Busy Season—Feeling Caught or Caught Up?

By Michael Spindler, CPA

And so it begins! Yes, February is here and the audit and tax busy seasons have begun. And we all know, it gets worse from here on out before it gets better. February only gives way to “March madness.” No, not the NCAA basketball tournament, but the pressures of increased work as filing deadlines loom ever larger and closer. You may notice that our chapter has fewer meetings this time of year as many of our discussion groups and technical committees go dark. We know you’re all too busy. So, courtesy of WebMD, I thought I would share a few tips on how to deal with the stress of the season:

• Keep a positive attitude.
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions or beliefs instead
  of becoming angry, defensive or passive.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi
• Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Manage your time more effectively.
• Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
• Make time for hobbies and interests.
• Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
• Seek social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
• Seek treatment from a health professional trained in stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your life.

While this time of year can be very challenging, I do have some good news! How many times have you sat at your desk, late at night, wondering how you can possibly get it all done in time? Have you said to yourself, “If only I had another day. If I just had one extra day, I could get all caught up!” Well, good news—this year is a leap year, so you actually get that extra day! (All right, I know this just means one more day of sitting in the office without getting to see sunlight. Work naturally expands to fill the allotted time. But, if that’s what you’re thinking, then reread the first tip for managing stress above.) So, have a happy and relaxing Feb. 29! Keep the day clear of appointments and get caught up.