Are you a control freak? Are you overwhelmed with work because you think you are the only one who can do everything, and do it right?

As lawyers, we are perfectionists – we’re over-achievers, so if this sounds like you, you’re not alone. But you’re doing yourself, your staff, and your clients a disservice. And probably your friends and family, too. Watch the video below (or scroll down to read more).

When you do everything yourself, you deprive your staff of the opportunity to learn and grow. Studies have shown that people thrive when they have challenging work to do. Your employees want to know that you trust them and that you think they are capable of doing more. When you don’t’ allow your staff to grow, they become bored and unhappy – and that may lead to turnover.

Doing everything yourself also contributes to stress and overwhelm, which leads to burnout and health problems. And you can’t possibly do your best work under those conditions. That means your clients will suffer.

When you’ve got so much on your plate that you can’t possibly get to it all, you’re bound to let something fall through the cracks. You may miss deadlines. You leave no room for innovation, and non-billable tasks fall by the wayside, including marketing and developing relationships. You’ll likely be fielding more calls from disgruntled clients wanting to know what is happening on their matter and when you will get back to them. It may even lead to a malpractice claim.

And if you’re constantly stressed, overwhelmed, and working late, you’re probably spending less time with friends and family, and when you are with them, you’re probably not as present as you could be.

It’s time to let some things go. It may be time to create a “don’t do” list, instead of a to-do list. To learn more about don’t do lists, watch my video on don’t do lists. Or contact me to see how I can help you identify what belongs on your don’t do list.