Discussion:Working 7 days a week......
From TaxAlmanac
Discussion Forum Index --> Business Growth Community --> Working 7 days a week......
| 14 February 2009 | |
| It's Saturday afternoon and I'm taking a quick break from working on tax returns. This is the second weekend I've spent working. So far, it hasn't been that difficult to get back in the groove.....
This will be my second tax season working 7 days a week until April 15th. How many of you are working 7 days a week? What do you do to keep from getting "burned out"? | |
Corkballman (talk|edits) said: | 14 February 2009 |
| Our firm only works 6 days a week. We try not to burn out our employees. We normall work about 55 or so hours per week. try working from home on weekends when you can. I find you can get more work done as there are no interruptions. You can also work at your leisure and you don't lose time driving back and forth. | |
Taxalmancer (talk|edits) said: | 14 February 2009 |
| In this economy, I wish I could find a way to work eight days a week. | |
Taxman3132 (talk|edits) said: | 14 February 2009 |
| I work 9-9 m-f 9-6 on sat and 11-6 on sunday.
i dont have an answer for you about burn out. it happened to me last year. its the price i pay for choosing this business. its kind of early in the filing season to get burned out. most of my more complicated returns come in in march. i did have to do something last year that i have never done--not accept new clients after march 1 and a possibility that the return may go on extension if it arrives in the office after april 1. | |
Southparkcpa (talk|edits) said: | 14 February 2009 |
| I find myself very fortunate to enjoy this work. I know that's nuts.
I work about 7:30 to 8 am until 7 to 7:30 pm M to Th, I leave by 5 on fridays. I work Saturdays from 8 to 2 or 3. 3 Sundays a season I work from say 9 to 1. But I try NEVER to work Sundays. Some mornings I wake up at 5am and want to go to the office. I have stopped worrying about it and simply recognize I will NOT be the NY JETS next quesrterback so this is my life and I have learned to enjoy it. | |
| February 14, 2009 | |
| Great, now I'll be humming a Beatle's song all day.....
I'm doing seven days a week....a bit early for me to do so, and I'm not quite sure why. Probably due to client's needing returns for their kids college financial aid requests. And I cope by going to the gym twice a week (early a.m. before appointments start) and weekly massage. Helps. | |
| 14 February 2009 | |
| Taxman, Can you please send me your rejected clients :-)???
Just kidding, I live the other side of the country :-( | |
| 14 February 2009 | |
| I made a resolution this year to not work on Sundays, no matter what. (There are, after all, only 10 Commandments . . . :)
So far, my billed hours are tracking with what they have in the past, plus I don't have that "life is passing me by" feeling. I was getting burned out working 7 days a week for several months. | |
| 14 February 2009 | |
| Inspired by you, Smokey, I have now resolved not to covet my neighbor's wife this tax season. Even if she is 26 and pulling down $95K... | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| I work M-F 8-9:30, Sat 9-5 & try my best to not work Sundays & if I do, work Sunday Afternoon.
I prevent burnout by remembering 2 things: 1. It stops April 15th for the rest of the year 2. I must make most of the money earned up to April 15 stretch thru the rest of the year. mikeburg | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| The only work I do on the weekend is admin and professional development. I have never been a slave to April 15th. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| Exodus 34:21 says, "You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest."
Good advice even during the tax "harvest" time. Take time out for God and family. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| There's not a tax man alive that don't work harder than the modern preacher. The tax ladies are regular barn stormers too. My preacher and part-time boss told me the other day to start a health program at the Church because he was tired out from funeral work. He's already got me visiting the sick! I'm sick of it.
Sayeth the Lord: "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few." Matt. 9:37 Tell it Jesus. Amen brother! I can cure most anything with grain alcohol and a pair of comfortable shoes, but it takes prayer to get the devil out! Glory! | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| Yes, Crow, we can always count on you for spiritual encouragement. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| Well, it's never too late to harvest another sinner before he signs his return. Remember, the Lord won't take a 1040X on a man's life after he's passed over.
P.S. And tell your clients to file early, you can't predict when the Rapture's a comin'. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| I just got my first red flag on an single-sex partner return. No efile this year in CA. Last year was ok, WTF?
Work at job 8-5 T-TH, F 8-2, unless of course I come in earlier or leave later. Have appointments on Saturday and Monday. Try to do returns on Sunday, saturday between appointments and after work weekdays. sometimes have evening appointments I did join a gym that is on the way home from the office so I am trying to at least do a half hour of cardio T-Th. And I watch DVDs of tv shows during dinner. I am trying really hard not to burn out, but I usually have a breakdown somewhere in March and start crying at work, and then I'm ok. I warn my coworkers now that it will come, so don't freak out. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| Joan, I hope they do the same thing to the Mormons! Cut their Efile privileges. By God, they should. I had a Mormon client tell me the other day "I'll have my wife bring the papers by your office." Damn if I didn't look up and 10 ladies was walking in totin' bags. I'd hate to think what he's spending on Valentines.
Anyway, I worked it out with the fellow and agreed not to turn him in, and he's going to hook me up with a half-ton of freeze dried vegetables for my emergency shelter. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| AEM CPA -
You know what? I do like your idea - I may change the one commandment I'm choosing to obey to not coveting my neighbor's wife. My being a heterosexual female makes it so very easy! | |
Southparkcpa (talk|edits) said: | 15 February 2009 |
| This thread changed directions pretty fast...... | |
Death&Taxes (talk|edits) said: | 15 February 2009 |
| So why am I posting this on Sunday as my software boots up?
I schedule three Sundays in March at the office I share with a Philadelphia CPA, a woman I've met three times in 10 years. I announce the schedule just after Christmas; there are ten other weekdays, mostly Mondays listed. Within ten days the Sundays are sold out. I begin at 10am with the last coming at 7pm. Seems to me the Commandment I should keep is something about stealing. | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
| I work seven days as well. I am greatful to be busy. I cutoff @ 4pm on Friday, 2 pm Saturdays and Sundays. I have a wife and two relatively young kids. I do make up for it in the summer as I always take off Fridays and Mondays. We are fortunate to have a beach house, so I justify my time when the kids are in school by working longer hours and being with the family more in the summer! In this day and age, with internet, blackberry, and such, clients can contact me and I can be responsive during the year. I have instituted for the 1st time last year that we are more selective about new clients. We have instituted a cutoff as well, if we don't have the data by a certain date. My bigger concern is babysitting our associates, I have made a decision to limit the growth of the practice so that I don't have to deal with employee issues, this may be shortsighted, but over the last few years it has kept me sane.
AFBCPA Tony | |
| 15 February 2009 | |
Irsfixer (talk-edits) said:
15 February 2009 The only work I do on the weekend is admin and professional development. I have never been a slave to April 15th. If I understand what you are saying, I agree. The last couple years I have extended at least 1/2 of my client's returns. Those who need financials and returns for bonding and finncing come first. During the fall I work on YTD information so that there is no gnashing of teeth during the spring and summer. CrowJD (talk | |
Taxestaxes (talk|edits) said: | 15 February 2009 |
| Today is the first Sunday I have not worked this tax season. I am only here now because I decided I needed to drag my lazy butt out of bed and check emails. Thought I would check this site too! Today I am not touching the first tax return. Taking the day off as a mental day and hoping it will help me make it through the rest of the tax season. Or at least another couple of weeks till I need another mental day:) | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| I'm going downstairs to watch some more Battlestar Galactica while I eat dinner. Then back to a ^%$# partnership return. | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| I work every day from 1/2 through noon on 4/15. 6am to 7pm mon thru fri and about 8am to 5pm sat & sun. I don't really enjoy the weekends BUT I feel very fortunate to be this busy. Been at this for 27 years with no advertising except referrals. | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| We're doing about 55 hours a week right now, no Sundays. So, I'm working 9-8-830ish weekdays (leave at 6 on Friday) and 9-2 on Saturday. Hopefully there won't be any 7 day weeks until April. Though, it would seem I should try for a lighter busy season this year after last October; was at a large investment bank preparing 1065s for their employee hedge funds -- those people work some crazy hours. Was there til 10/15; for that portion of October I clocked about 215 hours. So hopefully this one is a little better :) | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| Planning off season vacations has allowed me to avoid the burn out. When you startt feeling the burn, leaf thru travel brochures and find a place you want to go with your loved ones that make it all worth it. The more the better. If you are unable to deal with out, try selling real estate. You will have lots of free time! | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| The LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "I give thee ten commandments. Choose any two from column A and any three from column B. Thereunto do I bind thee. I am the LORD." | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| Or, who was it who refers to them as "The Ten Suggestions"? | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| Reminds me of the old joke:
Moses comes down from the mountain where his people are anxiously waiting. He tells them, "I've got good news and bad news. I got him down to 10, but adultery is still in." As for working hours, I'm not doing any Sundays yet, and only 9-2 on Saturdays. So far so good. | |
| 16 February 2009 | |
| Heel Satan! These are the same type lads whose parents would have fed them Graham Crackers as youths. See, Paragraph Two http://sexuality.about.com/od/masturbation/a/masturbationhis.htm
With our patented Martian "GO" juice, hours are no object to the completion of our assigned duties. | |
