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Are you saying yes out of ambition or fear? After nine years in big law, I've come to a powerful realization: every "yes" is simultaneously a "no" to something else. Whether you're a new associate afraid to decline assignments or a seasoned attorney drowning in commitments, this episode unveils the hidden equation that governs our professional choices.

The pressure to constantly say yes is baked into legal culture. We're taught that availability equals dedication, that boundaries signal a lack of commitment. But what if the opposite is true? What if the most successful legal careers are built not on unlimited yeses but on strategic, intentional choices that honor both professional ambition and personal wellbeing?

Drawing from my own journey—from a young associate who said yes to everything to a partner who's learned to make more deliberate choices—I share practical strategies for making decisions that truly serve your career goals. We explore the art of the "gracious no," the power of the "yes, but" conversation, and why regularly reassessing your priorities is essential as your career evolves. I also tackle the fascinating generational shift in boundary-setting, as younger millennials and Gen Z approach work-life boundaries differently than those who came before them.

Ready to transform your approach to professional opportunities? Listen now, and discover how making more intentional choices can help you create a legal career that's not just sustainable but deeply meaningful. 

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.

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Have you ever surprised yourself by falling in love with something you never thought was "for you"? That's exactly what happened when I discovered reading for pleasure as an adult and a busy attorney.

Growing up, I was never a "reader" - books were homework, assignments, necessary evils of education. Law school only reinforced this with endless casebooks and legal texts that felt like work rather than enjoyment. For relaxation, I turned to TV shows and mindless scrolling, creating a clear division: reading was work, screens were rest.

Everything changed when I challenged myself to read just 19 books in 2019. This modest goal sparked a transformation that, six years later, has me devouring over 40 books by August. The secret wasn't setting ambitious targets or forcing myself through literary classics—it was giving myself permission to read whatever brought me joy, whether that's cozy murder mysteries like The Thursday Murder Club, memoirs like Ina Garten's, or light romance novels. Starting with just 10 minutes daily or eight pages at a time made the habit sustainable even during my busiest periods as a commercial litigation partner.

What began as a simple challenge has become one of the most enriching parts of my life, improving my creativity at work, providing genuine mental restoration, and replacing endless doom scrolling with something that feels both enjoyable and meaningful. The best part? Anyone can do this. If you haven't picked up a book for pleasure in years (or ever), try setting a small, achievable goal. Read for just 10 minutes before bed or listen to an audiobook during your commute. Choose books that genuinely interest you, not what you think you "should" read. Remember that building any meaningful habit takes time—it took me six years to become the reader I am today, and that journey has been as rewarding as the destination.

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Ever caught yourself daydreaming about a minor car accident just to get a legitimate break from work? That startling thought was my personal wake-up call that I wasn't just stressed – I was experiencing full-blown burnout.

Burnout isn't simply feeling tired after a demanding week. It's a chronic state of physical and emotional exhaustion that the World Health Organization recognizes as a syndrome resulting from unmanaged workplace stress. What makes burnout particularly dangerous for attorneys is how it manifests in contradictory ways: extreme exhaustion paired with insomnia, motivation loss alongside anxiety, emotional numbness mixed with hypersensitivity. For me, it showed up as abandoning my lifelong love of tennis, withdrawing from colleagues, and those troubling commute fantasies about minor accidents that might force a pause in my relentless schedule.

Whether you're trying to prevent burnout or recover from it, the path forward requires courage. Prevention demands boundary-setting in a profession that often rewards constant availability. Recovery begins with acknowledging what you're experiencing without shame – burnout isn't a professional failure but a human response to inhuman levels of stress. Most importantly, you must reach out for support rather than trying to power through alone. Your well-being isn't separate from your professional success; it's the foundation that makes sustainable achievement possible.

As attorneys, we don't have to choose between our ambitions and our health. By implementing micro-breaks, creating white space in our calendars, building support networks, and giving ourselves permission to rest, we can thrive both professionally and personally. If you're struggling right now, remember you're not alone and recovery is possible. Have you recognized any burnout warning signs in your own practice? Taking that first step toward acknowledging it could be your most important case this year.

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Every attorney knows the feeling: Sunday evening anxiety creeping in as you mentally brace for another overwhelming week. The never-ending deadlines, the constant fires to put out, and that persistent feeling you're always one step behind. But what if a simple ritual could transform how you experience your work week?

In this episode, I share the weekly review practice that's become my professional anchor. This "Sunday Reset" combines reflection, planning, and self-care in a flexible format that takes anywhere from ten minutes to two hours. The magic isn't in rigid adherence to a system—it's about creating an intentional pause that allows you to approach your week proactively rather than reactively.

I walk through my exact process: how I reflect on the past week without judgment, review my upcoming calendar to identify pressure points, block time for deep work, and set meaningful intentions. This simple practice has dramatically reduced my "Sunday scaries" because I know exactly what I'm walking into on Monday morning. There's power in being prepared.

For attorneys and legal professionals constantly feeling overwhelmed by their reactive workload, this episode offers a practical framework for regaining control. The legal profession doesn't have to be a constant sprint from one deadline to the next. By establishing boundaries, building supportive habits, and giving yourself permission to pause, you can steer your week rather than merely survive it.

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.

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The legal profession's emotional rollercoaster doesn't come with warning signs. One moment you're celebrating a career milestone, and the next you're scrambling to manage a devastating setback. This episode dives into the phenomenon of "emotional whiplash" – when professional highs and lows collide with little time to process either.

Drawing from personal experience, Emily shares the disorienting reality of making partner after years of dedication, only to receive a crushing court order in a case she cared deeply about just three hours later. The celebration bubble burst instantly, replaced by disappointment and urgent client management. This jarring transition between emotional extremes represents a common but rarely discussed challenge for legal professionals and others in high-pressure careers.

The conversation expands beyond just professional challenges to acknowledge how these emotional oscillations intersect with life's major personal milestones – marriages, pregnancies, losses, and family responsibilities. When everything happens at once, how do we create space for authentic human responses while maintaining professional responsibilities? Emily offers practical strategies for navigating these emotional complexities: allowing yourself to feel both emotions simultaneously, taking intentional pauses to process, leaning on your support network, and recognizing the normalcy of these experiences.

Finding your grace period isn't about avoiding emotional extremes or maintaining perfect balance at all times. It's about making space for your full humanity within a demanding profession. Whether you're celebrating a win while managing a loss, or juggling professional demands with personal challenges, remember you're not alone on this rollercoaster. Take a breath, acknowledge what you're feeling, and keep moving forward – one day at a time.

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Perfectionism casts a long shadow over the legal profession, creating a persistent undercurrent of self-doubt that affects everyone from first-year associates to seasoned partners. Drawing from personal experience, I pull back the curtain on what it truly feels like to constantly question whether you're good enough, smart enough, or simply belong in Big Law at all.

The myth of perfection isn't just unrealistic—it's actively harmful to attorney well-being. Despite outward success, many of us develop an inner critic that becomes increasingly difficult to silence. We build our identities around work ethic and achievement, then face crushing disappointment when we inevitably make human mistakes. This episode explores how this vicious cycle operates, why even objective evidence of competence doesn't seem to help, and most importantly, how we can begin to break free.

The path forward isn't about eliminating self-doubt overnight but learning to challenge negative self-talk with the same compassion we'd offer a colleague or friend. I share practical strategies for reframing perfectionism, including specific questions to ask yourself when caught in negative thought patterns. By recognizing that imposter syndrome is actually a normal response to growth and that vulnerability is a strength rather than a weakness, we can begin redefining success on more sustainable terms. If you've ever felt like you're the only one struggling while everyone else has it figured out, this episode offers both validation and a roadmap for moving forward with greater self-compassion. Remember: real success isn't about being perfect—it's about showing up, learning from mistakes, and giving yourself the grace you deserve.

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Struggling to let go of control in your legal practice? You're not alone. This candid exploration of delegation dives into the counterintuitive truth that doing everything yourself is actually holding back your career.

As attorneys, we're trained to be perfectionists, detail-oriented, and self-reliant. These qualities serve us well when drafting briefs or reviewing contracts, but they can become serious liabilities when we need to transition from doers to leaders. Through personal stories from my journey as a commercial litigator, I share how my resistance to delegation initially stunted my growth as a partner.

The turning point came when I realized that effective delegation isn't about offloading unwanted work—it's about creating opportunities for everyone to stretch, grow, and shine. I outline practical strategies for setting clear expectations, providing context (not just tasks), checking in without micromanaging, and recognizing others' contributions meaningfully. For newer attorneys, I offer specific advice on starting small with legal assistants and paralegals, making delegation a conversation rather than a directive.

What makes this skill so challenging is that it requires vulnerability—the willingness to trust others, to risk mistakes, and to invest time upfront that you feel you don't have. But the payoff is transformative: resilient teams, space for strategic thinking, and a sustainable path to leadership that doesn't sacrifice your wellbeing.

Whether you're a junior associate looking to develop delegation skills early or a partner struggling to let go, this episode offers both the permission and practical guidance to start building this essential leadership muscle. Your future self (and your team) will thank you for it.

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Leadership isn't reserved for those with fancy titles—it's a skill that starts the moment you enter the professional world. In this episode, we dive into the often-overlooked art of "managing up and managing down," revealing how these complementary skills can transform your career trajectory regardless of where you currently stand on the organizational chart.

What exactly does it mean to manage up? It's about making your supervisor's job easier while strengthening the entire team. We explore practical strategies like anticipating needs before they're voiced, providing proactive updates, bringing solutions rather than just problems to the table, and being transparent about your capacity. As someone who's navigated the demanding world of big law, I share personal insights about how mastering these skills helped me become known not just for quality work, but for ownership and sound judgment—qualities that stand out at every career stage.

But effective communication flows in both directions. 

Managing down—or as I prefer to frame it, "leading from wherever you are"—is equally crucial whether you're working with summer associates, paralegals, legal assistants, or peers. We discuss the importance of setting clear expectations with context, providing constructive feedback, recognizing effort alongside results, and modeling the kind of professional relationships you aspire to have. 

The secret? The skills for managing in both directions share the same foundation: empathy, clarity, and a willingness to see situations from multiple perspectives. By mastering these approaches, you create more supportive, efficient, and ultimately more satisfying professional relationships for everyone involved.

Ready to put these ideas into practice? Try selecting one professional relationship and commit to a small but meaningful improvement this week. Whether it's a proactive status update, a sincere thank-you note, or simply asking "How can I support you right now?", these small actions can yield powerful results. Remember, effective leadership isn't about your position in the hierarchy—it's about human connection, and that's something we can all cultivate, starting today. Subscribe to The Grace Period for more insights on thriving in the high-stakes legal world while maintaining your humanity and well-being.

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.

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Feeling like you're constantly sprinting from one deadline to the next with no time to catch your breath? You're not alone. In this episode, I share my journey from burnout to balance through a surprisingly simple practice: the deliberate creation of "white space" on my calendar.

As lawyers, we're conditioned to believe that success requires non-stop work. I spent years powering through without breaks until exhaustion forced me to reconsider this approach. What began as an experiment with five-minute pauses between meetings evolved into a transformative practice that's enhanced both my productivity and wellbeing.

These intentional pauses—what I call grace periods—aren't just about rest. Science confirms that our brains need recovery time to process information, spark creativity, and perform at their best. Whether it's a quick walk, a moment of meditation, or simply stepping away from your screen, these micro-breaks can dramatically improve your focus, patience, and problem-solving abilities.

Despite knowing the benefits, I still sometimes battle guilt when taking breaks during quieter periods. But some of the wisest advice I've received in my career was to "take advantage of slow times"—because when the intensity returns (and it always does), you'll regret not having recharged when you had the chance.

Ready to transform your workday? Start by adding just one 10-minute protected break to your schedule. Treat it with the same importance as any client meeting. Over time, you'll likely discover these pauses aren't luxuries but necessities for sustainable success in our demanding profession. Because you don't have to choose between wellbeing and ambition—with the right boundaries and habits, you can thrive in both.

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.

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Every litigator knows the anxiety of watching a court deadline approach on the calendar. But what seasoned attorneys understand—and what newer lawyers need to learn quickly—is that the visible deadline is merely the final step in a carefully orchestrated timeline.

Drawing from nine years of experience in big law, I pull back the curtain on the true anatomy of legal deadlines and share the system I wish someone had taught me on day one. We explore the critical differences between court deadlines, client review periods, internal team checkpoints, and the often-overlooked personal deadlines that protect your sanity and work quality. This episode walks through how effective attorneys work backward from the finish line, building in sufficient time for each necessary step.

The strategic approach to deadlines isn't just about avoiding missed filings—it's about recognizing how your work fits into the larger picture. When you understand that missing your personal deadline compresses review time, stresses the team, rushes client feedback, and ultimately risks the quality of the final product, you begin to see deadlines differently. They become tools for success rather than sources of anxiety.

For those inevitable moments when life intervenes and deadlines become challenging, communication becomes your most valuable skill. Learn how to handle the unexpected without leaving teammates in the lurch or damaging professional relationships. Discover how proper deadline management creates space for both excellence and well-being in a demanding profession. By the end of this episode, you'll have practical strategies to transform how you approach time management in your practice, whether you're a seasoned attorney or just beginning your legal career.

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilystedman/.