By Bethany Kolenic 

If I’ve learned anything in my first year as a corporate associate, it is that time management is an elusive and slippery concept. You can not predict when work will pick up or slow down, when a deal will suddenly rocket forward or unexpectedly lose steam, and as a result, there are times when you have literally no billable work on your plate. Whether it is just an hour or two, an entire day or a week, it makes me feel disoriented… zoning out in front of people.com might have a certain allure, but is probably not going to knock anyone’s socks off or make anyone feel inclined to keep you around should they be forced to make some tough decisions. 

So what exactly do you do when there’s “nothing” to do? Once you have made it known that you are available to help with any project that comes your way, there are several ways to make the time count.   

If you’ve got an hour or two:

• Crack open one of the 57 law journals you get in your mailbox every month, but are normally too busy to read.
• Get online and research your clients or the industries in which they operate.Investigate which partners are working on interesting projects and schedule a time to stop by and discuss.
• Get organized – clean out your email inbox, get your files in order, take the coffee cups back to the kitchen. 

If you’ve got a whole day:

• Sign up for an online CLE course.
• Find out who is working on an article, and offer your help with research, citations, etc.
• Draft or update your personal development plan.Devote attention to business development by reconnecting with old classmates, former professors, and other acquaintances that may result in referrals or business someday. 

If you’ve got a whole week:

• Volunteer to write a client bulletin or an article.
• Take on a pro bono matter.
• Schedule a week of business development and networking lunches.
• Seek out opportunities for client contact by tagging along on client meetings.  

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of just asking how you can be useful – everyone appreciates a good attitude. Even if the answer is “no,” actively seeking work rather that passively waiting for it goes a long way towards developing a great reputation as a valuable team player.