Overworked to Focused: Kerry Smithies on Helping Accountants Set Priorities

The accounting profession has long been known for long hours and relentless deadlines, but the demand is only increasing. Many accountants find themselves stuck in “always busy” mode, struggling to separate what’s urgent from what truly matters. The shift toward advisory and client-facing work is raising expectations, making focus and clear priorities more important than ever. 
 
Almost all accountants (99%) suffer from burnout, harboring feelings of exhaustion, inefficiency, and alienation from their job, according to a study by the University of Georgia (UGA) and FloQast, an accounting software company. 

Ace Cloud Hosting sat down with Kerry Smithies, CPA and Founder of My Cloud Bookkeeping, to talk about how accountants can move from being overworked to focused by setting clearer priorities. With more than 25 years of experience in financial reporting, planning, and software implementation, Kerry has helped organizations across industries, from high-tech companies to nonprofits, make sense of complex financial data and turn it into useful insights for decision-makers. 

Alongside her technical expertise, Kerry is a top-ranked QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Accelerated Evolution Coach, and certified public speaker. Through her coaching work, she supports accountants, bookkeepers, and entrepreneurs who want to break the cycle of overcommitment and build businesses that align with their values.  

Kerry is currently speaking with professionals as part of her market research on the challenges bookkeepers and accountants are facing today. If you’d like to share your experience — with no obligation, she’d love to hear from you. You can connect with her at My Cloud Bookkeeping or book a call directly.  

What are the key signs that an accountant is overcommitted, and how can they be spotted early? 

Overcommitment usually shows up before the numbers do. An accountant who is overcommitted often works long hours but still feels like they’re falling behind. Deadlines get pushed, small errors begin to creep in, and tasks that used to feel straightforward now feel overwhelming.  

You’ll also notice behavioral signs: skipping breaks, eating at their desk, or feeling guilty when they step away. The key is spotting these early—before burnout takes hold—by checking in regularly with yourself or your team and noticing when busyness is replacing effectiveness. 

When everything feels urgent, how can accounting professionals decide what truly deserves their attention? 

When the to-do list feels never-ending, urgency can become a trap. A simple way to cut through the noise is to pause and ask: What action today will have the biggest impact on the client or the business?  

Urgent emails and last-minute requests will always exist, but not all of them move the needle. Setting aside a few minutes at the start of the day, or even better, the night before, to rank priorities—before opening your inbox—helps shift from reacting to leading your time. 

How do personal values influence the way accountants set boundaries and priorities? 

Values are the compass that keeps boundaries from feeling arbitrary. For example, if family is a core value, that makes it easier to say no to evening meetings. If professional integrity is a guiding value, then rushing through work just to clear the inbox won’t feel acceptable.  

Once accountants are clear on what matters most to them—whether that’s health, family, or client impact—setting boundaries stops feeling like shutting doors and starts feeling like keeping promises to themselves. 

If a firm constantly feels like it’s in “busy season mode,” what steps can leaders take to shift their teams from overload to more focused work? 

Leaders set the tone. If the pace is always frantic, it becomes the culture. The first step is to review where the team’s energy is actually going: are people spending hours on low-value tasks or chasing avoidable errors?  

Streamlining processes, outsourcing non-core work, and making better use of technology all help reduce the “always urgent” feeling. Just as important is modeling balance—taking breaks, setting realistic deadlines, and celebrating progress instead of only chasing the next deadline. When leaders show that calm, focused work is valued, the team follows. 

Suggested Read: Why Some CPAs Become Trusted Advisors (and Others Don’t) 

Start Focusing on What Matters Most 

Kerry’s insights highlight a reality that many accountants know but rarely talk about. Overwork does not equal impact. The firms and professionals who succeed long term are the ones who recognize the early signs of burnout, prioritize what truly matters, and set boundaries that allow for both focus and balance. 

As the profession continues shifting toward advisory, the ability to manage time and energy will be just as important as technical skills. Clients are looking for clarity, confidence, and guidance, and that can only come from professionals who are grounded, not overwhelmed. By making small but intentional changes, accountants can move from constantly reacting to shaping the way forward for their clients, their firms, and themselves. 

AI and cloud solutions step in to handle routine work—automation, data management, and applications—so nothing slows you down. Ace Cloud Hosting helps firms gain secure, scalable, and always-available cloud technology tailored for accounting needs. When technology clears the clutter, accountants can truly lead with confidence. 

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