Why Unhappy Lawyers Should Pick Up a Hobby Before They're Ready to Leave

For lawyers who know they are unhappy but are not ready to make any real moves yet, the waiting period can feel like dead time. There are things you can be doing right now, though, that will set you up for success when you are ready to go through the process of figuring out what comes next.One of those things is reconnecting with a hobby. Not in a hardcore, train-for-a-marathon way, but in a small, low-stakes way that starts to rebuild the muscle of knowing what you actually like and what actually feels good to you. That skill, knowing what you want and acting on it, is one of the most important things you can develop when it comes time to figure out what your next career looks like.In this episode of The Former Lawyer Podcast, Sarah Cottrell walks through why hobbies matter more than most unhappy lawyers would expect, how to think about starting small, and why reconnecting with the things that bring you joy makes it easier to leave when you are ready.0:02 — What you can do right now to set yourself up for leaving law, even before you're ready0:56 — Why hobbies matter for lawyers thinking about a career change1:11 — How work crowds out everything else and why that's so common for unhappy lawyers1:54 — The grocery and dry cleaning hobby era (you are not alone)2:23 — How reconnecting with what you like helps you figure out what career actually fits you3:25 — Why this works even if you're not close to leaving and don not have much time3:33 — What starting small actually looks like and why going all in is not the point6:00 — Rituals, rhythms, and reminding yourself you are a person and not a machine7:25 — The bonus benefit of hobbies that involve other people when you are thinking about leaving law8:27 — The real skill you are building and why it matters for your lawyer career changeMentioned In Why Unhappy Lawyers Should Pick Up a Hobby Before They're Ready to LeaveFirst Steps to Leaving the Law The Former Lawyer CollaborativeI'm closing enrollment for my self-paced group program, the Former Lawyer Collaborative, permanently on August 31st, 2026. If you've been thinking about joining now is the time. Head to formerlawyer.com/collab to join before doors close on August 31st.