For tax professionals, January marks the beginning of the most demanding period of the year. While others are setting New Year's resolutions, you're preparing for four months of long hours, complex calculations, and deadline pressures. However, the weeks before tax season offer a crucial opportunity to prepare both mentally and professionally for the challenges ahead.
To make the most of this preparation period, it's first important to understand your typical pre-season tendencies. Among tax professionals, we've identified three common patterns of "pre-season misusers."
What is your default pre-season mode?
The Procrastinator
After completing year-end accounting work in December, these professionals completely disengage until e-filing actually opens for the season. Their only goal – and it's less of a goal and more of an involuntary response to year-end burnout – is to avoid thinking about taxes entirely. While they expect to feel refreshed by this complete mental break, they instead often feel anxious and unprepared when tax season begins. They typically ask themselves: "Why didn't I use this time better?" as they face a mountain of preparation work in early January.
Why does procrastination feel so unsatisfying when it appears to be so relaxing? While you do need some time to decompress after year-end closings, you also have professional needs that aren't met by simply avoiding work. You need to update your tax knowledge, review software changes, and plan your workflow strategies. Additionally, your personal needs – meaningful social interaction, physical activity, and active contemplation – shouldn't be neglected before the intensity of tax season begins.
The Pre-Season Workaholic
These practitioners never truly stop working. Even during the holiday lull, they're cramming in CPE hours, reviewing every tax law change, and reorganizing their entire filing system. While their dedication is admirable, this approach often leads to burnout before the season even begins.
If it's so clearly counterproductive, why do many fall into this trap? For chronically overwhelmed tax professionals, the pre-season quiet presents an irresistible opportunity to "get ahead." Time without client meetings, urgent emails, and phone calls is rare, making it tempting to work through the entire break. However, while this might reduce short-term anxiety, it sacrifices the last opportunity for real rest before the intense months ahead.
The Over-Socializer
These professionals fill their pre-season calendar with every holiday party, family gathering, and social event possible. They rush from one commitment to the next, leaving no time for either professional preparation or personal rest. When January arrives, they're exhausted from social obligations rather than refreshed for the challenges ahead.
Charting a Better Course
Once you've recognized your tendencies, you can develop a more balanced approach to pre-season preparation:
Set Sustainable Pre-Season Goals
Channel your professional drive into balanced preparation. Set specific goals for rest (hours of sleep, exercise time), professional development (number of CPE hours, software training), and personal time. Create a realistic schedule that addresses all these needs without overwhelming yourself.
Prioritize Strategic Planning
Use this time to review your previous tax season. What workflows worked well? Which clients caused the most stress? What technology issues need addressing? Whether through quiet reflection or team discussions, this analysis is crucial for improving your upcoming season.
Develop Pre-Season Rituals
Create productive traditions that help you prepare for tax season while maintaining work-life balance. This might include:
- A dedicated week for software updates and training
- Regular team meetings to discuss workflow improvements
- Scheduled family time before the season intensifies
- Daily exercise routines you can maintain during tax season
Set Realistic Season Boundaries
Use this time to establish clear boundaries for the upcoming season. Decide on your working hours, client communication policies, and personal time commitments. Having these boundaries defined before the rush begins makes them easier to maintain.
Prepare Your Support System
Connect with family and friends about the upcoming demands of tax season. Set expectations about your availability and establish plans for maintaining relationships during busy months. Consider arranging meal prep, childcare, or other support systems that will help you manage during peak periods.
For tax professionals, the pre-season period is crucial for setting up a successful and sustainable busy season. While it might be tempting to either completely disengage or work throughout, finding a balance between preparation and rest will help you enter tax season truly ready for the challenges ahead. Use this time wisely – your future self will thank you when you're in the midst of March deadlines.
Christine Gervais is a licensed CPA, using her skills to help businesses grow and achieve their fullest potential. Christine has a Master’s degree in accounting from Southern New Hampshire University in addition to holding her CPA license for over a decade. Notably, Christine is a nationally recognized speaker providing education to other CPAs on how to best serve clients as well as instruction on a wide variety of topics for business owners on how to maximize success. Christine prides herself on the value she can bring to clients with her extensive tax knowledge and provides strategic, forward-thinking financial strategies to help clients grow. When not behind her desk, you can find Christine spending quality time with her daughter and stepson or tending to the family’s excessively loved farm animals.
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