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I have no idea if my experience is unique, but my Outlook calendar’s value exponentially increased when I started working in-house. Of course, I scheduled calls and meetings when I worked at a firm too, but I vaguely recall how I had open blocks of glorious time where I researched and wrote and prepared for arguments — uninterrupted to my little introverted heart’s content. And if someone wanted to schedule a call or meeting, they would email with their availability, to which I would respond at my sole convenience, having complete control of the time offered.
Now that I’m in-house, however, everyone in the company has access to see my calendar (at least whether time is open or not), and any opening is fair game for a meeting. Yes, I understand that I have the ability to accept or counter if the proposed meeting is inconvenient, but if you’re type A and planned to do some deep work during the open times you thought you had because the last time you checked, you had lots of open time, this system takes some getting used to — especially if you also have a tendency to want to be ultra-responsive to your client needs.
Add onto this new-to-me system the fact that as in-house counsel, I also receive phone calls, text messages, Microsoft Team messages and impromptu meetings via Teams with “quick questions” or “I saw that you were green on Teams and …”
If you’re like me and like a little more control and order, be sure to block off time for work.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but as someone who only used their calendar for meetings and calls, I found myself in meetings and on calls all day — and then having to do substantive work like reviewing documents and conducting legal analysis late at night or on weekends. And maybe this is a little cheeky, but if I wanted to work day and night and weekends, I would have stayed in Biglaw and been better compensated.
My current system is that on Friday, I take the time to preview the next week. I proactively block off time to work on any deliverables due. I also schedule prep time for calls that I need to lead. For example, if I see that a summary judgment is due next week, and for some strange reason I have not received a copy from outside counsel yet, I will: 1) ping outside counsel for an ETA, and 2) block an hour or two next week so that I have time to review it. This will save me from having to read it late at night, after my kids are in bed, because I didn’t anticipate receiving it.
Of course, just because I block it doesn’t mean that I may not have something more urgent, some “fire” that will still push my summary judgment reading time to after hours — but if I proactively block off time, I have a better chance of completing it during the workday. I do my best not to block everything open, leaving some availability for last-minute client requests — usually in the afternoons so I can use my mornings for deep work.
This is just one example. You will need to find a system that works for you — but using the time block can help you gain more control over your calendar and work.
Meyling “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 rtiz(https://www.linkedin.com/in/meybe/). And you knew this was coming: her opinions are hers alone.
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