Ellis Orlan, BA, CPA, SF Partnership LLP, Toronto, ON, CYBF Mentor, eorlan@sfgroup.ca

All accountants know that tax season and small business deadlines dictate that a disproportionate percentage of our business flows in the first half of each year.  From the moment you enter the profession you know (and have to make it known), that your time constraints in Q-1 and Q-2 are significantly more restrictive versus the summer and fall seasons. Your family and friends need to be well aware of the fact that there are long hours and little room for extracurricular activity in the winter and spring months each year.  We call it compression and it ends the first week of July each year.

It is important to ensure you are well rested and prepared for busy season, and I’ve discovered that you must make a concerted effort for things like diet and exercise.  If you push these items aside, busy season will eat you up fairly quickly and there will be little sympathy from colleagues, since everyone at the office is in the same boat. Long hours in the public accounting profession belong to everyone in the firm.

Having said that, the good news is that July and August are not as busy in the profession therefore the tradeoff is worth it for most people. This is the time of year for golf and vacations. In our business, we are lucky to be able to really focus on family and recharge our batteries during the summer and into the fall.

Having done this for well into my third decade, I know time will fly and it won’t be long before we are looking straight into the face of another busy season. We will be recharged and ready however, and at this time of year there are no complaints only tee off times, trips to the beach and best wishes for a safe and enjoyable summer!

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