Welcome to My (Remote) World!

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus my email box has literally been flooded with tips on how to effectively work through the accounting profession’s busiest season amidst this pandemic (yes it has been officially classified as such).

Despite the National Basketball Association suspending its season and the annual March Madness college Tournament now bereft of spectators, CPAs unfortunately don’t have the luxury of postponement during filing season – although there has been talk of extending the tax deadline.

My local CVS and Costco locations are displaying large print signs warning customers that they are out of toilet paper and hand sanitizers, although why a respiratory illness would cause a run on toilet paper is something for far brighter minds than mine to figure out.

One of the strategies thrown around is for CPA firms to allow employees work remotely – something I have done for eight years. After a quarter century toiling in traditional bricks and mortar offices I’ll be the first to admit it did take some getting used to.

Technology researcher Gartner Group estimated that by the end of 2020, more than 80 million people will work remotely at least one day a week – albeit those figures were calculated was before the coronavirus global blindside.

I’m not going to tell you the transition from an office to working from home was an easy one.

It took more than a while to get used to not seeing your colleagues up close and personal for simple conversation or lunch. Often the only contact I had and still have with clients and colleagues was via phone or email.

Then there was the “D” aspect – discipline.

A home office admittedly has many distractions – the television, the refrigerator or just the urge to take a walk or run during the nice weather. In a traditional office, closing shop before 5 p.m. was viewed as a venial sin – generating whispers and possibly a stern lecture from management. A remote worker has no such peer or supervisory pressure if he or she decides to knock off early. But on the flip side, I have had more than my share of conference calls at 8 pm or later.

Conversely, food shopping and appliance repairs are far easier when someone is home during the week. And since both the bride and I have always worked, it’s relaxing not to be eating dinner at 9 pm.

And I should point out that one of unintended consequences is that you will talk to yourself at an alarmingly higher rate than ever before.

But on the plus side, you’ll find you will rarely lose an argument.