Off the Ledger
Your days as a college student are almost numbered. The working world is calling. As you get ready to embark on your career, you have to be thinking, “What am I going to do when I graduate?” “Is a job in public accounting right for me?”
Where do you want to go?
You have so many options. Big firm or small? How do you decide? Where can you go to get the real, honest look at a career in public accounting? What is it REALLY like to be an intern? What will my life be like as a staff accountant?
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At Porter Keadle Moore, LLP (PKM) we’re here to help. We’ve created this blog site just for you! To help you find answers to these and other questions about working in a public accounting firm. Real interns and brand new staff accountants chronicle their experiences with our firm. Read what they have to say. Ask questions, share your opinions and we’ll respond.
Is Multi-Tasking Overrated?
Janet Sammons- Director of Bank Tax Services
When I was a kid, multi-tasking meant trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. Some of my friends could do it, but a lot of us ended up rubbing our heads on occasion. So, can you? Most of us can perform one routine task while we also do another. Can you read and watch TV? Can you talk on the phone and email? Can you text and drive? Sure, you say, and maybe that is true, but are you doing your best when you do? How many times do we see the driver in front of us begin to slow down and shift across the lane, and then we notice they have a phone at their ear? Or, who hasn’t been nearly knocked down by a passerby who is texting or reading messages while they walk down the street? When we multi-task, are we really saving time by doing two things at once - or do both tasks take longer because they lack focus?
I believe it is time to take a different approach to being connected. Let’s be connected to what we are doing - do it well - and then move on. If something is important, focus on the task that needs to be done. Give it proper attention and do your best. I believe it will ultimately take less time to get everything done. By trying to do several things at once we sometimes create confusion and fail to properly complete tasks. There is an old adage that there may not be enough time to do things right, but there is always time to do them over.
Technology has brought us many new conveniences and opportunities. However it has also brought the expectation that everyone is available all the time. If we try to be all things to all people, we are sure to leave someone unsatisfied with our support. Be sure that you manage your time so that there is a balance in what you do and when you do it. Take care of the big projects by focusing on them completely. Then, unplug, turn off the apps, give your brain a break and do something that allows you to rest. Allowing your brain and body some down time is a great way to better health and happiness. Instead of multi-tasking all the time, try “no-tasking” for a while.
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