Even in normal circumstances, this time of year can be incredibly stressful for people working in accounts. We can't always avoid working long hours or deadlines but we can change the way we approach these things.
Maintaining good physical, emotional and mental health is key to productivity. It might be counterintuitive or difficult to justify self care during busy times, but you will be more effective at work when you can bring your body and mind back to a state of wellbeing. It you aren't taking care of yourself then you can't give your best self to your clients and families.
In addition to your physical and mental health, the processes within your accounts department also have to be healthy and fit for purpose. Be paperless - tools like Receipt Bank and Xero Files, allow clients to send information to Xero quickly via a mobile app or email. Use cloud accounting tools to automate data entry, freeing your time to provide advice and insights to your clients that will be far more valuable to them than your data entry skills. By introducing automation you will be able to work with clients in real time, providing insights on their business all year long and help them make big decisions for their business.
We might not be able to control our clients, legislation, pandemics or natural disasters but we can control how efficient our processes are within our accounts department and care for our wellbeing to give ourselves, families and clients the best possible experience.