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Busy Opportunity Season: You got this!

By Paula Novak, CPA

"Busy Season." We've all heard about it. Lived it. Survived it even, some might say. Regardless of your previous sentiments towards this merriment season, as CPAs, "Busy Seasons" are here to stay, so I say: Let's slay this beast! Gathered from experienced employees of LBMC and members of the TSCPA, here are 3 tips to help manage stress through this exciting time:

1. Change Your Train of Thought: I've come to the conclusion that those that stay in this profession, secretly live for busy season. For 7-8 months of every year, you train yourself both technically and professionally for these 4-5 months. What things did you do better, faster, more effectively this year? How much less did you find yourself worrying about the small stuff? Think of "busy season" like marathons, or even self-created tests. You chose to run in the marathon, or to self-create this test, for a reason. Because you know the end reward leaves you feeling albeit exhausted, exhilarated and excited!

2. Treat 'Yo Self: Okay, so technically this came from Donna and Tom off of Parks and Recreation; however, it's a phrase that has been known to float around during this time of year. This one seems pretty easy to accomplish, yet it's so easy to mess up. Here's the catch, when you "treat yourself" to 10 minutes of ESPN or Pinterest, remind yourself that you're not doing anything wrong! It's okay to allow yourself a little indulgence every day. Now, I'm not saying to indulge 10 minutes of every hour, but yes, if you want to have a pudding cup and unplug for 5 minutes every afternoon, I say J-E-L-L-O!

3. Fuel Up: Always have a snack on hand and a bottle of water. I personally love KIND bars-they’re easy, small, and can hold me over between meals. Your body is a vehicle for your brain to function. So when you start to feel anxious, or get the crazy eyes, grab a snack! You’ll slowly start to see the red line go up as the gas light turns off refueling that thinking tank of yours!