A busy season playlist for young CPAs

When the busy tax season hits, Kelly Ward’s five-day work week frequently stretches to six or seven days. But Ward and co-workers at Robinson & Associates in Fairbanks, Alaska, have devised a way to make those long hours more fun.

This spring, every time their favorite radio station cues up “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, they earn a reprieve. The jazzy dance track is this year’s designated tax season song in her office. And when it plays, it’s time to stand up, do a workplace-appropriate shimmy, and take a mental break—so long as there’s not a client in the room.

“This little ritual can instantly bring smiles, laughter, and change the rest of your day,” Ward said.

Ward and an officemate started the tradition in 2008. Every time Lady Gaga sang about her “Puh-puh-poker face,” Ward and colleagues would snap into Vogue-inspired dance moves to relieve stress.

Many young CPAs we spoke to said music enhances their focus and productivity during busy season. 

“It can motivate you to work harder,” said Joseph Mauriello, a 35-year-old CPA in Dallas. “The right songs energize the mind.”

As co-working and shared office spaces increase in popularity, a playlist can also help drown out distractions such as the delivery guy, the speaker-phone conference call down the hall, and co-workers talking about last night’s hot television program. But there are a few tips to keep in mind while listening to music at work:

• If you’re in a shared space, wear earbuds.
• Make sure the volume is low enough that you can still hear your phone.
• In an office? Make sure your neighboring officemates aren’t hearing your playlist through the walls.
• Try not to sing, hum, rap, or air-drum along—your co-workers will thank you.
• Choose music that’s safe for work. The [Clean] edit is your friend.
• Stop the music when a client calls or your boss stops by.
• Find music distracting? Try classical music, singing whales, or some other sounds that can act as white noise. Just don’t nod off.

What should you listen to this year? We asked several young CPAs why they listen at work and for suggestions that we could use to assemble our very own CPA busy season playlist on Spotify. Here are their suggestions: