Public accounting can be a demanding profession, and the challenges extend well beyond busy season. Managing multiple clients, deadlines and competing priorities can lead to stress and burnout.
A recent study highlighted by Chartered Accountants Worldwide, found that 56% of accountants reported stress and burnout – a figure significantly higher than the 41% average across other sectors.
Time pressure is a consistent concern. In the 2024 State of Tax Professionals Report, time management, meeting deadlines and timely filing ranked as the second most common set of challenges for respondents.
While there’s plenty of conversation around how to manage time and prioritise tasks during busy season, the real key is building those habits year-round. By embedding effective practices – not just during ‘crunch’ times – you can create a career that’s both successful and sustainable.
To help with that, we’ve gathered a selection of practical insights and strategies from CPAs, for CPAs – focused on time management, task prioritization and client communication.
1. Establishing healthy boundaries
Working long hours might feel productive, but many leaders are realizing that the same results can often be achieved in less time. “It’s about making sure that everybody’s working smarter, not harder. There is a point of diminishing returns,” said Erin Roche, CPA. “When you’re asking somebody to work 16 hours a day, things tend to get sloppy.”
According to Adriane Wong, CPA, managing director at Deloitte in Chicago, “The No. 1 way to prevent burnout is to set boundaries at work.” She adds, “Setting boundaries takes practice, but boundaries are important in helping us make time for ourselves. We all have different priorities. Communicating our boundaries for those priorities helps the people we work with better understand how to best work with us.” A practical way to do this is to meet with your team, supervisor, or career advisor and say, “This is important to me because…”
An article on CPA moms encourages CPAs to treat personal time the same way they treat client meetings: schedule it, protect it and show up for it. Whether it’s working out, prepping for the week, or even making a doctor’s appointment, allocating a set time slot for personal priorities helps reduce stress and prevents everything from being squeezed into leftover hours.
2. Year-round client communication
Late client information can be a major contributor to increased stress and workload spikes for CPA firms. The key to avoiding this? Train clients to treat tax prep as a year-round process. Clear deadlines, early communication and proactive habits can make all the difference.
At Smith Adcock, Rodney Chandler, CPA sets expectations early. “We communicate early and often that it’s only the earliest of the early birds who can expect their returns completed by April 15,” he said. “For the rest, extensions are a very real possibility.”
Initially, the firm relied on engagement letters to convey this message, but soon realized that many clients weren’t reading them closely. So they tried a new tactic: gold stickers. These are placed on client organizers, clearly highlighting a March 1 deadline for on-time filing.
“That gold sticker drives behavior,” said Chandler. “We see so many returns flood the office in the 10 days before that deadline.”
Kyle Walters, CPA, recommends taking this one step further: use communication to structure and schedule your tax season. Walters explains; “In reality, you have until Oct. 15 every year to get your clients’ personal returns done.” Filing extensions year round can be efficient, help reduce burnout, improve workflow and give your team more control. When you work on your schedule, not the IRS’s, you reduce stress, overtime and turnover.
3. Mastering time management techniques
Logan Graf, CPA, found that constantly switching between prep, reviews and meetings killed his productivity. “Your efficiency is gone,” he said. “And your quality is also gone.” Research from the University of California supports this, showing it takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus after a task switch or interruption.
To counter this, Graf blocks out specific times for specific tasks. For example, client meetings are limited to 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the rest of the week is reserved exclusively for prep or review.
Charles Hall, CPA, agrees; recommending that tax and audit professionals batch emails and calls into dedicated time slots. “Multitasking is a lie,” he says. Constant checking kills concentration.
Meanwhile, Roche keeps her team mindful of how time is spent. “We’re giving our team feedback about how much time they spent on a particular project, versus how much time we expected them to spend,” she says – not to punish, but to spot roadblocks. If someone’s stuck, she encourages them to ask for support; “Don’t let yourself get lost on something when someone could help you course-correct.” In short, she’s training her staff to distinguish between productive learning and unnecessary time drains.
4. Leverage technology
Technology alone won’t solve your workflow issues, but when used intentionally, it can transform your firm’s operations and client relationships.
Graf, inspired by The E-Myth Revisited, focused on building repeatable systems. Using OneNote, he developed a digital operations manual detailing tasks like answering phones, notifying clients and booking appointments. This allowed temporary staff to operate independently, freeing the team from interruptions. “The firm runs like a machine rather than just unorganized chaos,” said Graf.
But internal systems aren’t enough if they don’t work for clients. As Chris Farrell, CPA and founder of Liscio, explained on a recent podcast; “The best [platform] one is one that works for your clients… If your client can’t use what you’re giving them, no matter what your back office process is, you’re always going to be waiting for the client.” According to Farrell, the true bottleneck is poor client experience, especially fragmented communication. “When clients don’t know where to send documents or how to respond, the firm grinds to a halt.”
5. Evaluate client fit
Another recurring theme in CPA advice: Not every client is the right client. Being intentional about who you serve can transform your team’s energy, profitability and long-term growth.
At EisnerAmper, leaders like Brandon Lagarde, CPA, took a critical look at their client base, asking:
- Do we have the resources and expertise to serve this client well?
- Is the client cooperative, timely and respectful?
“We were trying to manage with limited resources without causing disruption to client relationships or personnel,” Lagarde said. The firm ultimately let go 5-10% of clients, but fee revenue dropped just 1%. “It was hard… but necessary,” he added.
Mark Gallegos’ firm takes a similar approach, using a client scorecard to evaluate not just fees and realization, but also behavior and stress levels. “Are they timely or last-minute, are they rude to our staff or our admins, do they cause us stress, or are they amazing to work with?” he said. His takeaway: There’s no single formula, but mutual respect and alignment matter.
Josh Lance, CPA, structured his firm around long-term advisory relationships. “We’re avoiding the surges that happen with tax season,” he explained. His team still handle returns, but only for clients who engage in year-round work. “Leaders should realize that they are business owners with the power to change how their organization operates,” Lance added.
Of course, not everyone has full autonomy to reshape their client base, but even small shifts can make a big difference.
Working with Distinct
At Distinct, we understand the unique demands that come with a career in public accounting. Whether you’re thinking about your next move or just looking for guidance, our specialist recruiters are here to help. Reach out to the team today.
