How Laurie Bebee Balances Life During Tax Season

For Laurie Bebee, the firm administrator at Elliott, Robinson & Company, LLP, work-life integration comes down to a mantra: plan, prioritize and repeat. According to Bebee, today’s professionals are retiring the term “work-life balance,” choosing instead to redefine what an efficient day looks like. “I enjoy being busy, so integrating family and work is a part of what I do every day,” Bebee says. “It will always be a work in progress, ever-evolving through the seasons of life and the firm.” 

Although each day looks different, Bebee still employs a few key strategies to be successful at work and at home. Those strategies are informed by a progressive work culture that places high value on dedicated, trustworthy and passionate employees. For example, at Elliott, Robinson & Company, she’s encouraged to tweak her work hours to make family time a priority. “The firm leadership makes it clear that they don’t want our kids to look up into the stands [during a game] and not see us there because we’re working,” Bebee says. The flexibility to leave work for family events is a major perk—even during tax season, the firm’s busiest time. “During tax season, I still spend time with my family,” Bebee says. “I just may come in and work at six in the morning, or I may work from home in the evenings. The firm trusts me to accomplish what I need to do each day.”

Ultimately, Bebee finds balance by using her time efficiently. “We can’t buy or create more hours in a day,” Bebee says. “That’s why it’s important to plan your schedule for every day in order to accomplish the most personally and professionally.” Bebee notes that she’s constantly rearranging her schedule to shape her days. “If you use your time well, you can have a happy family and a successful career without sacrificing one for the other.”