It may seem obvious, but accountants are human, and everyone has their limit on what they can deal with.
Whether it’s the constant moving target of tax changes, the encroachment of new technology, the looming specter of private equity, or the constant stream of client questions. Where do you turn to get picked up?
For many, the move is to social media. Your network is there, ideas can get exchanged, feedback garnered, and you can vent from the relative privacy of your desk, keyboard, and screen/s. But as we’ve seen, social platforms can often devolve quickly into a rabbit hole of negativity and misinformation, causing more to avoid it altogether (despite the potential for some positive or useful feedback).
Live webinars or video podcasts are often useful ways to get support. If the topics are on point, the speakers are engaging, and there are opportunities to provide feedback or even interaction, they can be a great resource and even a temporary cure for what is “ailing” you in your professional life. Go a step further and even follow up with the speakers, guests, or even other attendees. You may find an even longer-term and valuable support system.
Then, of course, there are live events. Sure, if you’ve not attended many (or any), they can seem a bit intimidating, especially when you spend the vast majority of your life behind a computer screen. Since the advent of the cloud and possibly lingering effects from having to work remotely during and post-COVID, working in real-time with staff and clients from the comfort of a home office has indeed put up some social walls.
But, at a live event, this is where you have a chance to find your people. And I’m not just talking about other tax pros or bookkeepers; I mean actual individuals who are feeling the same or similar as you. Or maybe they’ve found a way through all of that and are finding success working in new ways, actually prioritizing and striking that oft-sought-after balance between life and work. This is who you want and need now more than ever.
I’m not about to go on a socio-political rant, but as I said, accountants are people first, and despite trepidations, people need to “people.” My point in this mini-missive is to not let fear or doubt keep you from finding support where you can, no matter where.
I’ve laid out some options, and maybe in the end it’s a combination of all of them. But if you’re going to move forward as a professional and person, your people are there for you; you just need to take that step. I can almost guarantee you will not regret it.
So the next time life, work, and everything in between are getting to you, remember who has your back and where support can be found. In this profession, you are certainly NOT alone.