week, reality swoops in and slaps you square in the face. You realize that you've been working 10-12 hour days. However, you probably won't give yourself the break that you need. After all, this is your business and the more work you do from day to day, the sooner you will start to achieve success.

The time commitment that it takes to get a business up and running can be brutal. You may reminisce on the days when you worked for someone else and got to sleep in on the weekends or take a few days off for paid vacation.  Even though you probably won't get to take off for an entire week during the first few years of starting your law practice, it is important to take time for yourself. If you start to feel fatigued or burnt out, take the afternoon or evening off and start fresh the next day.