End of Year Self-Care Tactics for Accountants

by | Dec 2, 2022

With 2022 winding down and 2023 right around the corner, stress levels begin to rise while the long list of to do’s seem endless. Because of such, NFP Partners thought it would be a good idea to help you pen down some good self-care tactics going into the holiday/year-end/tax season.

Hopefully, these ideas will help you find a way to enjoy the holiday downtime. These ideas should also help you efficiently check off as many items on your to-do list and go into 2023 feeling refreshed.

1. Boundaries – It is easy to feel overworked and pulled in many directions during this time of the year. So, set clear boundaries on your work schedule. This will help the staff you work with know your availability. You can put your working hours in your email signature so the hours that you keep are on display for all to see. The key is keeping those hours and not overworking yourself! Those to-dos will always be there tomorrow. Starting fresh in the morning can bring a new perspective and clarity needed to overcome those difficult tasks.

2. Treat yourself – Make sure you get that one item that you have been wanting all year. Each year, I treat myself to a present of my choosing, wrap it and put it under the tree. This way, I always know I have a present that is truly what I was looking for (no offense to the dated, knitted sweater from great aunt Betty that is way too big and could be worn in an ugly sweater contest).

3. Downtime – This is my favorite! Take time off to enjoy your loved ones because that’s what life is all about. Do whatever makes you happy. This could include curling up with a good book by the fire or grabbing drinks with friends. You might even consider just staying home and playing board games with your family. 

4. Planning/scheduling – Set up reminders on your calendar to keep your goals and tasks in a realistic time frame. You can also set up reminders for staff to get their payroll, expense reports, and credit card entries in before they go on vacation. Follow-up in January with the few scragglier transactions that came through over the holidays. It is important to take into account that many employees and companies shut down for the holidays. Remittance of items should be adjusted to accommodate the holiday schedule.

5. Get ready for 2023 – Prepare for what is lying ahead by doing a little pre-planning now. Send out emails to staff to update their 401K elections for 2023 and use their PTO that will not roll over to the next year. Another reminder to send staff is to update their address information for their 2023 tax forms. Reminders for yourself could include updating 2023 tax rates, collecting missing W-9 vendor forms and getting those 2023 budgets entered.

6. Emergency plan – If all else fails, have an emergency plan to reset your mood when the year-end gets messy. Mine is a Snickers candy bar and peach flavored Red Bull waiting for me when I get stressed out and need a pick me up. Some may choose an alternate, healthier activity like taking a brisk walk around the block to help calm down nerves.

The end of the year comes with many challenges. We, here at NFP Partners, want to help support your mission by impacting the world one accounting challenge at a time. Let us all use this time of the year to take stock of all that we are thankful for in 2022 and go into 2023 ready to rock the nonprofit world!