Justin, your point is well-taken. I have no doubt that prior educational experiences mean we are all used to working efficiently and making good use of our time. The point of my ramblings was to say that there seems to be some relationship between the work and attitudes developed now and those that are embraced in the big firm atmosphere. It seems that striking the balance of class work and free time, learning to be (or not be) competitive and being mindful of how much work you are getting done in a high-pressured environment are just a few of the transferable skills.

And yes, being over-conscious of one's time does not seem to directly lead to a boring/distressed persona, but doing so to extremes is certainly problematic. My suggestion is that the billable framework does not skirt the line; it as been acknowledged as extreme time and time again. I have yet to work as an associate at a big firm (and don't know that I ever will), but it is not a stretch of imagination to envision that the stress, counting of the minutes and the constant pressure to be "on" bleed into life outside of work as well.

When it comes down to it, I guess it all depends on what you value: in your personal life, in your career and in who you are as a living, breathing human being. Not everyone embraces a carefree, relaxed nature, but if that is some part of who you are, perhaps you make a conscious choice to let that side of you go when you make a determination as to where you will spend your days and nights.

-- UchechiAmadi - 05 Feb 2009