In the legal profession, urgency is more often the rule than the exception. Projects become bigger than anticipated. Deadlines shift. Hearings are rescheduled. Clients make demands.

As paralegals, we are trained problem-solvers. We take pride in being dependable, responsive, and detail oriented. But there is a quiet risk in always being available to save the day.

Burnout does not usually arrive dramatically. It creeps in slowly through skipped lunches, after-hours emails, and the belief that stepping away even briefly might cause something to unravel.  We stretch ourselves to avoid the immediate crisis but soon find that next one looming on the horizon.  We find ourselves working in a constant state of stress that takes its toll on our personal sense of competence and fulfillment in our work.

While our job is a means to provide for ourselves and meet our obligations in life, it should also bring a sense of accomplishment, pride, and purpose. Boundaries are important to avoid feeling drained and without purpose in our work.

Setting boundaries is not a sign of weakness or lack of commitment. It is a sign of sustainability. When we protect our time, energy, and mental clarity, we protect our competence. And when we protect our competence, we protect our team and our clients.

I know that I am never going to stop working through lunch or staying late to meet a deadline.  But I have learned to set mini boundaries that make a big difference. I may still arrange my vacations around deadlines, but I do make sure to use all that is available to me. I might work through lunch more than I should, but I try to take lunch away from my desk at least once each week.  Even a quick walk around the block for ten minutes can break the stress cycle and give me new perspective.

There was a time in my life where I had the daily high stress demands of my job on top of being a mother and having the demands of what seemed like a second job at home. Meeting all these obligations was at times completely overwhelming. I remember thinking that I spent all day, every day, doing things that I really did not want to do because someone else needed me to do them. I felt I had lost myself. My daily goal became to do at least one small thing each day that I wanted to do.

Taking time for yourself is not indulgent. It is restorative. It allows you to return to your work clear-headed and capable. This might be learning something new, spending time in nature, reading a book, listening to a podcast, a yoga class, music, or a walk around the block. Even a few short minutes of self-care can make a difference. An hour would be great, but five minutes can go a long way.

As members of this association, we support excellence in our profession. Excellence includes longevity. It includes well-being. It includes modeling healthy professional behavior for newer paralegals entering the field.

Let us continue to be dependable. Let us continue to be precise. But let us also give ourselves permission to pause. The work will always be there.

Find your favorite pause.  Find the thing that calms your soul and practice it every day

Jennifer Mahoney

President