A Bookkeeper's pre holiday checklist

You know you’re a bookkeeper when going on holiday feels like launching a military operation. While most people are Googling “best beach reads,” we’re over here making a check list of work left to complete, juggling pay runs, reconciling bank feeds, and whispering sweet nothings to Xero like, “Just one last thing…”

The mental load is mammoth. Before we even think about packing, there’s a checklist longer than a Woolies receipt for a Christmas shop:

• Have I finalised payrolls for hospo clients whose rosters change more often than my mind about dinner.
• Have I chased all timesheets from casual staff who think “ASAP” means “when hell freezes over.”
• Have I wrangled all the month-end reports while muttering, “I’ll just finish this and then I’ll relax,” as my partner gives me the stink-eye
• Did I forget to pack the basics like underwear because I was too busy being automated and efficient. (Yes, that has happened and yes, I improvised.)

Unlike other professionals who can set an out-of-office and vanish into the sunset, bookkeepers are welded to their clients. Emotionally. Digitally. Existentially. We’re the safety net, the sanity check, the “can you just” inbox warriors. If a client sneezes near a BAS deadline, we feel it in our soul.

So it got me thinking about where could a bookkeeper go to hide out? If you’re dreaming of a getaway but worried your absence will trigger a client meltdown, consider these stealthy destinations:

• The Wi-Fi-Free Zone: A remote cabin where the only cloud is in the sky and no one can ask you to “just check the payroll.”
• The ATO Head Office in Canberra: Say you’re attending a compliance seminar. No one will question it. No one will want to go with you.
• The Moon: No reception. No client queries. Just peace, quiet, and a break from the laptop.

Taking leave as a bookkeeper isn’t just about booking flights—it’s about booking boundaries. Prep like a pro, automate what you can, and remember: the world won’t end if you don’t answer that email. But your suitcase might be missing undies if you do.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a cocktail going warm and a partner who’s threatening to trade me in.

Bon voyage!