In-House Counsel

10 Ways To Invest In Yourself As In-House Counsel

You may not have stuck to that gym resolution or ever gotten around to decluttering your home, but you can still accomplish some goals before the year ends.

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498602When you’re putting out fires on a day-to-day basis and are on call after call and in meeting after meeting, it’s easy to forget about yourself and your own personal or professional development. Despite having set goals at the beginning of your year and having had the best of intentions, you may find yourself taking a breather, only to realize that somehow it is already September, and you haven’t done a single thing for yourself. If this is you, don’t give up. You still have time.

Here is a list of 10 ways you can still invest in yourself before year’s end.

1. Use Your PTO

With only one quarter left, if you haven’t taken a vacation, you have definitely earned it! Pull out your calendar now and schedule some time off, even if it’s a one-day spa visit. Even if you have taken vacation, look at your bank, and see what’s left, and consider whether you need to use it or lose it.

2. Attend A Conference

Conferences, if done well, are a great way to invest in yourself. Substantively, you can get your continuing legal education and can learn how to be more valuable to your client. At the same time, you can also broaden your network, meet new people, or deepen the relationships you have at a conference. Do this especially if your company is willing to pay for it. But even if they don’t, you may want to consider it as an investment in yourself.

3. Connect With A Mentor

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Chances are that if you’ve been swamped, you have not taken the time to connect with your mentor. Schedule that time now. And if you don’t have one, block off some time on your calendar to work on finding one.

4. Attend A CLE

If a conference is too much to ask for right now based on what you have on your plate, attend a CLE, whether in person or virtually — and actually pay attention. Take notes and consider sharing something you learned at your next team meeting.

5. Work On Your “Done” List

Consider making the time to review the projects and work you’ve done this year and the impact they have had and make a list. This will be helpful when performance review time comes. It’s also a great way to reflect on what else you might want to do before the year’s end and the type of work you want to ask for next.

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6. Spruce Up Your Resume

Even if you’re very happy where you’re at, it doesn’t hurt to always have a current resume ready, just in case an amazing opportunity comes along. When those opportunities open up, you want to be one of the first to apply and not end up panic-revising your resume.

7. Update Your LinkedIn

Same advice as above — even if you’re happy where you’re at, when recruiters are looking for candidates, LinkedIn is often one of the first places they stop. Even if your LinkedIn is simple, the best impression is for it to also be current, whether it’s your experiences or your photo.

8. Connect With A Colleague

Whether it’s grabbing coffee with a legal colleague you haven’t talked to lately or scheduling a 15-minute meet-and-greet with a new business colleague, invest the time. You can grow your network or learn something new about the business.

9. Consult A Coach

If you have a specific development goal in mind, you may want to consider retaining a coach to help you and to provide accountability. It could be growing your brand or how to be a better manager or how to speak with more credibility. Some organizations, like the Association of Corporate Counsel, provide you a complimentary session as a member. Also check out what your company might offer.

10. Review And Take Advantage Of Your Benefits

This may sound like a strange one, but when you’re busy, you may not have noticed new perks that your company launched, such as free access to a meditation app or complimentary coaching. There are also likely free courses, like tips and tricks on using One Note or some other app, that can make your job easier.

Meyling Mey Ly OrtizMeyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz is in-house at Toyota Motor North America. Her passions include mentoring, championing belonging, and a personal blog: TheMeybe.com. At home, you can find her doing her best to be a “fun” mom to a toddler and preschooler and chasing her best self on her Peloton. You can follow her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meybe/). And you knew this was coming: her opinions are hers alone.

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