With the tax season behind us, you can finally catch your breath. But what comes after the long hours and high pressure? For many of us, it’s all too common yet rarely addressed effectively: burnout. It is crucial to understand what burnout is — more than just stress, it’s a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged pressure without feeling valued or fulfilled.
After you’ve filed that last return and the ceaseless buzz of the office gives way to quiet stillness, the remnants of the tax season’s chaos are probably still lingering in your mind and body. And that’s understandable. Tax season is intense.
Here are some immediate steps you can take to start slowly working your way back to a place where you feel fulfilled and relieved from the pressure:
Leveraging technology can significantly ease the workload. Tools that automate repetitive tasks, simplify project management, or facilitate communication can save valuable time. Focusing on user-friendly solutions, such as streamlined software for tax filing or client management systems, can reduce stress without the need to dive deep into the technicalities.
Creating a supportive work environment and culture is crucial to making it safely through tax season. Encouraging open conversations about workload and mental health without judgment can foster a culture of care. Sharing experiences and coping strategies can help everyone feel less isolated in their struggles and inspire new ways to manage stress. And creating a culture of helping each other and taking ownership as a group will help teams work better as a unit.
We can navigate post-tax season burnout by taking immediate steps to take space from work, adopting long-term wellness habits, using technology smartly, and fostering colleague support and a culture that builds the team up together.
While tax season will never be easy for any accountant, it helps to have a plan of action for when the proverbial excrement starts hitting the rotating wind-blowing device. What are some strategies you’ve used to get yourself out of burnout?
See how Botkeeper Infinite helps address some of the stress your staff might be experiencing!