The legal profession is known for its high standards, demanding workload, and constant pressure to perform. But what if much of the stress lawyers experience isn’t coming from the job itself—but from the way we think about it?

We spoke with Olivia Vizachero—lawyer, life and business coach, and founder of The Less Stressed Lawyer—to unpack some of the common stressors attorneys face and how shes approaches them differently.

Feeling Pressure for Perfection

Q: I’ve been practicing for a year and a half and just realize how much stress my job is causing me. The day-to-day isn’t too bad, but the pressure for perfection has really ramped up my anxiety. I thought about looking for a remote job because I think that might help, but it makes me feel weak that I’m getting this stressed out.

Olivia:

A remote position likely isn’t going to solve your stress. The real issue isn’t where you’re working—it’s the belief that perfection is required to do a good job.

If you expect perfection from yourself, that expectation will follow you anywhere (from home or the office). So instead of changing your environment, we need to change the standard you’re holding yourself to.

Start by asking yourself: What does “perfect” actually mean? Most people can’t clearly define it. That’s the problem—you’re measuring yourself against an ambiguous, ever-moving target. “Do the best job possible” or “write the best brief” sounds good, but those standards are vague and subjective. They almost always translate to “be perfect,” which is unattainable.

The truth is, there is no single “perfect” way to practice law. What one attorney considers excellent, another might approach differently—and both can be equally effective.

Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for “good enough.” Define what that means in concrete, measurable terms. For example, a “good enough” brief might:

• Include all essential sections (introduction, facts, legal standard, argument, conclusion)  

• Address each legal element with supporting facts and relevant case law  

• Be thoroughly proofread with citations checked  

Now you have something objective. You can check the boxes, complete the work, and move on.

When you replace an impossible standard with an attainable one, you create clarity—and your stress starts to dissipate.

When the Work Never Ends

Q: I’m a litigator constantly in contentious hearings and trials. I work long days, and even when I get home, I can’t shut my brain off. How can I better manage stress and work-life balance?

Olivia:

Let’s start by looking at expectations.

For many litigators, part of the stress comes from the nature of the work itself. Hearings and trials are inherently high-stakes and often contentious, because each side is advocating for a different outcome. That tension can be difficult, but it’s also a normal part of the role.

Sometimes stress is heightened by the gap between what we hoped the job would feel like and what it actually requires day to day. When reality doesn’t match our expectations, it can add another layer of frustration. Reframing contention as a built-in part of litigation—not a sign that something is wrong—can help reduce some of that mental load.

The same idea applies to workload.

A lot of lawyers move from environments like school, where work is structured with clear assignments, firm deadlines, and natural stopping points, into careers that are far less defined. Legal work rarely offers that same sense of completion. There is often more to do, and the to-do list is constantly evolving.

That can be unsettling at first, especially if you’re measuring success by whether everything is finished. A more sustainable approach is to recognize that the work is ongoing, and to focus instead on what is realistic and reasonable to accomplish in a given day.

From there, it becomes easier to define what “enough” looks like. That might mean setting clearer boundaries around your time, planning your day more intentionally, and giving yourself permission to step away at the end of it…even when there is still work waiting for tomorrow.

The same is true when it comes to mentally disconnecting after work. For many people, the goal isn’t really to “shut the brain off” completely, but to help it shift gears. Activities that require your attention (like cooking, exercising, reading, or spending time with other people) can make that transition easier by giving your mind something else to engage with.

Feeling Pressed for Time

Q: I’m new to family law and already feeling stressed/overwhelmed/pressed for time from the time I walk in the doors until I leave. Is all legal work like this? I know all jobs have some stress, but am I going to feel this stressed forever?

Olivia:

It can be helpful to take a step back and gently examine some of the assumptions we carry about work, such as:

• “All jobs are stressful”  

• “Legal jobs are more stressful than others”  

• “Some areas of law inherently offer better balance”  

These ideas are common, and they can feel very real, but they’re not universally true. Everyone’s experience is shaped a bit differently, often by a combination of mindset, boundaries, and how they approach their workload.

For example, if you tend to take on more than you can reasonably handle or have difficulty setting limits, that can lead to feeling overwhelmed regardless of the environment you’re in.

It can also be useful to get more specific about the thoughts driving that overwhelm. Many people find themselves thinking, “I don’t have enough time” or “There’s too much to do.” Those thoughts are valid, but they’re broad.

Adding some detail can make them more actionable. For instance:
“I don’t have enough time to do ___ by ___.”

With that added clarity, one of two things usually becomes apparent:

• Either the work is manageable within the time available, which can ease some of the pressure,  

• Or it’s not, which creates an opportunity to adjust expectations or reprioritize.  

From there, it can help to look at your day more concretely:

• How many hours are actually available for focused work?  

• What’s already committed on your calendar?  

• How much time typically goes toward email, admin tasks, or interruptions?  

When you map it out this way, you may find there’s less available time than it initially feels like—which can explain why the workload feels so heavy.

Instead of planning based on everything you wish you could accomplish, a more sustainable approach is to plan around what realistically fits into the time you have. Completing that smaller, more intentional plan can create a stronger sense of progress and reduce the feeling of constantly falling behind.

It may feel like a shift at first, but many people find it leads to less stress and a greater sense of control over their day.

Feeling Exhausted from Work

Q: How do lawyers cope with stress, anxiety, and burnout—especially when it follows them home and affects their energy and sleep?

Olivia:

A helpful place to start is by understanding what’s driving those experiences.

Stress, anxiety, and overwhelm often feel like they’re caused by the work itself—but more often, they’re connected to the way we’re thinking about that work. Building awareness around those thought patterns can be a powerful first step toward feeling more in control.

For example, if you’re telling yourself, “I have too much to do and not enough time,” it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. If your thoughts sound more like, “I have to get this exactly right,” that can create a sense of pressure. Getting specific about both the emotion you’re feeling and the thought behind it can help you better understand what’s actually contributing to your experience.

From there, you can begin to make adjustments.

When it comes to overwhelm, it’s often a signal that your workload and available time aren’t aligned. Looking at your day more concretely—estimating how long tasks will take, building in buffer time, and planning slightly less than your total capacity—can help create a more manageable pace. Breaking larger projects into smaller steps can also make progress feel more achievable and reduce that sense of being stuck or behind.

If you’re feeling pressure, it can help to clarify expectations. Vague standards like “do a good job” or “get it right” can leave a lot of room for doubt. Defining what success actually looks like—clearly and specifically—can make it easier to focus your efforts and feel confident in your work.

Anxiety often shows up as anticipation—worrying about what might happen or how something might turn out. In those moments, it can be helpful to identify the specific concern and consider how you would handle it if it did happen. Shifting the focus from needing certainty to trusting your ability to respond can ease some of that tension.

And when it comes to burnout, it’s important to recognize that it’s not just about working long hours. Burnout tends to develop over time, often when someone feels a lack of control over their workload or consistently sets aside their own needs in order to keep up.

Addressing burnout may require more significant changes—like setting stronger boundaries, adjusting how you approach your work, or creating more space for recovery. In some cases, it may even involve stepping away or reevaluating your role altogether.

For many attorneys, the key is  learning how to better understand your stress, respond to it, and create a more sustainable way of working over time.

A More Sustainable Way Forward

The legal profession isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon, but how you experience it can shift.

As Olivia highlights throughout these conversations, many of the challenges lawyers face aren’t just about workload or environment. They’re shaped by expectations, thought patterns, and the standards we hold ourselves to.  

While you may not always be able to control the demands of the job, you can influence how you approach them.

That might look like redefining what a “good job” means, setting clearer boundaries around your time, or simply recognizing when your thoughts are adding unnecessary pressure. Small shifts in awareness can lead to meaningful changes in how you feel day to day.

And over time, those changes can add up to less stress, more clarity, and a more sustainable way of practicing law.