For decades now, technology has been pushed as a means to increase productivity, streamline communication, and allow employees to work smarter, not harder. But the reality is that lawyers are working smarter and harder, with no end in sight. In a 2021 fourth-quarter survey taken by Bloomberg Law, 52% of the lawyers surveyed reported experiencing burnout and 46% reported a decline in overall well-being.[1] An inability to disconnect from work was the top challenge cited by attorneys who reported experiencing worsening well-being, with 79% of lawyers experiencing a decline in well-being identifying an inability to disconnect as a concern.  

This article is not about how to use technology to increase your productivity or how to squeeze one more billable hour into your day. If you’re reading this, you already know how to work hard, and you might even be one of the many lawyers tied to your email or your cell phone, unable to disconnect. Technology is indisputably important, especially in an era of remote and hybrid work, but technology shouldn’t be used only to let us crank out more work, faster. On the contrary, if the Bloomberg numbers are anything to go by, it’s imperative for your health and well-being to start using tech to set boundaries instead of to do more.

Here are five ways you can use technology to disconnect:  

• Use Focus to Stop Interruptions – Formerly known as Do Not Disturb, the Focus tool on both iPhone and Android smartphones is more flexible than ever. Focus can turn on automatically at certain times, locations, or when you’re using certain apps. You can even set Focus to turn off notifications on work-related apps when your workday ends.
   
• Set Your Status to “Offline” – Instant messaging replaced the office drop-in in the age of Covid-19. But that doesn’t mean you always have to be available via Teams or Slack. In addition to turning off notifications on your phone, set your status to “Offline” when your workday ends.
   
• Set Your Regular Working Hours in Outlook – This often-overlooked feature of your office calendar is particularly helpful if you work different hours than your colleagues (or simply work differently). Changing your working hours in Outlook or other calendar apps allows others to see when you are truly available for meetings, and not simply open 7 am to 9 pm. Shift your working hours to include only the times you’re open to taking meetings, and encourage others to use the Scheduling Assistant feature to select a meeting time with you. (Don’t forget to block out your lunch hour and focused billable time, too!)
   
• Use the “Send Later” Feature – Managers, this one’s especially for you. Managers set the tone for office culture, and while you may be working late trying to check items off your to do list, sending late night emails can create the impression that an immediate response is expected. Instead, write your emails, check off your list, and set the emails to send automatically in the morning (10 am gives your team time to transition into the workday). And if you are expecting an immediate response at all hours, consider what it could be costing your firm.
  
  
• Download a Wellness App – And don’t be afraid to use it! Apps like Calm, Headspace, or The Breathing App can provide you with a break when you need it most, whether for a just a few minutes midday or for drifting off to sleep. These apps feature guided and open-ended meditations, including meditation sessions focused on reducing stress and anxiety. They even have bedtime stories for adults!
   

By now, more than 52% of you – even those of you who are suffering burnout of your own – might be rolling your eyes and saying “Yeah, right. I can’t do that!” But, at what cost? It’s okay to not be accessible all the time. In fact, it's not okay to be accessible all the time. Attorneys who reported a decline in well-being and an inability to disconnect from work also reported experiencing disrupted sleep, anxiety, personal relationship issues, depression, physical health issues, and drug or alcohol abuse – often at rates nearly double that of attorneys who did not experience a decline in their well-being. You are not a productivity robot, no matter how much tech is at your fingertips. Create boundaries for your health. Respect them.

If you need help, reach out to the Wellness and Stress Management Committee at the New Orleans Bar Association (NOBA). And, if you’re looking to be more active this summer, join the Free Lawyer Wellness Challenge: Movement, a collaboration between NOBA and its Co-Chairs, Sheila M. Wilkinson, Esq. (LMSW) and Darleene Peters, Esq. (CHWC, CNC).