Thoughts on mental health, longevity after 40 years in accounting

“Long hours, constant deadlines, complex legislation, client expectations, and the responsibility of getting things right can all take a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of accountants and tax practitioners,” the post read.

“Mental wellbeing is not just a personal issue; it directly impacts our ability to make sound professional decisions, provide quality advice to clients, lead our teams, and enjoy long and sustainable careers in the profession.”

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing wellbeing, but recognising the early signs, seeking support when needed, and taking time to look after yourself are important steps. Looking after your own wellbeing isn't a sign of weakness; it's an investment in your health, your career, and your ability to support others.”

Celebrating his 40th year in the profession this year, Kaleb said that creating a clear divide between work and personal life is the formula behind longevity in the profession.

Speaking with Accountants Daily, Kaleb said: “You have to distance yourself from the office; you can't just spend all your time in the office, go and meet a colleague, go and meet a friend for lunch, just get out of the office.“

“Devoting all your time to the office ... Yeah, it's a recipe for disaster, basically.”

“Mental health is a big issue for the profession. Things are changing so fast. There's more compliance reporting obligations placed upon us. [Especially with the] TPB, with AUSTRAC, [placing] demands on us, they're just getting greater and greater.”

Apart from external demands, Kaleb said challenges arose when small-business accountants take on more than they are capable of.

“Accountants tend to take on too much … doing work like individual tax returns that they probably shouldn't be doing anyway.”

“You can't run any business by just taking on everything that comes through the door … may be even taking on work that they're not able to confidently provide as well.” 

“If you want to scale, you have to do that properly. You've got to have the systems, the processes, the people, [the] capacity to do all that.”

For accountants who struggle to create a career-personal life divide, working weekends and out of hours, he said this was not a sustainable route.

“That's not a sustainable pathway. Moving forward, you've got to spend time with your wife, your kids and [do] normal things rather than just totally focusing on lodgments.” 

Accountants should get more involved in the profession by joining forums, talking with colleagues in similar positions, and joining a tax or accounting discussion group, he said.

Accountants struggling with their mental health are not isolated cases.

“They're not in it alone. And … for accountants that think they're the only ones going through these issues [such as] staffing issues, technology issues; the profession as a whole has the same issues,” he said.

“It's not only them; they're not the only ones struggling. There are so many others out there that would be.”

“At the end of the day, unless you step back and start focusing on yourself, it's going to be a pretty rocky road ahead. You just [have] to go and seek help. Talk to a colleague; they might be able to give you some advice. It's always great if you can talk your problems through with someone else who would be having the same issues – they'll be more compassionate and understanding.”