Avoiding Impossible Assignments (and Burnout)

For in-house counsel who have not yet mastered the art of work-life balance, there is the ever-present risk of burnout. The undesirable consequence of hard work and stress, burnout "occurs when you expend more internal resources and energy than you take in," writes Priscilla Claman of Career Strategies, Inc. Sadly, she suggests, the highly-motivated and driven are often candidates for "performance punishment" That is, as a result of your great performance, you are "rewarded" with more work (than you can handle). In my view, the current economic environment of employment cut-backs (and the oft-driven nature of lawyers) puts in-house counsel at an even higher risk of burnout, if you take on additional work to prove your value.