Have you ever wondered how some women in business seem to do it all? You know, the ones that are running a company, have terrific kids, and a caring relationship. Concierge CPA and CEO of TaxPlanIQ Jackie Meyer is one of those women.
She has learned to seamlessly manage her work and home lives while still relishing each and enjoying the small details that make each day extraordinary.
In addition, she’s an in-demand business coach offering her unique Certified Concierge Accountant courses to CPAs across the country looking to up their game, a motivational speaker, and a financial social media influencer.
The savvy accountant and businesswoman doesn’t believe that anyone is truly doing it all; they have just found tips, tricks, and strategies that help them do the most they can and still feel great about each accomplishment. Delegation is so key as well.
“There’s no way to do it all without burning out,” she said, “Today’s working mothers spend more time at their job than ever before, while they also statistically spend more hours on childcare and household chores than in years past. This leads to stress, which means you aren’t enjoying the positive moments you have worked so hard for,” she said. “I haven’t personally done household chores for a decade and couldn’t be happier about it.”
Here, she offers her best advice on balancing work and life while never missing a beat.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Simply put, you don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes. Just because someone looks like they are doing more, accomplishing more, and enjoying more, you aren’t likely to see the complete picture of their lives outside the small windows of time when you observe them.
Maybe they have a nanny at home or a parent that helps with the kids. Perhaps they have a work arrangement with flexible hours or work-from-home perks. Or they might present a polished appearance when they are overwhelmed by juggling everything they need to do daily.
Since you can’t see the whole picture, there’s no use in comparing what they are doing with what you are doing. So, stop those thoughts in their tracks. Instead, stay in your lane and focus on your goals and accomplishments. Find things to savor daily, whether a fantastic brainstorming session with a new client or singing along to a favorite song in the car with your child.
Book Time for You
Doing for yourself is often the first thing to fall by the wayside for modern working women. One way that Meyer makes sure to get her ‘me time’ is by setting alarms for it on her phone.
Being a deeply organized person, it’s hard for her to ignore her phone’s alarm, so she finds that it works well and makes her take that time for herself.
“I used to add these things to my work calendar, whether dinner with a girlfriend or a 15-minute chair massage at a place I often drive by. But the calendar didn’t work for me, it wasn’t always in front of me, and I could easily ignore it. But now, when that phone alarm goes off, I take my time, and my family and coworkers get to see a better me afterward,” she said.
Strategically Delegate
Once you’ve faced the fact that you aren’t able to do it all, it becomes easier to justify delegating all kinds of things, from running errands to answering inquiry emails.
Your first line of defense for strategically delegating are your coworkers, partner, and family members. Junior staff members can handle tasks that are routine but eat up lots of time. Your family members can help with childcare, but you can also set up a system where each household hosts a weekly or monthly dinner. This allows you to cook less and see your family more.
The second line of defense is professional helpers of all kinds. “Treat yourself to a home cleaning service for a few hours per week if you know that you spend every Saturday cleaning and it often leads to a fight with your partner or kids — it’s a worthwhile splurge when you think of the time and energy you save. And you can also consider errand-running services that can go to the dry cleaners, pick up items from the store, and much more,” advised Meyer. “The time value of money is irreplaceable here.”
Once you relax your ideas about doing it all, you’ll have much more time to relax and enjoy your life. And that’s a lesson we can all learn from.
About Jackie Meyer
Jackie Meyer, the Concierge CPA, CEO, and Founder of TaxPlanIQ, has Certified Concierge Accountant programs through Meyer Tax Consulting that help taxpayers and entrepreneurs find the best solutions for them. Visit https://jackiemeyercpa.com/ for more information.
