You’re No Fool This Tax Season: 5 Ways to Stay Sane

This week’s episode of the Growing Your Firm Podcast is a solocast with host David Cristello. No April Fools’ pranks, this year; we’ve all had our fair share of unexpected surprises over the past year. Instead, we rounded up the top tips from our Jetpack Workflow community around how to maintain your sanity during tax season.

Podcast

Summary

1. Morning Breathwork and Meditation
2. Inspiration From Peers
3. Invest In More Conveniences In Your Life
4. Have Fun With Your Team
5. Lighten The Load For Your Team

1. Morning Breathwork and Meditation

The first tip comes from community member, Tiffany Johnson. She shared in our Jetpack Workflow Squad Facebook Group that she includes breathing and meditative exercises every morning before work.

She recommends the Peloton community as a great source of exercise, community, and wellness, but also suggests finding any app that works best for you. Our content manager swears by Insight Timer, a free meditation app with live and recorded meditations and yoga classes.

David suggests looking on YouTube for free videos, including mediation, yoga, weight training, and really any way you enjoy moving your body. Due to the increase in remote work culture, there are virtually endless free videos available for whatever kind of workout you love to do. Anything as simple as 10-20 minutes of light exercising or breathing exercises can really make a positive impact on how your day goes. Spend these few minutes on yourself before you spend energy on your business, team, and clients.

2. Inspiration From Peers

The next tip is one we’re particularly partial to: following inspirational podcasts and joining Facebook Groups full of fellow firm owners. Jackie Meyer, a multiple-time guest on the show, shared that she derives strength to carry on through a busy season through communities like accounting-focused podcasts and Facebook Groups. 

In particular, She recommends a community that she co-runs with Chuck Bauer: the Accounting Firm Influencers Facebook Group. These communities are important reminders that you’re not alone. They’re great opportunities to share struggles, stories, wins during busy season and beyond.

3. Invest In More Conveniences In Your Life

David suggests investing in, at least temporarily, different services that can make your daily life just a bit easier. Some specific examples he recommends include meal prep services like Hello Fresh, meal delivery like Grubhub or Ubereats, house cleaning or laundry services. Any simple task that can save you 1-2 hours per week will not only give you back this time to focus on your firm, but can also feel like a treat that you can look forward to during busy season.

4. Have Fun With Your Team

A throwback to an older episode, David referenced Chris Ragain’s March Madness bracket that his team participated in. If you’re not a basketball fan, consider what other seasonal activities you can share during the busy season. Maybe it means a catered meal for your team or, when and where appropriate, going out for a hike together. Whatever works best for your firm’s culture: spend some work-free time together to remember why you all enjoy working together.

5. Lighten The Load For Your Team

His final tip is to find small (or big) ways to make the days easier for your teammates. When something is easier for your team, your life is easier too. This could include vouchers for meal prep, delivery, or home services as mentioned in Tip Three. Or you could set aside funds for a regularly catered lunch like a pizza Friday during busy season. Make your team’s day just a little more convenient, just as you’re simplifying your own life during tax season.

Honorable Mentions

We received a few more awesome tips from our community that weren’t mentioned in the podcast:

• “Take a break – an actual break.” Whether it’s a staycation or, when and where it’s safe, opportunities to travel: schedule in a few days before, during, or after busy season to actually take a vacation. 
• “Commiserating with peers.” Echoing Jackie’s comments about finding a community (or a few!) full of accounting firm owners like yourself, can make a big difference in how you prepare for and cope with a hectic period like tax season.
• “Automate everything possible.” We’re pretty big fans of automation, so we’d have to agree. Any systems, processes, and workflows you can design upfront can save you hours of your time every week. Getting a head start on creating automations before tax season is optimal, but even in the midst of the craziness, at least consider taking note of what you’d like to automate so you can optimize your time for the next busy season.

What other tips would you suggest not only to survive, but to thrive during a hectic season of your business (or life)? Share with us on social media!