We all make dozens of choices every day. From the moment our alarm goes off in the morning, we are deciding whether or not to get out of bed or to press snooze. We are choosing what to wear, what to eat, what to put in our child’s lunchbox, whether or not to bring our own lunch or buy one, and so on. The choices we face every day are countless, and each one brings a consequence of some sort—positive or negative, large or small.
When it comes to the topic of work-life balance for lawyers, the discussion is often lengthy, sometimes heated, and always feels unresolved. Some say that we are now living in a “post work-life” era. Even though I speak, teach, and train on work-life balance a great deal, I am at least partially persuaded by this argument—that we are not seeking true “balance,” but are instead making choices congruent with our individual values, priorities, and professional and personal goals.