For many tax preparers, professionals, CPAs and accountants, the end of tax season brings a much-needed sigh of relief. The long hours, deadline pressures, and stress can often lead to burnout. As the last tax returns are filed and the pace slows down, the post-filing season is the perfect time to try and focus on replenishing your energy and setting the stage for a successful year ahead.
Essential strategies to consider and potentially leverage during the quieter months
The long hours have likely taken a toll, you may be feeling very tired, maybe even exhausted. Integrating self-care into your routine is essential for enhancing future productivity. Consider the following:
Turn up the self-care
- Reconnect with family and friends: Perhaps it goes without saying, but after a period of endured stress during tax season, spending quality time with loved ones can uplift your mood and reduce stress.
- Physical well-being: Prioritize (regular) exercise, a 30-minute daily walk can do miracles for the mind and body. Eating right and fueling your body gives your mind renewed energy. Taking adequate rest and getting at least 7 to 8 hours of nightly sleep, is an easily overlooked and underestimated medicine for recovery.
- Mental health: Consider mindfulness practices, listening to music, reading a book, quiet meditation, green space, or hobbies that help you relax and recharge. Putting our screens away or on do not disturb for extended amounts of time can also bring renewed energy in your life.
The Wolters Kluwer Tax Resource Center also presents resources with articles and videos that can assist with mental health, selfcare, and creating work-life harmony.
Revisit your firm’s tech stack
The upcoming slower season is an excellent time to take a step back and assess your current tech tools, the whitepaper “Building Your Small Firm’s Ideal Tech Stack” may be helpful as a reference. When reassessing your current tech tools, ask yourself:
- Evolving technology: Technology evolves rapidly. Evaluate whether your current tax software and tools are keeping up with industry trends and developments. Outdated tools may limit your capacity to serve clients effectively, and your current software provider(s) may be or may not be offering what you are looking for.
- Maximize capabilities: New features are always in development or being offered via add-ons. Tax solutions are designed to make your business more profitable, more efficient, and less time-consuming and frustrating, and sometimes new solutions or features have become available that may increase efficiencies. It’s worth taking the time to study all the features that tax software can provide during relative quiet time to fully maximize your firm’s capabilities.
- Software designed for the future: Industry trends are showing continuous movement towards cloud-enabled software solutions, the Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Accountant Report points that out. Especially with the ongoing trend with challenges to retaining and finding qualified talent, switching to award-winning cloud-based software CCH Axcess Tax Essentials, may bring new optimizations for tax and accounting firms with up to four full-time employees.
Power up your professional development
Use the off-season to prioritize your professional growth:
- Events, webinars and online courses: Attend in-person and/or virtual seminars with online courses to deepen your expertise, think of new ideas, or solve existing problems, while earning CPE credit should you need it.
- Stay ahead of industry trends: Keep an eye on changes in tax laws, regulations, and best practices. Being informed ensures you provide accurate advice to your clients. Industry events such as the annual IRS Tax Forums or Wolters Kluwer customer events such as CCH Connections or the GetWise Annual Conference can be great events to join, meet fellow professionals, learn about software, and stay up to date with industry trends.
