How Do You Know When It’s Time to GTFO of Big 4? One Manager’s Opinion
Came across this on r/big4 this morning, let’s remember half of what you see on Reddit is just someone’s creative writing exercise and people who claim to make $200k/yr are often 14-year-old larpers but hey what kind of weirdo would pretend to be a Big 4 manager on the internet. Read on. I don’t think […]
More Scary Anti-WFH Headlines: Is Remote Work Bad for Your Mental Health?
The anti-WFH propaganda is in full swing and why shouldn’t it be? Commercial leases still have to be paid whether offices are full of bodies or not, might as well try to weaponize pandemic loneliness against workers to force them back under the fluorescent lights while they can. First we heard that remote work might […]
Opinion: If You’re Burned Out It’s Probably Your Fault
The post I’m about to share with you appeared in CPA Practice Advisor yesterday, and while it is written for firm leaders and not the grunts at the bottom of the ladder (that’s you), I thought it worth sharing because … well … you’ll figure out why in a minute. It’s been long established that […]
Surprise, You’re Depressed
New research conducted across the pond by the accountant well-being charity caba shows that more than half of accountants surveyed — 56% — are stressed and burned out, compared to 41% of those across a range of sectors, business sizes, and positions. Writes ICAEW Insights about the survey results: Accountants are significantly more stressed than […]
This Year, Let’s Normalize Actual Time Off In Public Accounting
For far too long, the accounting industry has been plagued with this idea that sacrificing your personal life for the firm is some badge of honor to be celebrated rather than pitied. When millennials showed up in the workplace, we started destroying this concept just like we destroyed frozen food sit-down restaurants, the wedding industrial […]
Life at PwC Is All About Bewo Werk Llwe Ll
Leave it to PwC to deliver its “Be Well, Work Well” message in a weird and confusing way. Their futures are so bright, they gotta wear shades, I guess. Or it’s to hide the enormous bags under their eyes from the lack of sleep they get because of all the hours they work at PwC, […]
Mental Health Check-in: How’s Everyone Holding Up?
It’s hard to believe it’s been six months since the Journal of Accountancy cover story about one CPA’s struggle with depression. Not because I can’t believe a whole six months have passed (although that’s a thing for sure) but rather because no one could have known how timely that story would be when JofA published […]
Man With Massive Cojones Goes on Record as a CPA Living With Mental Illness
Have you seen the cover of the February 2020 Journal of Accountancy? Just in case you don’t feel like digging it out of the mailbox (or out from the bottom of the birdcage), here you go. Not only did the JofA choose to do an article about this important topic, but they also went all […]
You Won’t Need a Therapist if You Have a Mentor
Public accounting breeds irritable, highly-caffeinated workaholics. It’s no surprise mental health is an afterthought. Between preparing for intense client status calls and getting workpaper review comments cleared before archiving starts, it’s not likely you’ll have much time to focus on your feelings. We put up with long hours with 85%-90% billable utilization quotas during the […]
Going Concern March Madness: The #BusySeasonProblems Championship — Deteriorating Mental Health vs. That Voice Inside Your Head
Here we are. After hashing through 62 other busy season problems, we've arrived at the championship for this year's GCMM. It's been interesting to watch this tournament develop and learn what causes the annual busy season to be so terrible for accountants. Everyone has their own beloved annoyances, but to see the #6 Degrading mental […]
Going Concern March Madness: The Final Four #BusySeasonProblems
We now, finally, have champions in each region of GCMMBSP: Life — Waking up early; Health — Degrading mental health; Work — Working on Saturday; Potpourri — Your brain asking: "WTF am I doing with my life?" Thanks for everyone who helped decide the bitter battle between Waking up early and Loved ones' guilt trips. It […]
From OCD to ADHD: Yes, Mental Health Is an Issue in Public Accounting
Being a CPA can turn you psycho. Health.com lists accounting as one of 10 careers with high rates of depression. I can vouch for the mental health risks of our profession. I went crazy during my first busy season; doctor said I had anxiety. I'd never been diagnosed with anxiety before, so that totally stressed me […]
BREAKING: Stress Affects Accountants’ Mental Health
Yep! And apparently there’s new evidence “suggesting” as much:
The Chartered Accountants’ Benevolent Association is logging rising numbers of calls from professionals who appear to be developing mental health issues, or believe they are at risk of doing so. Interim operations team manager Helena Coxshall said the evidence is not conclusive as the helpline does not offer medical diagnosis, but highlighted rising numbers of calls in the second half of 2011. “These are coming from people who feel that they are heading towards a potential breakdown and we also see it from people who call us regarding other issues, but appear to be showing symptoms of mental illness of which they may be unaware,” she continued.
So take care out there, masters of the double-entry system. The last thing we want to see is any of you cracking up.
Accountants’ mental health ‘hit by stress’ [Accountancy Age]