April, 2026 | Article

Author Jane Southren

If you’ve ever said the word docketing, to a practicing lawyer chances are you have watched their shoulders raise or their head roll.

Of all the things that create drag in a legal practice, docketing consistently rises to the top of the list—especially for the lawyers I coach who are trying to build sustainable, enjoyable, values-aligned businesses.

Not because they don’t know how. But because they don’t have a system. They don’t have habits. And they definitely don’t have a relationship with docketing that serves them.

Instead, they procrastinate. They avoid. They dread. Until the pressure builds and they’re forced to do it in a state of stress and overwhelm—and usually under the worst possible conditions, at the end of the day, tired and irritable.

And for reasons I don’t fully understand, it’s often women lawyers who are feeling the weight of it most.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, with a little intention and a few new habits, docketing can become something else entirely.

Something that fuels their confidence. Deepens their client relationships. And yes—supports their business development efforts.

Why Better Docketing Matters More Than You Think

Yes, good docketing increases your billables. That’s not news.

But here’s what too many lawyers miss:

When we docket with intention, we turn a necessary evil into a powerful tool for building trust, demonstrating value, and anchoring your impact.

Because a docket isn’t just a time record. It’s a timestamped journal of our thinking. Our strategy. Our service.

It’s a record of what we did, why we did it, and how it moved the needle for the client.

And when done well, it becomes something entirely different than what we think it is and what it looks like on the surface. It becomes:

• A credibility-builder with clients
• A narrative of our value
• A confidence-booster on tough days; and
• A surprisingly effective business development tool!

That’s right. Docketing can help you grow your book—if you let it.

So What’s the Fix?

Not a one-size-fits-all solution. Those don’t exist.

What does work is building their own, one-size-fits-one, docketing silver bullet—a few small, repeatable habits that suit the way they think, work, and move through their day.

Habits that stick because they’re suited specifically to each lawyer. They work with the way each lawyer’s brain is wired. Not based on following someone else’s checklist.

Here are a few of the habits that we have seen make the biggest difference to clients who are struggling with docketing (and there are more!!):

• The 2-Minute Rule: Docket right after a task. Two minutes. No backlog.
• The Daily Close: Pair end-of-day docketing with tea, music, or a candle.
• Gamify It: Track streaks. Celebrate wins. Adults like gold stars too.
• Client-Focused Dockets: Write for the client. Tell the story of the value.
• Voice Memos: Capture it while it’s fresh. Dictate. Transcribe later.

Approach it as an experiment. Support them in starting with one, trying it for 21 days and seeing what shifts. If the results aren’t yet what they are looking for, move to another one, for another 21 days.

Try Out a New Approach.

Most lawyers don’t struggle with docketing because they’re lazy. They struggle because they’ve never been taught to build a system that works for them.

They’ve never before been told, “It’s not about doing it perfectly. It’s about doing it in a way that helps you tell the story of your work—and feel good about it.”

They don’t have to hate docketing.

They don’t have to hide from it.

And they’re definitely not alone.

Each lawyer just needs your own silver bullet. And maybe a little support to help them.

Jane Southren is a former litigator and the founder, chief consultant, coach and trainer at Southern Group. She is passionate about helping professional services providers to achieve greater success and have broader influence. Jane passionately guides her clients by applying a continuum of better thinking and better action for better results.

“Supporting clients — seeing them not only find success, but emerge stronger, more confident and more skilled at creating meaningful, mutually rewarding professional relationships — is incredibly gratifying.”.