8 Tips for CPAs To Be Productive in Their Home Office

If you’re reading this in your PJs, you’re not alone. Most people in the United States have been forced to work from their home office to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The home office provides flexibility and helps in maintaining a better work-life balance. However, these benefits are accompanied by some challenges as well – the most common is to be productive. Do the employees have all the tools necessary for working from home? Are these tools reliable?

Well, apart from the uncontrollable factors, the employees can ensure that they are reliable, and their productivity is not compromised.

In this article, we’ll discuss some tips to ensure that your productivity meter doesn’t go down.

1. Delegate Mundane Tasks

Utilizing time is one of the easiest ways to be productive. But what if you get a mundane task that wastes a lot of time? The best solution is to pass it onto your subordinates, teach them the basics, and wait for the outcome.

This is a good idea even if it takes a considerable amount of time to teach them because it will make them independent and confident.

Some might argue that delegating work will hamper quality. But the fact is that if you’re not able to delegate your work, you will not be able to meet the deadlines.

2. Stay Away from Useless Meetings

Useless meetings distract people from their work, demotivate them, and cause unnecessary stress. But because of some obligations, there is a need to attend them. You should professionally discuss with your seniors, participate only in important meetings, and stay away from those that aren’t.

Make new guidelines for your meetings, such as:

• Short meetings
• No phone calls during the meetings
• Total attendees should be 10-15 only

3. No More Multitasking

Multitasking is considered to be a quality trait, but several studies have shown that humans are not good at it. In fact, it takes some time to focus on a new job after completing one. Hence, you should not perform multiple tasks; you’ll lose more time if you do so.

If you’re a CPA, it is practically impossible to eliminate multitasking. Although, you can plan your day in such a way that it minimizes multitasking. If you focus on a particular task, it’ll do wonders for your productivity.

4. Park Your Perfectionism

There’s a difference between getting things done and getting them right. Handling the accounts demands an eye for detail, so aiming for perfection is desirable. But excess of everything is bad, and the same goes for perfection as well. It can hamper productivity.

There’s a possibility that you may end up with a 2X workload at the end of every project if you obsess over perfection. Aim for excellence instead and be a smart worker. Rather than working for hours and finding errors, aim to control human mistakes by:

• Proofing protocols
• Automation

5. Use Cloud Computing

A lot of time is wasted in going through the files and finding the right documents. Experts suggest that if you move your accounting activities to the cloud, your productivity is boosted. According to a survey, nearly 80% [of surveyed IT pros] said they’re saving money, seeing more productivity and better security by using a cloud approach.

It is a technology-driven world, and cloud accounting is the need of the hour during the pandemic situation. Cloud offers a centralized database that multiple users can access from remote locations.

6. Try Walking

Everyone knows that exercising is good for physical fitness, but did you know it is suitable for problem-solving?

According to experts, if you’re not able to crack a problem, start walking. Walking increases your creative output. Hence, it is better than banging your head in your machine for hours. Go for a short walk if you’re stuck somewhere, and there are chances that you’ll crack it soon.

7. Use Multiple Screens

If you use a single screen for accounting, the whole day will pass switching between tabs and windows. It causes a distraction and breaks the flow. If you use multiple screens, you can simultaneously open the desired documents and look at them without switching between multiple tabs.

According to the Journal of Accountancy, CPAs welcome the addition of multiple screens. You do not need to stop at two; adding a third or fourth monitor is not a bad idea.

8. Find Your Zone

If you’ve mastered your schedule, consider how to make the most of it. You can figure out your most and least productive times. Also, a more in-depth analysis of the time with the least productivity would help you understand the reason behind it.

You can execute the tasks which require the least focus during the hours when you are least productive.

Conclusion

You must advise your clients that small changes can make a big impact. The same goes for you and your home office productivity. Try to apply these tips to your professional lives, and you will realize what works best for you.

Want to know how cloud accounting can help you be productive at home? Get in touch with a Solutions Consultant at 855-665-8910.