Technology takes too much time

by Karen Munoz — I suspect a lot of young lawyers share personality traits that help us in many different areas of our practice. I am sure there have been countless studies that examine this hypothesis, but I am going off of instinct. They are probably traits that we have developed early on in life and have come to rely on and use in our practice. Some of these traits very likely include what some would consider type A characteristics, such as good organizational skills, attention to detail, practical and realistic viewpoints. Not much is left to chance.

I like to think these are fabulous traits for any young lawyer to possess. I know I pride myself on being organized. These traits can help us build a steady, well-manicured and successful practice. They are also valued in practices where deadlines and timeliness are No. 1 priorities. But I think we all need to be aware of what can happen when we don’t maintain a healthy balance between making sure everything in our daily practice is under control and letting that consume you. There can be a fine line between fastidious attention to your work and a consuming obsession.

I recently found myself tiptoeing the line and didn’t even notice it until I read a book review of “iDisorder.” If you guessed it, congrats, the iPhone and its progeny have created a new disorder in its users. Along with isolating ourselves by limiting our relationships with our phone and its many functions, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Skype, to name a few, the need to make sure we are on top of everything is easily fed by our instant connection to work e-mail. If you are like me, your phone is always nearby and your phone has your work e-mail. You are never too far from work with your trusty phone.

I was on vacation last month for a week and the thought of not being able to use my phone terrified me. It wasn’t because I needed to speak to anyone back home or follow the local news. It was because I wasn’t sure AT&T would be able to get my e-mails to me. Never mind that I made arrangements for my work week to be covered with court and I had left nothing to chance. I needed to know what was going on. Never mind that even if something went awry, I wasn’t going to be much good 5,000 miles away. It was then I realized I was developing an issue. It wasn’t the first indication either that I was having a hard time letting go of the 24/7 work mentality I swore I would not become a slave to.

Checking my work e-mail had become a priority — the first thing I did when I woke up and the last thing I did when I went to bed. I had been guilty of waking up at 3 a.m., after hearing the all too familiar zing of an incoming e-mail and actually responding on a Friday night.

These fabulous traits I had come to cherish and hold as a badge of pride were keeping me up. Now I will always make myself available for emergencies. I understand that work is extremely important and this is not a 9-5 job. It is a practice I have come to love very much and I feel my work to be gratifying. But the line was being crossed and I knew that once you cross it, it is hard to come back. I watch TLC and its litany of OCD shows. Really this article is more for me than anything but if anyone sees themselves here, take notice. In order to be a good lawyer, we have to be aware of our traits, good and bad. Not having boundaries and balances ultimately will hurt our practice, not strengthen it.

I decided to confront my addiction to e-mail, and not become an iDisorder victim. I am making it a priority to turn my e-mail off at night, the same way I did when the television had become my sleeping crutch. I am making it a priority to have more conversations with people in my sphere and not e-mail them. Not only is conversation becoming a lost art but when we constantly communicate through e-mail, we enable people to reach us at every hour of the day and expect an immediate response. Although I am a young lawyer, I am grateful to have been raised in an nontechnology environment. I didn’t own a laptop until after I finished law school. I took the bar exam by hand. I appreciate having one-on-one conversations with people. Using e-mail to communicate is good and it does have its conveniences, for sure, but taken to the extreme, like anything else in this life, it can be bad for us.

I challenge you: Disconnect yourself from technology for a night and see what happens. Maybe pick up the phone and call opposing counsel or a client during business hours.

We can still be great lawyers without constantly being on. In the long run our general mental well-being will thank us. Sometimes it takes a forced disconnect to better connect with those around us.

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