Better Docketing Is Better Business — and Better for You

By Jane Southren

Let’s be honest. If you’re a practicing lawyer and I say the word docketing, chances are your shoulders just tensed a little.

You’re not alone.

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.

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 your confidence. Deepens your client relationships. And yes—supports your 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 you docket with intention, you 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 your thinking. Your strategy. Your service.

It’s a record of what you did, why you did it, and how it moved the needle for your 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 your 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 your own, one-size-fits-one, docketing silver bullet—a few small, repeatable habits that suit the way you think, work, and move through your day.

Habits that stick because they’re yours. They work with the way your brain is wired. You are not following someone else’s checklist.

At SGI, we’ve helped hundreds of lawyers do just that. Here are a few of the habits that have made the biggest difference (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 your streaks. Celebrate wins. Adults like gold stars too.

• Client-Readable Dockets: Write for the client. Tell the story of the value.

• Voice Memos: Capture it while it’s fresh. Dictate. Transcribe later.

You don’t need to adopt them all. Start with one. Try it for 21 days. See what shifts.

You’re Not Behind. You’re Just Ready.

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.”

You don’t have to hate docketing.

You don’t have to hide from it.

And you’re definitely not alone.

You just need your own silver bullet. And a little support to build it. We do that. 

Ready to start?