Posted by Brian Malcom: "Can young lawyers take a vacation? Yes, and they should. The practice of law is not easy. It is a difficult career. It demands much of one's time, energy, effort and mind. Young lawyers should take a vacation every now and then.
I realize that some of our readers are going to disagree with this post. Given the state of the economy, many might say that a young lawyer should remain at his or her desk 52 weeks a year and at least six days a week. However, I disagree.
A vacation can give your mind a break. A recent article by Psychology Today, discusses the benefits of a vacation. The very first paragraph of the article encourages people that think for a living (i.e. lawyers) to take breaks, during which they do not think about work for a while. The article then goes on to discuss the benefits of a mental rest. Research suggests that we should place value on a fresh mind, as this is the time we are more likely to be able to solve tough problems. In other words, the mental rest allows us time to engage in non-linear problem solving. Non-linear problem solving is also known as the "aha" phenomenon.
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If the above research by Psychology Today is not enough for you, I have one more reason all lawyers should take a vacation. The reason is a bit of a cliché: the practice of law is a marathon and not a sprint. Most lawyers do not go into private practice to practice for one-to-five years and then turn to another career. Most young lawyers are in it for the long haul. To keep yourself happy, fresh, and enthusiastic about your work, you should take a vacation. You don't have to spend a lot of money to take a mental break. You just have to make an effort to make yourself rest. I just took a vacation, and it was nice to give my mind and body a break for a few days."
Full text and the active link is available at the source site listed below.
Source: Young Lawyers Blog, 19 October 2009
