There is no time like the present to take control and achieve a manageable work/life balance. Here are a few suggestions to take a step in the right direction:
Set appointments for yourself
If you make a commitment to a client or a civic organization, you do everything in your power to fulfill that commitment. Make a commitment to yourself and strive to keep it like you would if the commitment were to someone else. Block off a specific amount of time each day for yourself -- and then use it. Do not allow someone else to interfere with your private time.
Have something to come home to
Whether you have a spouse and kids, a dog or cat, even a cup of tea and a good book, make sure that there is always something at home to look forward to. If what is at work is more desirable than what is at home, it will be hard to pull yourself away from the office and take much needed time for yourself.
Set realistic goals
If you tell yourself you can't get up from your desk until you finish everything that is in your office, you will never leave. Something else will always come up, and as quick as the work goes out, more comes in. At some point, you must draw a line: determine what will get done today and what can wait until tomorrow. Not every single issue is an absolute emergency. If you learn to effectively manage your clients, your workload will no longer have power over you.
Combine to-do lists
Have a master to-do list. Include all things business, personal, civic and otherwise. Set a deadline for each task and prioritize the personal tasks along with the business tasks. If something personal is of higher priority than something business, complete the personal task first. You are the only one who can make time for yourself. You don't live multiple lives; you are one person who has many different responsibilities. Blend your priorities in such a way that it is clear that you are the one person who is responsible for completing all these tasks.
Just say NO!
It feels good to know that people trust and respect you enough to ask for your help and expertise. Unfortunately, when people call with "Just a quick question, I promise," it is not billable work and not moving towards the goal of completing your client responsibilities. At some point, if you do not draw the line and say no, you will not move through your to-do list very quickly. If you choose not to turn people away, another option is to say that you would be happy to help them in an hour after you complete whatever you are doing. There are only 24 hours in a day and only seven days in a week -- no matter how hard you try, the day will not get longer. Minimizing distractions will allow you to stay focused and move through your tasks more quickly.
A healthy CPA is a happy CPA. Finding the correct balance between work and home is essential to functioning as both a professional and as a person. You control your life; lead it in the direction you want it to go.
NIKI WHITE is a CPA at James W. Brackens Jr. PC, working with corporate and nonprofit tax and audits. A 2001 graduate of Penn State, she chairs the Student Affairs Committee of the VSCPA Richmond Chapter. She can be reached at nikiw@jbrackenscpa.com.
