Keeping Calm: How Accountants Can Combat Stress at Work

A person, no matter how resilient, can always experience the pressure of deadlines at work. Situations can go out of control sometimes and only a trained mind knows how to keep calm when faced with challenges. 

The life of an accountant is also volatile. There are deadlines to meet almost every day, so,   stress at work is a common phenomenon. Several reasons may be responsible for causing stress to an accountant: 

• The constant efforts to maintain the work-life balance
• Unrealistic expectations from the manager at work
• The endless struggle of having a functional social life
• Demanding relationships in and out of work
• The struggle of competing with the online accounting software 

The stress causing elements are several but a few changes in the daily routine can prove to be great stress busters.

Every day in an accountant’s life is different. Although the workload is more or less the same every day, there are a plethora of sources that cause stress. Having a reaction to every trigger will only add to the stress and negatively affect one’s productivity.

Listed below are a number of ways that can help accountants’ combat stress and create a healthy image at the workplace: 

Take a Pause Before You React

Having an extraordinary reaction to everything around you will only disturb your mental peace. Take a pause, weigh in the situation and decide if it deserves your reaction. If not, pass. It will not only clear your head of unimportant things but will also save you a lot of time at hand. 

Talk to People Around You

Poor judgment can often confuse us. A colleague said something but you took it the other way. The end result? You are stressed for nothing. The only solution to this is communication. In order to understand people and why they say the things they say, you must always converse.

Communication also includes your clients. Talking to them is also highly important. We often misunderstand our client’s needs. You may be burning the midnight oil for a paperwork your client doesn’t even need that urgently. Talking through will help you prioritize your tasks.  

Organize and Organize

You cannot streamline your work unless you organize your tasks. Start your day with segregating the tasks into groups of three: most important, important and those that can wait. 

Follow Your Calendar

Your calendar is there for a reason. You can mark important days and events, and get regular reminders. This way, you will never miss your lunch with a referral client and other important meetings. 

Cell Phone Etiquette Is a Must

On an average, a cell phone causes a distraction every three minutes. No accountant can afford these many distractions at work. Train yourself into a routine. Check your phone every two hours, switch off the notifications and avoid phone calls that go on for hours. 

Emails Are To Communicate

It is not just your phone that will distract you. An accountant gets hundreds of emails in a day. If you start to check every email that you receive it, you will never have enough time to complete your daily tasks. Check your emails in bundles to avoid disturbances. 

Value Your ‘Me-Time’

If you are feeling your productivity has reduced and you are over-stressed, it is time you take time to recharge. Find yourself a hobby, take time off work and travel, visit your parents over the weekend, and plan a get together with friends. You can go jogging after work or join a yoga class to calm you down. Music can also be a great stress reliever.

Learn To Say No

We often get too formal with colleagues and end up saying yes to things we do not want to do. For example, you may have to help a friend creating a sheet or go out for coffee when you had a pending report. This does you more harm than good. Saying no at the right time can save you in a number of situations. 

Talk To Your Boss

Never suffer in silence. If your tasks are going out of hand and you have deadlines that you never meet, then it’s time to speak out. Talk to your manager about the difficulties you are facing. He will either help you cope with the pressure or he will find a solution. 

Delegate the Tasks

You know the strengths and weaknesses of your team. So, whether you are leading one or are a part of one, you know how to bring out every member’s productivity. The best way is to delegate duties to keep stress at bay. 

Be Tech-Ready

Accountants should also be one with technology. You cannot just sit back and relax thinking that you will always be needed by your clients. Every business wants to upgrade and is looking for a CPA who is up-to-date with technology.

There are numerous clouds accounting software that can help accountants speed up and streamline their tax and accounting tasks. Another benefit of the tax and accounting software such as QuickBooks Hosting is that a number of SMBs are dependent on them. Accountants with their technical know-how can guide businesses. 

Use the Resources

Cloud computing is a one-stop solution to combat stress. If you are not on the cloud to date, making the move will sort your life to a great extent. The collaborative tools that cloud offers and applications like DropBox can be a savior for you. Accountants, with cloud computing, can easily work on-the-go and always be there for their clients. Work is no longer just limited to the office.

Accountants are hardworking people. No matter how advanced technology becomes, accountants will always be needed on the field. It is imperative for an accountant to maintain his calm at work for good decision making and better productivity. Following the tips mentioned above can help the accountants to beat stress no matter how hard the situation is.