How to Get Things Done When You Feel Overwhelmed
Did everyone take a long post-tax season vacation or is everyone diving into the never-ending to-do list that piles up in the months leading up to April 15th? Even if you take a breather, the heavy workload consistently experienced by tax professionals can create a constant state of overwhelm making it challenging to address work as productively as possible. Employing a few strategic techniques can aid tax practice owners and their teams in navigating overwhelm with greater efficiency and less stress.
My favorite tool for combatting overwhelm is to stop doing all the work for a minute. Stepping back to assess the situation can help you feel more in control and organized. Write down all the tasks that need to be completed on a piece of paper. This simple act of physically listing out your responsibilities can provide a sense of clarity and control. Next, spend 15 minutes tackling the quickest and easiest tasks on your list. This could include responding to short emails, making brief phone calls, or organizing your workspace. The goal is to cross off as many items as possible in a short period, creating a sense of momentum and accomplishment.
After this initial burst of productivity, it's time to focus on the most daunting task on your list. This could be a complex tax return, a challenging client case, or a project that requires significant research. Close out all distractions, such as your email and phone, and dedicate 35 minutes to working on this item without interruption. By focusing your full attention on a single, high-priority task, you can make substantial progress and reduce your overall stress level.
Once the 35 minutes are up, take a 10-minute break before repeating the cycle. This structured approach to tackling your workload, alternating between quick wins and deep focus, can help you maintain a sense of control and forward momentum. The breaks also give your brain an important breather and help to stop the buildup of anxiety from being in an overwhelmed state.
It's important to remember that working within specific time frames is crucial to maintaining focus and motivation. When we have too many tasks competing for our attention, our stress becomes generalized and difficult to manage. By breaking our work into smaller, time-bound chunks, we can channel our stress into productive energy and avoid becoming bogged down by the enormity of the challenge before us.
With a long list of constantly extended tax returns and ever-changing tax laws, it can feel like tax season never really ends. By taking a structured, proactive approach to our
responsibilities, we can reduce stress, increase productivity, and ultimately provide better service to our clients. Having small, immediately available tools in place empowers us to stop overwhelm before it creates burnout in our practices.
Christine Gervais
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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