Week of 1/14 - 4 ways to avoid burnout while saving the planet
It’s officially 2023.
Believe it our not, we’re already at that point in the year where people give up on their new year’s resolutions.
If you made a resolution to do more climate work this year, or to get a new climate job, remember that burnout is real. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
I know that I get REALLY excited about my plans, and my follow through can be a little lacking, especially if I start to get burned out.
So how do I avoid burnout:
Rest - I know this may seem shocking, but actually resting is the best way to avoid burnout. You do not have to give up on your resolutions to allow yourself some rest. But you do have to be accountable to yourself as to whether you are resting or giving up.
A change is as good as a rest - Not really, rest is still the best thing for you, but change can inject energy that helps you keep going. Still, I often found as a junior associate that there were “approved” activities, such as going to conferences or networking events, that my firm supported. I often felt like doing these things gave me a moment to rest, so find the “approved” activities that you can do that everyone else thinks is work, but that energize you or give you a needed change.
Running is always easier with a pack - Going it alone is a great recipe for burnout; sometimes all we need is just a community or just some friends that support us. Have you ever tried working out alone and then gone to the gym with some friends? Which of those is easier? So find a community, and feel how that can lift you up and propel you forward. (I’m actually holding a yoga networking event in NYC for climate professionals in February, so reply and I’ll send you the invite. Would love to meet you!)
Recognition helps too - Last but not least, get recognition…for your struggles, for your accomplishments, for whatever you need. I know that awards and recognition can give me a much needed boost. But be careful not to become too dependent on external validation.
Good luck!
Now onto this weeks opportunities.
Have a lead on a job opening? Share it here.
Assistant Chief Counsel. Department of Transportation, State of California. San Diego. https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=349476. 1year of experience. Caltrans Mission: Provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all people and respects the environment.
In House Counsel, Renewable Energy. SolRiver Capital. Denver. https://apply.workable.com/solriver-capital/j/3A4764EAFE/ 2 to 4 years of project finance experience. SolRiver Capital is a rapidly-growing solar investment fund focused on acquiring and operating distributed generation and utility scale projects.
Commercial Counsel-Renewable Energy. Beacon Hill. Boston, Massachusetts. https://jobs.beaconhillstaffing.com/job/commercial-counsel-renewable-energy-boston-massachusetts-ldjg612022a_1673485459/. 3 years of experience. Beacon Hill (Recluter) “We are working on an exclusive search with a vibrant and growing renewable energy company which provides commercial and industrial (C&I) sized customized photovoltaic and energy storage solutions to its clients.”
Senior Commercial Counsel. Aurora Solar. Remote. https://jobs.lever.co/aurorasolar/84ac2124-e91b-4d67-b3f8-d08e8429420d. 5-7 years of experience in a law firm or in-house (or a combination thereof), preferably with some of which focusing on technology transactions at SaaS companies and/or start-ups. Aurora Solar is a fast-growing Series D company on a mission to create a future of solar energy for all.
Corporate Counsel, SEC & Corporate Governance. Beyond Meat. El Segundo, California. https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/join-the-team. 8+ years of corporate experience at a nationally recognized law firm (together with inhouse experience a plus). Beyond Meat, Inc. is a Los Angeles–based producer of plant-based meat substitutes founded in 2009.
Associate General Counsel. SPAN. San Francisco, California. https://www.span.io/mission-careers/job?gh_jid=5463593003. 8+ years of legal experience as a practicing attorney (2+ years in a U.S. law firm). SPAN develops products that accelerate the rapid adoption of renewable energy in the home.
General Counsel. Ultra Intelligence & Communications. Austin, TX. Remote. https://ultra.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ultra-careers/details/General-Counsel_REQ-4714?q=GENERAL%20COUNSEL. Minimum 8 years’ professional legal experience, demonstrating generalist and broad legal knowledge in all relevant areas (e.g., corporate & labor law, litigation, IP protection, export compliance etc.) Ultra Intelligence & Communications is an application engineering and trusted partner in delivering intelligence that informs decision-making in the most challenging environments.
Senior Financial Regulation Attorney. NRDC. US-DC-Washington | US | US-Any City. https://careers-nrdc.icims.com/jobs/5059/senior-financial-regulation-attorney/job. 5 to 10 years of post-law school experience or a combination of financial regulatory work pre-law school and post-law school.Minimum 2 years working on either banking, securities, housing finance law. The salary is $120,000 to $150,000. NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization.
Sr. Director of Legal. OIA Global. Remote, US. https://career4.successfactors.com/career?career%5fns=job%5flisting&company=oiagloball&navBarLevel=JOB%5fSEARCH&rcm%5fsite%5flocale=en%5fUS&career_job_req_id=2632&selected_lang=en_US&jobAlertController_jobAlertId=&jobAlertController_jobAlertName=&browserTimeZone=America/Costa_Rica&_s.crb=A83dUgqNd%2bfxR6KRbqNgWkUO2dbFsvdecHcryga9HQo%3d. 12-15 yeas practicing law (law firm, corporate legal department, or any combination thereof), 5+ years of supervision experience. The annual salary range for this position is $165,500 - $239,000. Since its founding in 1988, OIA Global has grown into a $1 billion world-class logistics and packaging company that employs over 1,200 professionals in 28 countries.
Hi! I’m Matthew. I’m an environmental lawyer at a full-service AMLaw 200 law firm, and the founder of the planetary lawyer project.
Reach out by email or LinkedIn if you’re interested in any of the following:
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Any views expressed are my own. Nothing here is legal advice.