Success unveiled: how to work, study and maintain a healthy life balance
Published: 5 Jan 2024
Ever wondered how some tax professionals manage to balance a hectic work life, social commitments, and still ace their studies? We've got the inside scoop from some recent candidates who topped their subjects at The Tax Institute Higher Education: Vincent Oldani, Daksh Aggarwal, Liliane Tai, Yuxi Dedic and Mitchell Bird spill the beans on how they navigate the challenges and share some tips on how they have mastered study while staying cool, calm, and productive.
Vincent Oldani: setting priorities and dodging timewasters
Vincent's journey from a French business school to being a Tax Manager in Australia is a rollercoaster of experiences. His secret? Prioritising effectively. For Vincent, what's important and challenging should take the front seat, even before matters which are urgent. He topped the Corporate Tax subject recently and his big tip is to cancel those addictive TV series subscriptions and leave your smartphone in another room. It's all about reclaiming time for work, family, studies, and hobbies. Having an employer supportive of study time makes it all the better.
Daksh Aggarwal: the efficient multitasker
Daksh, the undergrad with a knack for tax at Fortuna Advisory Group, knows a thing or two about juggling. Balancing almost full-time work, a full-time university course, and placing first in CTA1 Foundations? No problem. Daksh credits his excellent time management skills developed during his school days. His advice? This subject isn't just theoretical; it's the real deal you can use in your daily tax work from day one.
Liliane Tai: real-life scenarios and flexibility
Liliane, Senior Accountant at Lombardi Partners, not only embraced CTA2A Advanced to level up her superannuation game but aced the subject. Her secret sauce? Forward planning, a well-utilised calendar, and forming study groups. Liliane valued the real-life scenarios, online discussions, and the flexibility of self-paced study. Liliane's advice is simple – go for it! Success isn't just the outcome; it's the knowledge you gain along the way.
Yuxi Dedic: learning that’s relevant to daily work
Yuxi Dedic, a Supervisor at Martin and Martin Consulting Pty Ltd, Canterbury VIC, and Dux of Tax for Trust: from an SME perspective, attributes her success to applying learned concepts to her work. Roughly 80% of the subject content aligned with her daily office tasks, such as loss of trust estate, streaming of trust distributions, and Division 7A. The remaining 20%, covering trust vesting, disclaimer of trust entitlement, and capital gains distribution to non-residents, propelled Yuxi to a higher level of expertise.
Mitchell Bird: slow and steady wins the race
Mitchell, the Deals Tax team manager at KPMG, took CTA2A Advanced, CTA2B Advanced, and finally CTA3 Advisory to gain the Chartered Tax Adviser designation. His goal? To broaden his tax technical understanding. His key to managing his workload? Setting aside time before the regular grind, maintaining a steady pace, and keeping a balance with personal interests outside work. His advice to fellow tax pros? Dive into formal education early in your career, and think twice before taking on more than you can handle.
What do these tax pros have in common? They've mastered the art of weaving study into their everyday lives and maintaining a balance. From setting priorities and dodging timewasters to efficient multitasking, deepening tax toolboxes, embracing real-life scenarios, and taking it slow and steady – their stories paint a vibrant picture of success in the tax world without sacrificing the good stuff in life. So, whether you're just starting out or aiming to level up, glean some insights and tips from these tax aficionados and navigate your tax journey with confidence and expertise!
Interested in a formal qualification in tax? Learn more here.
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