If you’re a lawyer who is feeling burned out, you may be considering changing jobs or even careers.

You may be wondering how to know which is the best choice for you.

Here’s a short exercise I used when navigating my law career, which included changing practice areas, and that I use when coaching attorneys:

Describe when you have felt engaged in your work.
What were you doing?
What was it about the work that felt engaging?
Were you working alone or with others?
What was the work environment?
Were you working under a tight deadline or was it more of an open-ended project (some people thrive under deadlines, some don’t)?

I may also invite them to describe when they have felt internally motivated to do their work–when they have genuinely looked forward to doing their work–and when they have experienced a flow state.

A flow state is an experience of immersion in an activity—where time feels altered, focus is effortless, and you’re fully absorbed in what you’re doing. The term was coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who found that people experience the highest levels of fulfillment when their work aligns with their strengths and provides just the right amount of challenge. In our career, flow is a powerful indicator of alignment—showing you’re doing meaningful work that energizes rather than drains you.

Upon considering these questions, some lawyers describe writing motions, deposing witnesses, giving an oral argument, or working collaboratively on a deal as times when they felt engaged, motivated, and in a flow state.

For these lawyers, it is clear that legal work aligns with their strengths and values. It is likely that other things are contributing to their experience of burnout. This could be a need for better boundaries, better self-care, a more manageable workload, mindset training, perfectionism, and other mental and behavioral habits that can be improved.

Other lawyers tell me they have never felt engaged in their work. They may have enjoyed the perks of being a lawyer–socializing with colleagues, financial security, or prestige–but the work itself drains them. They find it dull, boring, and meaningless. One lawyer described her work as “paper pushing.”

Other lawyers tell me they have to force themselves to sit at their desk and work. For these lawyers—especially those who have practiced law for a while, tried several practice areas, and even changed firms and work environments–it may be that the practice of law is not a fit.

If that’s the case, you have options. Practicing law cultivates many valuable skills that are transferable to other types of work.

You are likely highly driven, organized, and analytical. You are likely good at written and verbal communication and research. You may be skilled at the art of persuasion. You may be a natural mediator or negotiator. You may have strong presentation or leadership skills. You may have a strong sense of justice and a passion for activism.

You can also embrace, as Steve Jobs described, the “lightness of being a beginner again,” and learn new skills that will allow you to do work you genuinely enjoy.

If you’re a lawyer experiencing career dissatisfaction or burnout, discovering the causes can help you identify the right solutions for you.

For additional support to prevent burnout, download my free guide for lawyers, 7 Keys to Succeed Without Burnout.

In your corner,
Jessie