Space to breathe

A long time ago one of the partners at my firm was trying to explain why sometimes he can be rather curt. He said it's nothing personal but just that sometimes you're just so busy that you don't even have time to breathe.

Exaggeration? Maybe...but that was exactly how I felt last week.

Had court attendances everyday last week, including having to go to Seremban court twice and also Senawang for a client meeting. Files blowing up left, right and centre and clients breathing down my neck. Didn't realise it but on Thursday I woke up at 5.30 am to go Seremban and then client meeting in Senawang and didn't eat the whole day till I got home about 10 pm and by then I had a splitting headache on one side.

With all that running around I was fortunate to have my bb to be able to give instructions and attend to other client e-mails while I was waiting in court. I don't usually answer calls or reply e-mails while I'm driving but had to this time. Luckily it was a highway and a straight road. Boss e-mailed me in the afternoon while I was in Seremban to ask whether I had reviewed an agreement and I told her "yes, I have reviewed and sent it out". She was not in the office in the morning but because of the tight deadline, I needed to send it out asap...so I used my judgment call, reviewed it, discussed it with another more senior associate and sent it out before clearing it with the partner. I was so scared she was going to scold me for not clearing it with her first but she replied "ok". Thank goodness!

I also had a trial to prepare for, which fortunately I managed to settle the night before! Extreme negotiation skills put to the test at such a crucial moment. When the other side's lawyer called me at about 9 pm to tell me that settlement can be reached he asked whether I was still in the office and I was like "of course, I'm preparing for the trial tomorrow!"...I mean how was I supposed to know that the settlement would go through at such a late juncture.

Thank goodness for settlement, now I have some space to breathe....