4 Inspiring Vacation Types for Accounting Professionals

Accounting firms and their team members work quite a bit, especially during the busiest times of the year when lots of client projects are due at once. Hard work is important for the success of any firm, especially smaller ones where each team member has an outsized responsibility to help clients.

But that doesn’t mean any firm—or its owners—should neglect vacation time. No matter how hard you need to work in the office or how many responsibilities you may have, it’s vital to take a break from work now and then.

Research shows that vacations can improve physical and mental health, making workers more productive. More and more companies are realizing that time off is valuable not only to keep their teams, but also to attract top talent in their field.

When it’s finally time to plan a vacation, where should you go? It’s tough for us to recommend a specific itinerary without knowing your personal tastes. However, we’ve found that the kinds of vacations that best serve accounting professionals typically fall into one of these four categories:

1. Pure relaxation

As the category name would suggest, these kinds of vacations are all about taking it easy. The goal is to reduce the number of decisions you have to make or problems your mind has to solve so that you can enjoy a book or the company of loved ones.

This variety of vacation can happen almost anywhere but is most often associated with an idyllic beach setting. Depending on your tastes and geographic location, some of the best beaches in the U.S. can be found in California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and Delaware. Some folks may even be fine with booking a hotel in the nearest major city and ordering room service—these “staycations” can be just as refreshing as a cross-country destination, without all the planning and travel logistics.

2. Getting active

Some people prefer to take vacations based on pursuing one or more physical activities. There are plenty of different options here: hiking, cycling, surfing, skiing, kayaking, etc. Maybe you plan a trip with a group of friends to play a sport like golf or tennis. Some options may not be as viable as others depending on the place you live and the distance you’re able to travel.

These kinds of active vacations are beneficial to both the mind and body. Studies show that not only will regular physical activity make your body healthier and fight the effects of aging, it can also help you with creativity and brainstorming. Many of the most successful people throughout history—from Charles Dickens to Mark Zuckerberg to Steve Jobs—all famously used the power of walking to boost their creativity or wrangle with a difficult problem.

Great U.S. locations for a more active trip include Denver, Seattle, Portland, Asheville, and Pigeon Forge.

3. Historic immersion

We study history to learn the lessons of previous generations. One of the best ways to truly understand what those in the past went through is by physically traveling to the places where they lived to take in the things and places they left behind. The U.S. is a relatively young country, but there are parts of the world with elements of civilization that date back thousands of years. Cities like Rome, Prague, London, Paris, and Kyoto are known for having centuries or more of rich human history.

And if you want to stay in the U.S. but still take in some history, the East Coast is a good bet. Boston, New York, Charleston, and Richmond are great options. Outside of the eastern seaboard, consider New Orleans, San Francisco, or Chicago. Pondering the day-to-day challenges and experiences of people from the past can help us work through modern problems.

4. Experience a new culture

Although we don’t always realize it, America and the modern Western world have many standard practices that are different from how things are done in other places. That doesn’t make either way better or worse—it just means different cultural practices may take some time to get used to.

Spending enough time in a new culture to make these adjustments can also improve the perspective you take back to the office with you. For example, many of the world’s most successful companies, from Apple to Asana to Ford, have cultures or operating procedures that are influenced by Asian philosophies.

These kinds of vacations are best if you can travel internationally. If you haven’t done much international travel, it’s a good idea to start with places where people speak the same language. Many major European cities are made to be accessible to English-speakers, even if it’s not the country’s native tongue. You might also consider places like Australia or New Zealand which have less of a language barrier than other international destinations.

The last word on planning vacations

These ideas are only examples, meant to inspire you to think about your ideal vacation. It’s important to plan the kind of vacation that will leave you feeling rested and ready when you return to work.

With the right type of accounting practice management software things can run smoothly even when you’re out of the office, thanks to features like global time tracking, project-based notifications, and collaborative file sharing that offers safety and convenience for your firm and its clients.

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