Have your say I need a better work-life balance as I’m too tired to study, says one PQ; and the shocking attitude of some firms towards modern slavery. Plus our social media round-up

Too tired to study

Last month you featured a caba survey that found half of respondents said they were ‘often’ or ‘always’ too tired because of their job/and or study. I am one of those 50%.

Sleep for me has become a big issue, especially in the lead up to exams, which it right now! I would love 6.5 hours uninterrupted sleep a night, but I am waking up every two or three hours. That means I start the day tired and never seem to feel in control. After a full day at work (having to commute again) I never feel like I can give 100% to my studies.

I do feel it is starting to affect my mental health, too. I know caba said we (accountants) seem reluctant to seek help, but I just don’t have the time. I get stressed thinking about getting help for stress.

Their advice was good, but staying away from social media is so difficult. I use it to unwind rather than let it wind me up! At least Love Island is about to start and I will have a new release… Name and email address supplied The Editor says: Creating a real balance in your life is incredibly tough for PQs. They often have families and a job to cope with on top of the study. Routine is key and setting yourself proper boundaries. You need to give yourself some ‘me’ time. That’s why I liked the Danish tradition – we all need to find our ‘hygge’, creating a warm atmosphere to enjoy the good things in life with good people. Even if that’s just on a Sunday night! Our star letter writer wins a fantastic ‘I love PQ’ mug!

Modern-day slavery

I was shocked by your story about modern-day slavery in the latest issue (page 6, June 2022). How can one company in 10 not provide a modern-day slavery statement when it is a legal requirement? Surely the FRC should be dishing out lots of fines here.

Slavery is still very much with us, and it has been estimated that 40.3 million people worldwide are currently living in slavery. The UK government says that around 10,000 people in the UK are slaves; however, leading experts believe this figure could be closer to 100,000 – so much more than the official figures. Women and girls account for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry and 58% in other sectors.

What we don’t need is companies adding to the confusion with ‘boilerplate’ language in their anti-slavery policy, which are often fragmented and unclear.

Accountants need to take on this challenge and ensure modernday slavery is top of the agenda and doesn’t get lost behind other important issues. Name and email address supplied The Editor says: I totally agree. I don’t understand that if something is a legal requirement why companies aren’t doing it or being held to account. Vulnerable people need to be protected and modernday slavery should be in every company’s KPIs. This issue has to be mainstream, and now. Back with a bang!

A big thank-you to all at PQ for inviting me to your fantastic awards. You say they are the best and they are! I didn’t win this time, but I will be back next year trying my best. A shortlisted finalist One of PQ’s favourite people to follow on LinkedIn is accountancy exam and career coach James Perry (pictured). He recently posted his top hacks for exam success, and here is a selection: Hack #1 – The early bird catches the worm. It really does work! Getting up early means you are fresher so you learn more, make the most of the day and, if you feel you’ve done enough, you can take the evening off. Hack #2 – Snack on ‘brain food’. Keep your body and brain well fuelled by choosing nutritious foods that have been proven to aid concentration and memory, such as fish, nuts, seeds, yogurt and

blueberries.

Hack #3 – While studying speak out loud instead of simply reading. You will be surprised how much more you can remember when you’ve said it out loud. Hack #4 – Teach what you have learned. The best way to test if you really understand something is to try to teach it to someone

else.

Hack #5 – Use Google for research. Use certain operators in order to search Google like a pro – for example by using quotation marks you search the exact term. Hack #6 – Make your study space portable. Information retention actually improves when you vary the places where you study.

PQ Magazine PO Box 75983, London E11 9GS | Phone: 07765 386489 | Email: graham@pqmagazine.com Website: www.pqmagazine.com | Editor/publisher: Graham Hambly graham@pqmagazine.com | Associate editor: Adam Riches | Art editor: Tim Parker Contributors: Robert Bruce, Prem Sikka, Lisa Nelson, Anna Kate Phelan, Tony Kelly, Phil Gammon, Edward Netherton | Subscriptions: subscriptions@pqmagazine.com | Origination services by Classified Central Media If you have any problems with delivery, or if you want to change your delivery address, please email admin@pqmagazine.com Published by PQ Publishing Ltd © PQ Publishing 2022