Five Things Every Lawyer Should Do in the Middle of the Day

What should lawyers be focusing on in the middle of their work day?

Recently, we gave you five things every attorney should do to start their day. Of course, before that, there were reminders about what you should have done before you leave the office at the end of the day.

So, naturally, the next obvious question is -- what about the middle of the day? Not the beginning, as you're revving up, or the end, as you begin to wind down. But, the middle. You know, that huge chunk of the work day when you, hopefully, really dig into the meat of practicing law and all that other good stuff? Here's a checklist of 5 things to remember in the middle of the day.

1. Eat lunch. We know, it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day, days in the week, etc. But, there should always be time for lunch. Skipping lunch can throw off your whole day, leave you drained of energy and less productive as a result, and, well, hungry. Bonus points if you've packed your own healthy lunch.
2. Nap. If you're really feeling that 2 or 3-o-clock slump kick in and feel your energy is low, your eyelids are heavy, and your productivity is at zero, take a nap. Optimize the brief window you have to recharge, and you'll wake up feeling even more refreshed and ready to round out the day. Which, as a lawyer, could end around 9:00.
3. Stretch, breathe, exercise if you have time. One of the easiest ways to revive yourself and your body is so take a quick stretch-and-breathe break, or do what you can to just move. Do it at your office, or step outside for a bit of fresh air and to clear your head. If you have a little more time, maybe even a sprint or some jumping jacks can do the trick to get some endorphins produced.
4. Make sure that you're good on time. The work you put in in the middle of the day can make or break your entire day. While it may be hard to gauge in the morning, you'll likely have a better gauge on your deadlines and checklists by the time mid-day rolls around. Use this to make yourself more accountable, this way you're not stuck at the office until ungodly hours of the night (see no. 2 above).
5. Work. Oh yes, we know, you have actual work to do, on top of all the lunching, stretching, and checklist-ing. Remember, the more organized and prepared you are, the more productive you'll be.

Happy working, and good luck with the rest of your day!

Related Resources:

• Top 5 Ways to Avoid Attorney Burnout (FindLaw's Strategist)
• 5 Ways to Make Your Lunch Break Suck Less (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
• Get Fit to Practice Law: 7 Exercise Trends to Try in 2013 (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
• Want to Make Your Firm More Productive? Add Nap Time (FindLaw's Strategist)