In today’s CPA landscape, it is safe to say that there is always work to be done. The connotation of the “Busy Season” does not necessarily hold the same weight as it did in year’s past. With the addition of consulting work and financial advising, the breakdown of work throughout the year is pretty consistent. Fortunately, there isn’t the same deadline to the work looming over one’s head. So although, your plate may be full, here is a list of 5 things accountants can do during the off season:
- Attend a conference. Many conferences serve two purposes – CPE credits and networking. Both are necessary to continue to evolve in your profession.
- Catch up on a few must-read business books. Finding the time to read is always difficult. Luckily the summer days are longer and what’s better than sitting in the sun, with a beverage of choice in your hands and enjoying a good book. If you need any help finding one, check out here.
- Take a look at your technology. I’m sure there were some fire drills during the course of the busy season. Now is the time to look in to what the root cause was and see if any of these issues could be mitigated through the use of technology – either by re-tooling your current software or taking the time to evaluate a new one.
- Refine your business processes. Timelines shift, the scope of work changes, employees change and so do their roles and responsibilities. Now is a great time to insure that your business processes align with what is actually happening in your firm.
- Get ahead on your tax extensions. Yes, many of your extensions will be done between 9/15-10/15 as you wait on necessary information that is needed from your clients. However, there is definitely a portion that can be done now instead of later. Figure out which ones you can get off your plate, you will happy you did so come September