Whether you’re knee-deep in snow or wishing you were, suffering from an acute lack of vitamin D, or just waiting for the flowers to start blooming again, we’ve all experienced it: the winter rut. There’s nothing quite like dreary weather and flight delays to get you itching for a nice dose of spring.
In fact, it’s well known that productivity at work tends to fall during the winter months. Cabin fever, failed resolutions, and chilly conditions can and do have a negative impact on job performance. But if you stay positive and adopt the right mindset, you’ll do just fine as you await the sunny company of the daisies in your window box.
#1: The Focus of an Athlete
Regular exercise—for body and mind—can be the key to snuffing out those January blues. Of course, staying busy is one benefit the legal profession can provide all year long. Justice never sleeps. Fortunately, you can keep your e-discovery fitness on point by borrowing a few key skills from great ball players.
For example, warm up by “be[ing] flexible like a first basemen,” says Kristy Esparza in a blog post published in anticipation of the Chicago Cubs’ historic World Series win last fall. “Just as every throw to first base is not going to be on point, every case is not going to have the perfect parameters, so you have to adapt to any obstacles that come your way. One thing that can help is a deep set of tools to meet the needs of any case, no matter how large or complex.”
Get more tips from the heroes of America’s pastime. While you do, feel free to fantasize about one of our favorite signs of spring: the return of ridiculously delicious ballpark menus for opening day.
#2: The Mindfulness of a Protector
While a good scandal can certainly get the blood pumping, it’s not going to be the good kind of thrill if that scandal puts you—or your company—at its center.
While spring cleaning will provide an opportunity to tidy up, winter is a time to prevent things from getting disorganized in the first place. Start protecting yourself—and your employer—from cyber threats and e-discovery challenges by minimizing the threats against data on your personal or work devices.
An easy way to begin is by making an effort to separate personal and company data on your devices. As Rishi Khullar, a product manager at kCura, explains: “This is where having two devices can actually simplify your life. That said, if you must use only one device for both personal and work purposes, it is best to use separate applications for work and personal data.”
Check out Rishi’s post to learn how to keep your data protected. Do it right, and you can simplify spring cleaning on your mobile device in a few months’ time.
#3: The Adventurousness of a Scientist
A fresh intellectual pursuit is an excellent way to stay sharp and motivated during damp and dark winter months. And in an industry that’s evolving as rapidly as e-discovery and legal technology, it’s no difficult matter to find something new to explore.
You can start by pursuing some on-demand, online opportunities to expand your horizons in everything from legal writing to data visualization. Check out this list for ideas.
If you’d rather forge your own way, take a nod from Mike Hagan at Procopio and teach your colleagues something while you’re at it: design an experiment that both educates you on the latest tech, and alleviates your team’s skepticism about trying something new.
#4: The Inspiration of a Trendsetter
All of the fashion magazines and pop culture bloggers are already talking about what’s going to be hot this spring and summer. (You should start stocking up on one-shoulder dresses, if you’re into that kind of thing.)
The hottest trend in e-discovery right now is obvious: analytics. It’s been a growing trend for some time, but we’re starting to see evidence that it’s going beyond the litigation support pros at the top service providers—it’s disrupting the corporate environment, too.
Get on top of it and set the right tone for 2017 by becoming the standout analytics guru on your team. You can read through Ralph Losey’s tips for stepping in to these trends here.
#5: The Joyfulness of a Happy Camper
Sometimes, we just need to talk ourselves out of a funk. There’s plenty of evidence that even a forced smile can genuinely reduce stress and make you happier—and when there’s no sunshine to light up your days outside, you need to feel the warmth from within.
Though this job may have its stressors, there’s a lot to love about e-discovery—just check out these opinions from professionals in the field.
So, this winter, bring some positivity to your daily work and reap the rewards. You can do so by recognizing the hero sitting down the hall, getting into a fun and detailed discussion about how the Star Wars universe really does have something to teach us about cybersecurity, or simply learning to find your zen even amidst your busiest responsibilities.
What are you looking forward to about spring—at home or at work? Let us know in the comments or @kCura on Twitter.
