In a recent op-ed by Jordan Rothman, a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, it was suggested that lawyers could operate at a higher level of efficiency during the weekend as opposed to the traditional workweek. The increasing blurring of lines between personal and professional hours due to the rise in remote working has revived this debate among legal professionals. Rothman himself endorses work-life balance, however, he presents a compelling argument on how weekends can sometimes offer uninterrupted focus for the completion of legal tasks.
Rothman recounts an instance that had him dealing with complex motions in two of his cases. In seeking an early start to his responses, he found that weekend work had several benefits. Most notably, he experienced a considerable reduction in distractions, primarily due to a lack of calls, texts, and emails from clients or opposing parties. He emphasized that contrasted with a regular weekday, a weekend provided a serene work environment devoid of daily communication bombardments.
Another advantage highlighted by Rothman is the freedom from traditional commitments such as court appearances or mediations that often consume large chunks of a lawyer’s weekday. In his perspective, personal commitments during weekends are generally more flexible and less time-consuming than these professional engagements. Also, weekends provide an environment of less stress for many, which may contribute to higher productivity rates for individuals.
While Rothman underscores that no one should feel obligated to work over the weekend, his observation very much presents food for thought. His recommendation? Lawyers could consider setting aside specific days during the weekend for uninterrupted workflow, maintaining a work-life balance at the same time. The original article can be accessed here.