Stress-Relieving Tips for CPAs Heading into Tax Season

Tax season is looming, and that means increased stress levels for both taxpayers and CPAs alike. As a CPA, tax-time often means longer hours and fewer days off. As a result, it’s understandable that you’re going to feel stressed out — that is if you don’t take the right steps to protect yourself (and your sanity). Below are several tips for helping to relieve that tax-time stress and maintain your health during your busiest season.

Find Time for Daily Exercise

Exercise can help reduce your stress levels and increase your overall energy. You might be thinking, “what CPA can possibly find time to exercise during tax season, let alone throughout the rest of the year?” However, getting your daily recommended dose of exercise (typically about 30 minutes per day) is easier than you may think. This doesn’t mean you have to hit it hard at the gym every day; your 30 minutes per day could include a 10-minute walk before work, during your lunch break, and again when you get home.

Stay Energized With the Right Foods

Another important part of making it through tax season without your stress getting the better of you is to fuel your body with the right foods. While it might be tempting to stress-eat by ordering a double cheeseburger and chocolate shake on your lunch break, that type of food is only going to leave you feeling even more tired and burned-out. Instead, take ten minutes each night (or morning) to prepare your meals for the coming day. Make sure your lunch is packed with energizing, healthy foods, such as:

• fruits and veggies
• nuts and legumes
• yogurt and dairy
• protein-rich snacks

By snacking on these types of foods throughout the day, you’ll remain energized and avoid burn-out, which will reduce your stress levels, even during peak times of the year. This is especially important to those hard-working CPAs who are likely to skip their lunch breaks in order to get their work done.

Explore Stress-Relieving Relaxation Techniques

When you’re feeling stressed, make sure you have a healthy outlet for relieving that stress (i.e., one that doesn’t involve eating or alcohol consumption). Consider exploring stress-relieving exercises, such as deep-breathing, meditation, stretching, or yoga. These can be performed just about anywhere, whether it be at your desk in between meetings with clients, or when you get home after a particularly long and stressful day. Healthy stress-relief exercises allow you to relax and forget about the worries of the day, resulting in lower stress levels and better overall health. You might even find yourself using these techniques during non-peak times of the year to help you cope with stress from other situations, work-related or otherwise.

Protect Your Mind & Body

It’s no secret that tax season is a stressful time of year for everybody, especially for hard-working CPAs. By finding the time to get your daily exercise, eating energizing foods, and practicing stress-relief exercises, you can take better care of your health and reduce stress. Be sure to get an annual physical before tax season begins so you know areas of improvement before they become bigger problems. Shop for health insurance options to protect you and your peace of mind through the FICPA sponsored CPA Insurance Marketplace today.