What makes us happy? I've been interested in the answer to this question for a long time. In part my interest stems from my studies in psychology, but mostly it comes from my interest in people more generally. It’s why I do what I do. If you’re also interested, where can you start? If you're a lawyer or law student, I suggest you read a book by Nancy Levit and Douglas O. Linder, The Happy Lawyer: Making a Good Life in the Law (2010) Oxford University Press.
We all know people (and lawyers are no exception) who view life through the lens of glass half full, as well as glass half empty. No matter what level of water you currently have in your glass, is it possible to add more? Are there things you can do to increase your happiness? Levit and Linder say yes.
What Makes Lawyers Happy?
Levit and Linder have a term they use to describe happiness - “intermediate-term happiness”. This form of happiness can be characterized as a sense of contentment or satisfaction. Working with this definition, Levit and Linder review happiness research in the legal industry, as well as happiness research more generally. They discuss the elements that exist in the legal profession that contribute to happiness and unhappiness, and thereby impact career satisfaction.
Perhaps not surprisingly, what makes most people happy also makes lawyers happy.
Research shows there are common elements that increase happiness. Levit and Linder review several. I highlight only a few here. If you’re interested in them all, or want to read about them in more detail, I encourage you to get the book.
Is It the Money?
Before I summarize some of the factors that contribute to happiness, I should probably get one thing out of the way. Will making more money make you happy? The research is consistent. The answer is no. Certainly those who earn a comfortable living are happier than those who struggle financially. However, after you earn a certain base amount of money, making more will not increase your happiness. You may think earning more will make you happier, but making more money won’t provide long term satisfaction.
Increase Your Social Connections
Research shows that our relationships are one factor that impacts our happiness most. Without social connection it’s difficult, if not impossible, to be happy. We define ourselves and derive much of the meaning in our lives from our relationships. The good news is that your own choices can improve the quality of your social connections at work. You can:
Choose a workplace that encourages and allows for social interactions with colleagues and clients
Seek out and establish relationships with colleagues who share your interests and values
Work collaboratively with others when you can
Participate in work-related events
Schedule lunches and other social activities with colleagues and clients
The deeper the connections you have with your co-workers and clients, the happier you’ll be.
Gain More Control
Control is the second factor that research shows impacts our happiness most. We can't be happy without feeling some measure of control. But achieving a sense of control in the practice of law isn't easy. As a lawyer you do what your client needs done, when they need it. In a profession that doesn’t lend itself to high levels of control, what can you do to increase it?
It turns out that control has many facets. Levit and Linder outline five. You may not be able to achieve them all, but to increase your happiness you should consider which aspects are most important to you, and which you can increase to improve your overall balance of control.
1. Achieving an appropriate balance between the demands of your job and the demands of your other relationships and your own emotional needs.
In a world where the demands of life often have us feeling out of control, this may be the most challenging sense of control to attain, at least on a relatively consistent basis. Levit and Linder suggest some solutions. I also believe there are ways for you to gain a better balance of this type of control – a balance that works for you. But that is perhaps a topic for another post.
2. A feeling of job security.
Worrying about whether you will have a job tomorrow isn’t compatible with happiness. In the legal profession there is a range. We might see an articling student at the lower end of this type of control, and a senior partner who is a rainmaker at the high end. With this framework in mind, you might increase your feeling of security by choosing to exceed expectations, develop expertise in a noncyclical area, and get to know and befriend those who control your fate.
3. Believing your contribution matters.
This belief can come from external sources, such as feedback from supervisors, colleagues and clients. Although there are some things you can do to increase external feedback, you don’t directly control the amount you receive. However, without needing feedback from others, you can believe that your work has real consequences, and impacts things or people you care about. To increase your internal belief, you can choose to think about ways your work has positively impacted others, and make sure your job is one that matters to you.
4. The number of opportunities you have to control things in the workplace.
The things you control in the workplace can include the content of work (the type of files you work on) or the timetable for work (which matters are urgent, or can be placed on the backburner). To increase this element of control, you can choose to do what you can to set your own timetable and strategy for meeting your goals, and finishing your work.
5. An ability to alter your work environment.
Your ability to control physical aspects of your work environment has an impact. Can you choose your own chair, change the lighting in your office, showcase personal items? To increase this element of control, choose to personalize your workspace. Small measures of control can create satisfaction.
Know Yourself and Find a Job That Aligns with Your Values
Knowing what your strengths and values are, and what brings you joy and pleasure, will make you happier. This makes sense. In fact, this facet of happiness seems to me like a necessary first step; a building block that’s necessary to achieve happiness. After all, you must know yourself to decide how to best increase your social connections, which of the factors of control outlined above are most important to you, and what other factors might increase your happiness. Likewise, if part of control is feeling that what you do matters, it makes sense that you're more likely to be happy if you work in a job that aligns with your values.
Finding the Right Balance For You
If you don’t know what your strengths or core values are, or can’t list the things that bring you joy and pleasure, it’s possible to uncover them. Those who have worked with me in my coaching practice know that I believe there is a life-long benefit in spending time to understand your strengths, and how to capitalize on them in your career. Likewise, understanding your values and what brings you joy allows you to set meaningful goals, and spend more time doing the things that matter to you.
Not every job will satisfy each of these factors in equal proportion, and you might seek some of them outside of your career. But as long as we continue to spend as much time at work as we do, it’s worthwhile to think about what aspects of your job allow you to exercise each of these in a proportion that works for you. There are factors we know can increase our happiness, but the level of water in your own glass is, in large part, up to you!