Work

I am beginning to feel overwhelmed. I have been super-busy the last month or so. In fact, I was the top biller in my firm last month (we get statements each month of the most & least hours billed and the average--do all firms do this?) And I'm on track for a repeat performance. The thing is--I have no desire to be the top biller. One of the attractions of a smaller firm is more reasonable working hours. And up until recently I feel like my hours have been pretty reasonable and that I was doing pretty well maintaining the work/life balance. Not so much over the last two weeks--I have been working late and going in early--seriously cutting into my time with the girlies.

Part of the problem is that everyone in my office is extremely busy--and we are working on hiring more attorneys. But there was a huge response due on a very big case last month--I wasn't involved at all and I still outbilled the two guys working on it.

The other part of the problem is that Big Boss, who typically does a lot of traveling, has been in the office a lot lately and he has been piling the work on. And I keep taking it, because Big Boss allows me to work on bigger projects and gives me more responsibility than Partner.

I'm not sure Big Boss is aware of how much he as given me--he has no idea what I am doing for Partner (fortunately, Partner realizes that Big Boss is throwing a lot my way and has not been piling it on as well). And I have more stuff taking me out of the office--which means that I have less time to get stuff done in the office. It killed me to spend 4 hours in the car on both Wednesday and Thursday this week. Even though I can bill for my travel time, I can't get anything else done--so it felt like wasted time.

Next week I have two out-of-town prove-ups. Big Boss informed me that these are the only two that I will be accompanied on--and then I will be on my own. I think this is his way of telling me I will be traveling more. He also informed me that I will be getting a blackberry. Yeah, I know I am probably the only lawyer on the planet without one--but I was ok with that because I'm not so sure that I want to be available to my firm 24/7. (Actually, I have a Blackjack for my personal phone, but I wasn't about to put my work email on it.)

DH says I need to set some boundaries. And even Partner has warned that Big Boss will take over my life if I let him. But I still feel like I am proving myself--and I am just now getting do the things I have been wanting to--so I'm not quite ready to pull the reins yet.