“Work life balance” and “flex schedule” are two phrases that have been thrown around and overused in the accounting profession for years. In concept they are great. They provide opportunity for me to fit more things into my day. I can now work my 10+ hour day, take the kids to school, have a greater amount of family time, volunteer, coach, go to the gym, read a book, surf the internet, yadda, yadda yadda. This should make me happier and more productive, right? At least that is how it is often sold.

In reality, work life balance and flex programs have just made us all busier (and maybe even less happy?). And technology, while our great friend, has blurred the lines between work and life. We are now doing more and more (except sleep) in the same 24 hour day and, as a result, are less committed to all of it and, in turn, limiting our potential for success.

We need to change this paradigm to achieve the greatest success. We need to #BeMore to fewer things and #BeMore to the right things that help us achieve our personal and professional goals.

The concept of #BeMore is simple, but the execution of it is clearly more complicated. I believe that as CPAs we have already been given many of the tools required to #BeMore. But we are not always given the opportunity. For better or for worse, CPA firm culture does not consistently recognize that CPAs are both professionals and humans with a personal life. This needs to change.

Individual goals, whether personal or professional, have the greatest opportunity for success if we can #BeMore to our SELF, our FAMILY and our FIRM. These three tenets of the #BeMore philosophy are how GHJ is building a Next Generation firm.

In the #BeMore blog series, we will share real life examples of our #BeMore philosophy. We will discuss the tools available to succeed, the role technology can play and the roadblocks that can get in our way. Together, we will all learn how to #BeMore.