Do Less, Better: The Secret to Terminating Burnout

My fight name was “Lady Jay,” but my training partner called me “The Terminator.”

Why did this UFC Veteran give me that nickname and declare me her nemesis? It wasn’t because I’d knocked her out and tapped her out in training … though true. It’s because, though my technique wasn’t pretty and my footwork was heavy, I just

kept

coming for her.

I did less, but I did it better. I conserved my energy in the spaces in between. That’s how I became her Terminator.

But now my laser focus is on terminating something else: burnout in the legal profession. And I’m recruiting all of you to help. That’s why I’m about to share the secret to ending burnout with you. But first, I have to pass the SFW test (thanks, Dov Marmor): So F#*king What?

Burnout is everywhere. It's a silent epidemic, persistent, and deadly to our emotional health and to high-performance. For those in the legal field, it’s particularly bad: nearly 45% of practicing lawyers report significant burnout, according to the American Bar Association. Long hours, intense pressure, and limited work-life balance turn daily legal life into a relentless grind, making the profession one of the most burnout-prone.

Burnout isn’t just a small hurdle; it’s a debilitating state with three main symptoms: exhaustion (feeling totally drained); disengagement (cynicism and negativity); and reduced efficacy (doing lower-quality work). Not only do you feel terrible doing something you used to love, but you feel like you’re not good at it anymore.

Too often, the only way to stay afloat feels like doing more rather than doing less. But what if I told you that science shows you can get more done by working less—and feel better in the process?

Imagine feeling motivated, engaged, and alive again. Sounds impossible? It’s not. You can get there by syncing your brain breaks with your biology.

Most people know about nighttime sleep cycles, but few realize that our bodies have daytime energy cycles, too. Research from Dr. Ernest Rossi shows that, like our nighttime sleep patterns, our brain follows a series of Ultradian Rhythms throughout the day: cycles of about 90 minutes of high energy, followed by 20 minutes of lower energy. Ignoring these natural dips and pushing through them leads to burnout, depletion, and stress.

The secret to beating burnout is to stop working in marathons and start working in 90-minute sprints and 20-minute breaks. Align your work with these natural rhythms, and you’ll actually get more done by working less—and feel better doing it. This science-backed system works, and it can work for you, too.

Let’s shift from doing more to doing what matters most—sustainably. Let’s do less, better. Let's terminate lawyer burnout together.

Ready to beat burnout by working smarter like pro athletes do? Follow The Legal Athlete here and on the podcast each week, or message me about a customized solution for you and your high-performance life! #Burnout #LawyerWellbeing

#ScienceBacked #Productivity #UltradianRhythms #HighPerformance #MentalHealth #LegalAthlete #UFC #MMA