Month: October 2024

The reason I wanted to do this podcast episode is because I’ve been seeing a common thread with the accountants I speak to and have the privilege to coach in The Smarter Accountant 6-week Program.  Everyone seems to be feeling like they’re walking a tightrope. 

Balancing client expectations, meeting deadlines, and managing financial accuracy—it’s a lot to juggle, even on a good day. But what happens when things don’t go as planned? 

What if, on top of all your professional responsibilities, you’re hit with something unexpected, like a sudden economic downturn, a personal setback, a health scare, or a difficult situation with a client? 

Suddenly, that tightrope feels even narrower, and it’s easy to feel like you’re losing your balance.

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it seems like everything that could go wrong, does? Maybe a key client has an urgent request just as you’re about to wrap up for the day, or maybe you’ve been working on a project for hours, only to realize there’s a mistake that requires starting over. 

It’s in these moments that feeling overwhelmed becomes all too familiar. Your to-do list keeps growing, the pressure mounts, and you can’t help but wonder, “Am I the only one who feels like this?”

The truth is, you’re definitely not the only one. Many accountants, even those who seem to have it all together, experience these same feelings. 

When things start to unravel, it’s completely normal to feel like you’re on the verge of being overwhelmed. But here’s something important to remember: it’s okay to not feel okay. In fact, it’s a natural response to the challenges and uncertainties that come with our profession.

In a few minutes I’ll share my own experience with being okay when things aren’t, but just know that whether it’s something big or small, it’s completely normal to initially feel stressed and overwhelmed when things don’t go your way.

The question is, why do we feel like we need to have it all together, all the time?  Unfortunately, society often tells us that we should always be in control, especially in a field like accounting, where precision and reliability are key. 

But the reality is, life doesn’t always cooperate with our plans. There will be days when things don’t go as expected, and it’s in these moments that you might feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.

But what if, instead of trying to push through and pretend everything is fine, you allowed yourself to acknowledge that it’s okay to not be okay? What if you gave yourself permission to feel whatever it is you’re feeling, without judgment? 

In today’s episode I want to help you do just that. I’m going to talk about why it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed when things aren’t going your way and, more importantly, how you can handle these emotions in a healthy and constructive way.

The bottom line is that it’s okay if you’re not feeling your best right now. By the end of this episode, you’ll have some practical steps to help you navigate these tough times, allowing you to regain your balance and move forward.

Now that we’ve laid out the challenges, let’s talk about why it’s crucial to acknowledge that it’s okay to not always feel okay.

Why You Should Acknowledge That It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

In the world of accounting, there’s often an unspoken expectation that we should always have it together. Whether we’re working in a firm, working for a company, managing our own practice, or even just handling our day-to-day tasks, there’s this idea that accountants are supposed to be calm, collected, and in control. 

But let’s be honest—no one can be that way all the time. Life happens. Maybe you’re dealing with stress at home, or you could be facing challenges at work that feel overwhelming. 

It’s in these moments that you might feel the need to suppress your emotions, to push them down because showing them might be seen as a sign of weakness.

Think about it – have you ever caught yourself holding back tears or frustration because you didn’t want your colleagues or clients to think you couldn’t handle the pressure? This is a common experience, especially in professional settings where emotions are often viewed as something to be managed privately, behind closed doors. 

But here’s the thing: emotions are a natural part of being human. Suppressing them doesn’t make them go away; it just pushes them down until they eventually bubble up in other ways—sometimes when you least expect it.

So, why is it so important to acknowledge your emotions instead of suppressing them? Think about it this way: emotions are like signals from your brain, telling you that something needs your attention. 

If you ignore these signals, they don’t disappear—they just get louder. For example, if you’re feeling anxious about a project that’s not going as planned, ignoring that anxiety might cause it to grow, affecting not only your mental well-being but also your performance at work.

When you take the time to acknowledge how you’re feeling, you’re actually doing yourself a big favor. You’re giving yourself permission to be human, to experience the full range of emotions that come with life’s ups and downs. 

By recognizing and accepting your emotions, you can start to deal with them in a healthy way. This doesn’t mean you need to have a breakdown in the middle of a meeting, but it does mean allowing yourself to feel what you’re feeling, even if it’s just in a quiet moment to yourself.

For example, let’s say you’ve just received news that a major project you’ve been working on has hit a significant snag. Your first instinct might be to brush it off, put on a brave face, and keep going as if nothing happened. 

But what if, instead, you took a moment to acknowledge that you’re frustrated, disappointed, or even scared? What if you gave yourself a few minutes to just feel those emotions before deciding on your next steps? 

By doing so, you’re not only respecting your own emotional experience, but you’re also setting yourself up to handle the situation more effectively.

Acknowledging that it’s okay to not be okay is the first step in taking care of your mental and emotional well-being. It’s about giving yourself the space to be real with yourself, to understand that feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or upset doesn’t make you any less capable. 

In fact, it makes you more resilient, because you’re not just pushing through—you’re dealing with your emotions head-on, which is the first step toward moving forward in a healthier, more balanced way.

Once you start accepting that it’s okay to not be okay, the next step is to understand how your accountant brain processes those emotions. This awareness can change everything.

Understanding How Your Accountant Brain Processes Emotions

Have you ever noticed how quickly you can feel stressed or anxious, sometimes even before you’ve had time to really think about what’s happening? It’s like your brain and body are reacting automatically, and suddenly you’re feeling overwhelmed.

This is because your accountant brain processes emotions in a way that can feel automatic, but understanding how this works can help you handle those tough moments better.

Here’s the basic idea: every feeling you have comes from a thought in your brain. When something happens—like missing a deadline, having a tough conversation with a client, or dealing with a stressful commute—your brain reacts immediately. It starts creating thoughts about what’s happening, and these thoughts trigger chemicals in your body that create the physical feelings we know as emotions.

For example, if you think, “I’m not going to finish this project on time,” your brain releases stress hormones that might make your heart race or your muscles tense up.

This happens so fast that sometimes you don’t even realize what thoughts are running through your mind. And if you keep having the same thought over and over again, it can turn into a belief.

For instance, if you constantly think, “I’m always behind,” that thought can become a belief about yourself. Once you believe it, your brain starts looking for proof to back it up, kind of like a lawyer trying to prove a case.

This is called confirmation bias. If you believe you’re always behind or not good enough, your brain will focus on everything that supports that belief, filtering out anything positive. It’s like wearing glasses that only let you see the bad stuff.

For example, say you make a small mistake on a report. Instead of shrugging it off, your brain might use it as evidence that you’re not capable. You start thinking, “I always mess things up,” and soon, every challenge or mistake just adds to that belief. This can make even small problems feel huge and overwhelming.

But here’s the good news: your brain can also create helpful beliefs. The key is to pay attention to the thoughts driving your emotions and challenge them when they’re not helping you.

If you catch yourself thinking, “I’m always behind,” stop and ask yourself if that’s really true. Are you just focusing on the rushed moments while ignoring the times you met your deadlines?

By understanding how your brain processes emotions, you can start to break the cycle of negative thinking. Instead of letting your thoughts control you, you can take a step back and choose how you want to respond.

This doesn’t mean ignoring the real challenges you face. It just means recognizing that your thoughts are powerful. They shape your beliefs, your emotions, and how you experience the world.

When you’re aware of this, you can start making conscious choices that support your well-being, instead of letting automatic thoughts undermine you.

The Pitfall of Forcing Positivity

We’ve all heard things like “look on the bright side” or “stay positive” when we’re going through a hard time. While people usually mean well, these phrases can sometimes do more harm than good.

Have you ever tried to make yourself feel better when deep down you just weren’t ready? It often doesn’t work, and it can even make you feel worse.

Jumping too quickly to a positive mindset can backfire. When you’re dealing with a tough situation—whether it’s a mistake at work, a disagreement with a coworker, or something personal—your emotions are important signals. 

They need to be understood, not ignored. If you try to skip over your emotions and jump straight to feeling positive, it’s like putting a bandage on a wound without cleaning it. The wound might be covered, but it won’t heal properly.

This is called “toxic positivity.” It’s the idea that you should always stay positive, no matter how bad things are. But life isn’t always positive, and pretending it is can make you feel alone and misunderstood. It can also create conflict inside yourself.

Have you ever told yourself to “just get over it” or “focus on the good” when you were really upset? Did it work? Probably not. It often just makes things worse because now you feel bad about the situation and about not being able to stay positive.

Here’s an example. Imagine you’ve been working on a big project for weeks, and then it gets canceled. You’re frustrated, disappointed, and maybe even angry. Instead of allowing yourself to feel those emotions, you try to cheer yourself up by thinking, “It’s okay, something better will come along.” But deep down, you’re still upset, and trying to force yourself to feel positive only makes those negative feelings stronger.

Or maybe someone in your life tries to cheer you up when you’re going through a tough time, saying “stay positive” or “look on the bright side.” While they’re trying to help, it might make you feel like your emotions aren’t valid, like you’re not allowed to feel sad or upset. This can lead to feeling guilty for having those emotions, which only makes things worse.

The truth is, it’s important to fully feel your negative emotions. They’re a natural part of life, and trying to skip over them can actually make them more powerful. 

When you let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling—whether it’s sadness, anger, or frustration—you give those emotions the space to be processed and eventually fade away. It’s like letting a storm pass; the clouds might be heavy, but if you let them roll through, they’ll clear, and you’ll feel better afterward.

By acknowledging your emotions instead of forcing yourself to be positive, you’re being kind to yourself. You’re saying it’s okay to not be okay, and that’s an important message.

It’s okay to take your time, feel what you need to feel, and trust that when you’re ready, you’ll find your way to a positive mindset naturally. Forcing positivity might seem like the quickest way to feel better, but the real path to emotional well-being is to be honest with yourself, no matter what you’re feeling.

So, if forcing positivity isn’t the answer, what can you do instead? Let’s talk about some steps you can take when life isn’t going your way.

Steps to Take When Life Isn’t Going Your Way

When life throws unexpected challenges your way, it’s easy to feel like your emotions are in control. But by taking a few simple steps, you can regain balance and start feeling more in charge.

The first step is to identify what you’re feeling. This might sound simple, but in the rush of daily life, emotions often get lumped together as just “stress.” 

For example, if you’ve been feeling anxious and frustrated, take a moment to really think about it. Are you anxious or frustrated because of deadlines, or is it the fear of making a mistake that’s bothering you? Pinpointing the exact emotion helps you better understand what’s really going on.

Next, describe those emotions. Don’t just label them—dive into how they feel in your body. If you’re feeling anxious, notice if it’s causing tightness in your chest or butterflies in your stomach. 

Let’s say you’re working on a project and feeling overwhelmed. Instead of just saying, “I’m stressed,” think about how that stress feels. Is it making your heart race? By describing it, you’re bringing more awareness to your feelings.

Now, focus on these physical sensations. When you concentrate on how your body is reacting, you shift attention away from the negative thoughts causing the emotions. 

For example, instead of letting your mind spiral into worry about an upcoming deadline, you focus on how your body feels in the moment—maybe your shoulders are tense, or your breathing is shallow. By doing this, you detach from the stressful thoughts, making the emotion easier to manage.

After that, it’s time to accept your emotions. This step can be difficult, but it’s crucial. Accept that your emotions are valid and there for a reason. 

Maybe you’re feeling disappointed after a project didn’t go as planned. Instead of brushing off that disappointment, allow yourself to feel it without judgment. Emotions are like waves—you can’t stop them, but you can choose how you handle them. If you’re feeling upset, it’s okay to sit with that feeling for a bit.

Next, give yourself time to process. There’s no need to rush through your emotions. 

For example, if you’ve had a tough conversation with a client, it might take a few days to work through the frustration. That’s fine—there’s no deadline for emotional healing. Taking the time to fully process how you feel ensures that those emotions don’t linger and affect your mood later.

As you work through these steps, you’ll start to regain control. Once you’ve allowed yourself to feel and process an emotion, you can decide when it’s time to let go. 

Let’s say you’ve been disappointed about something for a few days. At some point, you might decide, “I’ve felt this long enough. I’m ready to move forward.” This isn’t about rushing through your feelings but consciously choosing when you’re ready to focus on something else.

Lastly, remember that processing emotions is about growth, not just getting through tough times. Every time you take the steps to understand and manage your feelings, you’re building resilience. 

For example, the next time you face a similar challenge, you’ll be better equipped to handle it without letting the emotions overwhelm you. So, I’ve talked a lot about the importance of processing emotions, but now I want to share my personal experience of how I applied these steps in my own life.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: My Story Of Being Okay When Things Aren’t

As I said before, life can throw some serious curveballs, and for me, that came with a recent cancer diagnosis. It was a moment that stopped me in my tracks, turning everything I thought was important on its head. 

Suddenly, all the work-related stresses and daily concerns seemed insignificant. The fear and uncertainty were overwhelming, but I knew I had to practice what I’ve been teaching my coaching clients about handling emotions when life doesn’t go as planned.

When I first got the news, I felt a wave of emotions—shock, fear, sadness. Instead of pushing those feelings away, I allowed myself to fully experience them. 

I cried when I needed to, I was scared when I thought of my family, and I didn’t shy away from any of it. This was my way of processing what was happening, rather than being paralyzed by it.

I made it a point to identify my core emotions daily. Some days it was fear, other days it was frustration, and occasionally, I felt a strange sense of calm. By acknowledging these emotions, I kept myself grounded. I wasn’t forcing positivity; I was being real with myself about how I felt.

Describing my emotions in detail helped me manage them better. When anxiety hit, I focused on how it felt physically—tightness in my chest, a knot in my stomach. By doing this, I could observe my emotions without letting them take over. It didn’t make the fear disappear, but it made it more manageable.

But, acceptance was key. Accepting my diagnosis and the emotions that came with it wasn’t easy, but it brought me a sense of peace. 

It wasn’t the kind of peace that comes from everything being okay, but from knowing it’s okay to not have all the answers. This acceptance gave me the strength to focus on what I could control—my mindset and my approach to each day.

As I processed my emotions, I started to regain control over my life. Some days, I needed to sit with my feelings, while other days, I was ready to take action. By processing rather than suppressing my emotions, I approached my situation with clarity and resilience.

This experience has reinforced what I’ve been sharing with you: it’s okay to not be okay. Life’s challenges are inevitable, but by acknowledging, processing, and accepting our emotions, we can navigate even the toughest situations with strength. 

If you’re going through a difficult time, remember—it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. By giving yourself the space to process those emotions, you’ll emerge stronger and more resilient.

As we wrap up, let’s go over the key takeaway and an action item you can implement the next time things don’t go as planned.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key to navigating tough times is to acknowledge and process your emotions rather than suppressing them. By allowing yourself to fully experience your feelings, you can regain control, build resilience, and move forward with clarity and strength. 

It’s okay to not be okay—what matters is how you handle those emotions and use them to grow.

For this week or in the future, when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, ask yourself: “Am I allowing myself to fully experience and process these emotions, or am I trying to push them aside?” 

Use this awareness to guide how you approach your emotions and the challenges you face.

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed how to be okay when things aren’t.  I hope you’ve learned something that you can begin to apply, whether it’s at work or at home.

As I share all the time, you worked hard to become an accountant; it’s time to make it easier to be one.

So if you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

And make sure you check back each week as I help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.

Make sure you go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant.

Finally, if you’ve found this podcast helpful, please spread the word to other accountants. The more we share this message, the more we can shift the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.

I haven’t taught a masterclass in awhile because I’ve been dealing with chemo, but I recently started doing my monthly masterclasses for accountants and the first topic I decided to share is everything you need to know about to-do lists.

In today’s episode I want to share some of the information I taught in that masterclass and let you know that if you’re interested in upcoming masterclasses, I’ll be announcing them each month, so don’t worry.  I’ll be covering a lot of important topics for accountants like everything you need to know about procrastination, everything you need to know about time blocking, etc.

Before we dive in, if any of what I’m going to share resonates with you, and you’re ready to get more control over your time, I offer a free 30-minute Time Management Audit Zoom call. I’ll explain more later, but you can book your audit at https://thesmarteraccountant.com/time-audit/

Alright, now let’s dive into today’s topic.  I think we can all agree that to-do lists have become this universal tool we rely on to keep our lives in order, right? Whether you’re an accountant juggling client deadlines, a parent managing household tasks, or just someone trying to get through the day without dropping the ball, you’ve probably got some version of a to-do list. 

It might be on paper, on an app, on sticky notes, or even just floating around in your head.

The interesting thing is that there’s something about a to-do list that feels so reassuring. We believe we have this little map guiding us through the chaos, and every time we cross something off, we get that tiny rush of satisfaction. It feels productive—like we’re moving forward, one task at a time.

But here’s the thing—if you’ve ever found yourself with a never-ending list, feeling like no matter how much you check off, you’re still behind, you’re not alone. We’ve all had those days where the list just keeps growing, and at the end of it, you’re left wondering, ‘What did I really accomplish today?’

To-do lists are supposed to help us manage our time better, but often, they leave us feeling like we’re on a hamster wheel—busy, but not really getting anywhere. I’ve coached a lot of accountants who tell me that even though they’re crossing off tasks all day long, they still feel overwhelmed, stressed, and like they’re falling behind. So what’s going on?

Well, I’ve spent years studying time management, especially for professionals like us, and what I’ve come to realize is that to-do lists, while helpful in some ways, often give us a false sense of control. They trick us into thinking we’re managing our time well just because we’re crossing things off. 

But the real question is: are we crossing off the right things? Are we managing our time, or is our time managing us?

In this episode, I’m going to help you rethink how you approach your to-do list. I’m going to dive into why it might not be working the way you think it is, and how you can start making some changes that will actually help you feel more in control of your time.

Not Everything On Your List Is Yours To Do

Now, let’s talk about something that I see happening all the time, especially with accountants: the belief that everything on your to-do list is something you need to handle. If you’re anything like the accountants I coach, you might be nodding your head right now because it probably feels like no one else can do it quite like you can, right? It’s this idea that if you don’t do it, it won’t get done—or worse, it won’t get done correctly.

Here’s the truth: not everything on your list is yours to do. That might be a tough pill to swallow, especially if you’re used to being the go-to person for getting things done. But when we try to take on everything ourselves, what we’re really doing is setting ourselves up for overwhelm and burnout.

Think about it—how many things on your list could be done by someone else? Maybe it’s a colleague, a family member, or even your kids. The problem is, we often tell ourselves, ‘It’s just easier if I do it.’ Or we worry that if we delegate, we’ll still have to fix it later. And trust me, I get it. 

We’ve all been there, holding onto tasks that we don’t need to because we think it’ll save us time or stress. But what ends up happening? We get overloaded, frustrated, and burnt out.

The truth is that delegation is one of the hardest things to learn, but it’s also one of the most powerful. When you start letting go of things that don’t actually need your attention, you make room for the stuff that really matters—the work that only you can do. 

And I don’t just mean at work—I mean in your personal life, too. Whether it’s handing off a project at work or asking for help around the house, you don’t have to do everything.

Now it sounds easy to just address the fact that not everything on your to-do list is yours to do, but you’re probably going to face some obstacles, especially from your own brain. Here’s what you need to know about why this happens and the challenges you might encounter:

Your brain loves routine and familiarity: Your brain finds comfort in doing things the way they’ve always been done. When you think about delegating or handing off tasks, it feels unfamiliar and, therefore, risky. Your brain resists this change, preferring to stick with what’s comfortable—even if that comfort is causing you stress.

Fear of losing control: A lot of the time, you might hesitate to delegate because you’re worried the task won’t be done correctly. You think, ‘If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right.’ This need for control keeps you holding onto tasks that could be done by others, adding more pressure to your plate. But holding onto that control isn’t really helping; it’s just leading to more stress.

Guilt and the need to please: You might also feel guilty about handing tasks off, especially if you’re someone who’s used to taking on a lot. You worry about letting people down or not meeting their expectations. That guilt convinces you that taking on more is the right thing to do, even when it’s pushing you toward burnout.

Fear of change and uncertainty: Change is hard, and when you start delegating, it means you’re changing the way you manage your tasks. Your brain prefers the certainty of handling everything yourself, even if it’s overwhelming. It might tell you, ‘This is just the way it has to be,’ making it difficult to break free from the habit of doing too much.

So, the next time you look at your to-do list, I want you to ask yourself, ‘Is this something that only I can do?’ If the answer is no, then it’s time to consider delegating or eliminating it altogether. 

Remember, trying to handle everything on your own isn’t a sign of good time management—it’s a fast track to stress, overwhelm, and burnout. The more you can let go of tasks that aren’t truly yours, the more time and energy you’ll have for the things that matter most.

Your Brain Gets Automatically Overwhelmed By To-Do Lists

Let’s face it—just looking at a long to-do list can make you feel overwhelmed. It’s like the moment you sit down, glance at that never-ending list of tasks, and your brain immediately goes into panic mode. That’s not your imagination; there’s actually science behind why this happens.

When your brain sees a long list, it feels threatened, triggering a stress response. Instead of focusing, you freeze or avoid hard tasks. Your brain tries to protect you from stress but ends up causing procrastination instead.

I’m sure you’ve experienced this before—your list is full, you’re overwhelmed, and suddenly, you find yourself doing anything but the most important tasks. It’s like your brain is saying, ‘Let’s just focus on the easy stuff right now,’ even though deep down, you know it’s not what you need to be doing. That’s not a flaw in your character; that’s just how the brain works when it’s overwhelmed.

But here’s the thing: even though we know that long to-do lists overwhelm our brain, it’s still hard to break the habit of overloading ourselves. There are several reasons why it feels so challenging to manage that sense of overwhelm, and they’re all tied to how our brain works.

Your brain’s avoidance mechanism: Your brain naturally avoids discomfort, so when faced with a long list, it looks for easy distractions—like checking your phone. This keeps you in a cycle of procrastination instead of focusing on bigger tasks.

Fear of failure or perfectionism: For a lot of people, especially accountants, perfectionism plays a huge role in procrastination. Your brain might tell you, ‘If I can’t do it perfectly, I shouldn’t start at all.’ This fear of not doing something well enough leads to putting off tasks that feel too big or important, which only adds to your overwhelm.

Lack of clarity and overwhelm: When tasks on your list feel too vague or too large, your brain has no clear starting point. This lack of clarity increases the sense of overwhelm because you don’t know where to begin, and so, the default is to do nothing—or to stick to the smaller, easier tasks.

The instant gratification trap: Your brain loves quick wins. So, when faced with a hard or time-consuming task, it’s easy to gravitate toward things that give immediate satisfaction, like clearing your inbox or tidying up. It feels productive in the moment, but it’s actually a distraction from the tasks that move the needle forward.

Misjudging time and effort: Your brain often underestimates how much time a task will take, which leads to the belief that you can ‘do it later.’ The problem is that this misjudgment makes the task pile up, and when the deadline starts looming, the stress becomes overwhelming. This just adds fuel to the procrastination fire.

So, if you ever find yourself stuck, staring at your to-do list and feeling paralyzed, just remember—this is how your brain naturally reacts to overwhelm. The key isn’t to push through or do more; it’s about understanding how your brain works so you can stop feeling like you’re constantly fighting against it. 

Crossing Things Off Your To-Do List Is NOT Time Management

The third thing you need to know is that crossing things off your to-do list is NOT real time management. Sure, it feels good to check off tasks, but that doesn’t mean you’ve managed your time effectively

Here’s why: just getting things done doesn’t necessarily mean you’re making meaningful progress. Many people focus on easy or low-priority tasks just for that sense of accomplishment, but that leaves the high-impact work—the tasks that truly make you productive—untouched. 

As I mentioned earlier, it leads to the feeling of being busy, but not productive.

So, let’s get real—just because you’re crossing things off your to-do list doesn’t mean you’re managing your time. True time management goes way beyond checking boxes. It’s all about using your time intentionally and focusing on what really matters. Let’s break it down:

Effective Time Blocking: One of the biggest game-changers for managing your time is learning how to time block. Why? Because a to-do list is static—it doesn’t tell you when to do each task. Without time blocking, you’re left guessing when to tackle your work, which can lead to a lot of wasted time. Time blocking, on the other hand, means deciding in advance when each task will happen, making sure your day is efficient. I like to explain it to my clients as making ‘reservations’ on your calendar, ensuring you don’t get overbooked.

Dealing with Procrastination: To-do lists don’t help when it comes to procrastination. They just sit there, waiting for you to get things done, but they don’t address the mental roadblocks that hold you back—things like fear or lack of motivation. That’s why it’s so easy to keep pushing the hard tasks to ‘tomorrow,’ while the real work keeps piling up.

Prioritizing: Another big piece of time management is learning how to prioritize. The problem with lists is that they don’t help you figure out what’s most important. On paper, everything looks equally urgent, and that’s just how your brain works—it sees everything on the list as needing attention right now. The result? You spend too much time on the low-priority stuff, leaving the high-impact work undone. Without clear priorities, you end up wasting effort.

Handling Interruptions: To-do lists can’t adapt when life throws you interruptions, and let’s face it, that happens all the time. When things come up unexpectedly, your list doesn’t shift with you, and you end up feeling like you’re falling behind. Effective time management means having the flexibility and tools to handle those interruptions while still staying focused on what’s most important.

Guaranteeing Follow-Through: It’s one thing to have a list of tasks, but it’s another thing to actually follow through on them. To-do lists might make you feel productive, but they don’t guarantee that the most important work gets done. You can spend hours checking off the smaller tasks and still avoid the big ones. Without a system in place that holds you accountable, it’s easy to stay busy but never truly productive.

Delegating When Necessary: As I mentioned earlier, part of managing your time well is knowing when to delegate. A to-do list doesn’t help you figure out which tasks are yours to handle and which ones can be passed off. It gives the illusion that everything is equally important, but that’s not true. When you try to do it all yourself, you end up overwhelmed. Delegating frees up your time for the tasks that really matter and helps you manage your energy better.

Setting and Sticking to Boundaries: Time management isn’t just about getting things done—it’s also about protecting your time. A list doesn’t help you set boundaries with your time, and when you’re only relying on that, it’s easy for other people’s demands to creep into your day. Effective time management is about setting limits and sticking to them.

Email Management: Finally, we can’t talk about time management without mentioning email, especially for accountants. A to-do list doesn’t account for the massive time drain that is your inbox. Emails pile up and become just another overwhelming list to deal with, constantly distracting you from your most important work. You need strategies to handle your inbox efficiently so that it doesn’t take over your day.

The bottom line is this: crossing things off your to-do list might feel good, but it’s not real time management. Time management is about prioritizing, blocking your time, and following through on the work that matters most.

Not All Hours Are Created Equal

Okay, let’s talk about something that most of us tend to overlook when we’re trying to get through a long to-do list: not all hours are created equal. I think we’ve all had those days where we’re trying to push through a tough task, but it’s just not happening. It’s frustrating, right? You’re staring at your screen, willing yourself to get it done, but your brain is just not cooperating.

Here’s the thing—your energy, focus, and productivity levels aren’t the same throughout the day. Some hours, you’re energized and sharp, ready to tackle the big stuff. Other times, you’re dragging and can barely get through a simple email. But the problem with to-do lists is that they treat every task and every hour as if they’re exactly the same.

That’s why you end up scheduling complicated, high-energy tasks for times when you’re mentally drained, or you waste your best hours on low-priority tasks like clearing out your inbox. It’s not that you’re doing something wrong; it’s just that you’re not aligning your tasks with your natural energy levels. So, instead of focusing on when you’re doing the work, you’re just trying to power through your list, hour by hour. And we all know how that ends—frustration, burnout, and not much progress

Here are some of the issues that working off a to-do list creates with your time and energy:

Ignoring energy peaks and valleys: Most people plan their day as if their energy levels stay constant, but that’s not how our brains work. We all have natural peaks and valleys in our energy throughout the day. Ignoring this means you might be trying to tackle high-focus work during a low-energy period, which leads to stress and low-quality results.

Wasting peak hours on low-priority tasks: Without knowing when you’re at your best, it’s easy to waste your most productive hours on busywork—like responding to emails or handling administrative tasks. By the time you get around to the high-priority items, your energy is zapped. This is why it feels like you’re working hard but not getting the important stuff done.

Trying to push through mental fatigue: Your brain isn’t designed to be ‘on’ all the time. When you’re mentally drained, your focus drops, your decision-making suffers, and tasks take way longer than they should. Trying to power through when your brain is fatigued just ends up creating more stress and taking more time than necessary.

Overestimating your capacity: To-do lists can make it seem like you can get everything done if you just push a little harder. This mindset causes you to overestimate what you can realistically accomplish in a day. By the end, you feel exhausted and discouraged because you’re falling short of expectations that weren’t reasonable in the first place.

No built-in flexibility: To-do lists often lack flexibility for handling shifts in your energy levels. They assume you’ll have the same focus and drive at 4 p.m. as you did at 9 a.m., which just isn’t true. When you try to stick rigidly to a list that doesn’t account for these natural changes, you end up feeling like you’re constantly falling behind.

The bottom line? It’s not just what you’re doing—it’s when you’re doing it. The hours where you’re at your best are your most valuable asset, so they should be reserved for your highest-impact work. The goal isn’t to fill every hour with tasks; it’s to make sure you’re using your best hours for the work that really matters.

If You Don’t Know How to Manage Your Mind, You Don’t Know How to Manage Your Time

Now, this is the part that ties everything together. We’ve talked about delegating, managing overwhelm, knowing the difference between being busy and being productive, and understanding your energy levels. 

But here’s the thing—none of that really matters if you don’t know how to manage your mind. Because if you don’t know how to manage your mind, you don’t know how to manage your time.

Here’s why: everything you do, or don’t do, starts with a thought. Your thoughts create your feelings, and those feelings drive your actions. 

If your mind is full of thoughts like, ‘There’s too much to do,’ or ‘I’ll never get this all done,’ you’re going to feel overwhelmed, and that feeling will drive actions like procrastinating, avoiding tasks, or jumping from one thing to another without focus. 

The result? Your to-do list gets longer, your stress increases, and you feel like you’re constantly running behind.

So, the real key to mastering time management is mastering your mindset. If you can manage your thoughts, you can manage your feelings, and ultimately, you can manage your time. But, of course, there are obstacles to doing this—let’s talk about them.

Default negative thinking: Our brains are wired to focus on the negative. When you see your to-do list, your brain highlights what’s overwhelming, which leads to stress and keeps you stuck.

Hard to break old habits: Your brain likes familiarity, and once you’ve established a habit—like always thinking, ‘I don’t have enough time,’ or ‘I have to do everything myself’—it’s hard to break out of it. These thought patterns become automatic, and unless you actively work to change them, they’ll keep running in the background, controlling your actions and your time.

Getting busy instead of productive: When overwhelmed, it’s easier to focus on small, feel-good tasks rather than the ones that truly matter. But being busy doesn’t equal being productive, and without managing your mindset, you’ll keep falling into this cycle.

No lasting change: You’ve probably tried different time management techniques before, and maybe they worked for a while, but then you found yourself back in the same overwhelmed state. That’s because no matter how great a system is, if you don’t change the way you think, your brain will always revert to its old habits. Mindset is the key to making lasting changes in how you manage your time.

So, if you want to take control of your time, you have to start by taking control of your mind. The way you think about your time and your tasks directly affects how you handle them. Mastering your mindset is the real secret to effective time management—it’s the foundation that everything else builds on.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Getting A Better Handle On Time Management

Now, I know I’ve talked a lot about the ineffectiveness of to-do lists, but here’s the thing—you don’t want your brain cluttered like an overflowing closet of things to do. You want all those thoughts and tasks out of your head and onto paper. 

The truth is, your brain is for processing, not storing. So yes, a to-do list is helpful for getting those swirling thoughts organized. But that’s only step one. From there, you need to understand what real time management looks like.

So, if to-do lists aren’t as effective as we’ve been led to believe, then what is? That’s the big question, and it’s something I’ve been studying for years. It’s also why I created The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program—because I saw firsthand how shifting your approach to time management can completely transform how you handle your workload.

I’ve worked with a lot of accountants who were stuck in the same cycle—long to-do lists, constant stress, and never enough time. And I’ve seen how powerful it is when they learn to manage their minds, prioritize their time effectively, and focus on the tasks that matter most. Let me share a story about one of my coaching clients who made an incredible transformation.

This client, like many of you, was juggling a mountain of tasks every day. Her to-do list was endless, and she always felt like she was falling behind, no matter how much she got done. She was crossing things off but never really making progress on the bigger, high-impact work that would move her career forward. 

After working together, she learned how to manage her brain’s natural tendencies toward overwhelm and procrastination. She started using her time more intentionally—blocking out periods for focused work and learning to delegate what wasn’t hers to handle. Within a few weeks, she wasn’t just getting through her list—she was actually creating space for the kind of work that truly mattered.

And here’s the most powerful part—she wasn’t more ‘productive’ in the traditional sense. She wasn’t doing more things; she was just doing the right things at the right time, and that’s what made all the difference.

That all started with a Time Management Audit which I’ll discuss in a minute.  Now I want to share the key takeaway and action item for this week.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The biggest takeaway I want you to remember is this: to-do lists are NOT time management.  They’re a starting point to make sure things don’t fall through the cracks, but they are not effectively managing your time.

Time management is about focusing on what really matters, aligning your tasks with your energy, and learning to manage your mind so that you stay in control, not your list.

So, here’s your action item: this week, I want you to start paying attention to how you’re using your time. Take a look at your to-do list and ask yourself, ‘Am I doing the right things at the right time?’ If you find that you’re spending your best hours on low-impact tasks, it’s time to make a shift. Block off time for the important things and see how that changes your day.

And if you’re ready to take this to the next level, let me explain how a Time Management Audit can help you get clarity on exactly where your time is going and how to make those critical shifts to become a Smarter Accountant.  The truth is that time management is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, especially for accountants.

That’s why during your Time Management Audit, we’ll spend 30 minutes on a Zoom call diving into your current time management habits and uncover what’s really keeping you from being as productive as you’d like.

I’ll help you identify the key areas where you’re getting stuck, whether it’s prioritizing tasks, dealing with constant interruptions, procrastinating, or feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list. 

Again, since time management is not one size fits all for accountants, this call will give you personalized suggestions.  It’s all about giving you insight into your current habits and showing you how a few changes can lead to more control, less stress, and a more balanced approach to your work and life. 

If today’s episode hit home, let’s talk. Schedule a call, and I’ll help you go from stressed to smarter, with a time management system that works specifically for accountants. You can book your Time Management Audit at https://thesmarteraccountant.com/time-audit/

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed everything you need to know about to-do lists.  

So if you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

And make sure you check back each week as I help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.

Make sure you go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant..

Also, I would appreciate it if you could get the word out to other accountants about this podcast.  The more accountants find out about it, the more we can begin to change the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.

Today, we’re diving into one of my favorite topics—time. It’s our most valuable asset, yet it’s often the thing we struggle most to manage.

As the months roll by and the calendar fills up, we’ve all felt that familiar knot in our stomachs. The closer we get to year-end reporting or tax season, the longer our to-do lists seem to get. Emails pile up, deadlines creep closer, and the stress keeps rising.

It almost feels like time is speeding up, doesn’t it? Before you know it, those critical deadlines are staring you in the face. Sound familiar?

For a lot of us, this is just part of the job—the pressure comes in waves throughout the year. But why does it always feel like there’s never enough time? Why does the stress build up like a pressure cooker ready to blow?

We’ve all been there—juggling clients, drowning in paperwork, and trying to handle what feels like a never-ending stream of emails. And let’s not forget about the constant interruptions—those phone calls, meetings, and last-minute requests that throw your whole day off course.

That’s just the reality of being an accountant, right? But that doesn’t make it any less overwhelming. Whether you’re gearing up for year-end, managing quarterly reports, or bracing for tax season, the demands of the job can leave you feeling stretched thin.

But what if managing all these demands could feel more balanced and less stressful? Imagine approaching your workday with a sense of calm and leaving the office feeling accomplished rather than exhausted.

How much more productive—and peaceful—would you be if you could cut down on that overwhelming feeling?

Here’s the good news: It’s not just a dream. Taking back control of your time is not only possible—it’s essential. And it can completely change how you experience your work as an accountant.

When you’re in charge of your time, you lower your stress and boost your productivity. You can start each day with a clear plan and end it feeling like you’ve truly made the most of your time.

To regain control and work smarter, not harder, it’s essential to first understand what’s causing the chaos. Let’s talk about one of the biggest contributors to overwhelm—information overload. 

The Overwhelm Of Information Overload

To take back control of your time, the first step is to figure out what’s been controlling it. Let’s pause for a second and think about just how much the world, especially the workplace, has changed.

If you’ve been an accountant for a while, like I have, you’ve probably noticed how different things are compared to a few decades ago. Back when I started at Deloitte in the early ’90s, we worked hard, but the pace was slower. The work environment wasn’t as chaotic, and distractions were minimal.

Of course, the job was still demanding, but it was a different kind of demand. We weren’t constantly juggling thousands of pieces of information all at once.

Between emails, text messages, Slack notifications, project management tools, social media updates—it feels like we’re trying to drink from a fire hose. No wonder so many accountants feel overwhelmed!

And one of the biggest signs of this overwhelm is the never-ending to-do list. Have you ever noticed how no matter how many tasks you check off, the list just keeps getting longer?

It’s like for every one thing you finish, two more pop up. And it’s not just on paper anymore. These to-do lists are everywhere—in your email, on sticky notes around your desk, in apps, and even floating around in your head.

Then there’s the email situation. Those overflowing inboxes make it feel like you’re drowning in unread messages, with new ones coming in faster than you can reply. And it’s not just work emails—there are newsletters, reminders, and all sorts of other things demanding your attention. It’s easy to feel like you’re constantly behind.

And let’s talk about reminders—both physical and digital. Sticky notes, phone notifications, calendar alerts—they’re everywhere. Instead of helping, they just add to the stress by constantly nudging you to get more done.

On top of all that, there’s the constant ping of digital notifications—your phone buzzing with a text, your computer chiming with a new email, or your watch vibrating with a reminder. These little distractions make it almost impossible to focus on what you’re doing, and getting back on track becomes a challenge.

So, what’s the result of all this? Confusion, frustration, and a whole lot of stress.

When you’re bombarded by information from so many places, it’s easy to feel scattered. You might find yourself jumping from one task to the next without making real progress—or worse, forgetting important details because your brain is juggling too much.

And this isn’t just something that affects you at work. When you’re overwhelmed all day, it’s hard to leave that stress behind when you clock out. It follows you home, making it tough to relax, enjoy time with your loved ones, or even get a good night’s sleep.

The bottom line is that this information overload is a huge source of stress for accountants today. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to stay that way.

You can take steps to manage all this information better, reduce the overwhelm, and take back control of your time—and your life.

The Power of Being Proactive

Let’s talk about the difference between being proactive and reactive, especially when it comes to accounting. It’s so easy to fall into a reactive mindset when you’re constantly dealing with deadlines, client demands, and the pressure to get everything done on time.

You might find yourself bouncing from one task to the next, just trying to keep up. When that happens, it’s easy to start thinking that the only way to handle the mountain of tasks in front of you is to work longer and harder.

But here’s the thing: more work doesn’t have to mean more stress.

When you’re in reactive mode, you’re letting everything around you—deadlines, last-minute requests—dictate how you spend your day. It can feel like you’re always just one step behind, trying to catch up.

The problem with this approach is that it often leads to burnout and that constant feeling of being overwhelmed. You might start to believe that there’s just not enough time in the day to get everything done, and that can be really frustrating.

But what if you could flip that around? What if you took a more proactive approach? Instead of letting the day’s demands control you, what if you could start planning ahead, setting your own deadlines, and deciding how to best use your time?

Being proactive means you’re the one in control of your schedule. You make intentional decisions about how to spend your time, instead of just reacting to whatever comes your way. It’s like being in the driver’s seat, steering your day instead of letting it steer you.

When you’re proactive, you’re not just responding to the demands of your job—you’re planning for them. You’re thinking ahead, which gives you time to focus on what really matters instead of feeling like you’re always racing against the clock.

The bottom line? By being proactive, you can lower your stress, boost your efficiency, and feel way more in control of both your work and your life.

Your Brain’s Role in Taking Back Control of Your Time

Let’s dive into the role your brain plays in all of this. The thing is, your brain is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t always work in your favor when it comes to managing time.

One of the biggest mistakes we make is using our brain like a storage unit—trying to keep track of all our tasks, deadlines, and information in our head. When your brain is overloaded with details, it’s no surprise that you start feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

The truth is, your brain wasn’t designed to hold onto all that information. It’s great at solving problems, analyzing data, and coming up with creative ideas—but it’s not so great at managing a long list of to-dos.

When you rely on your brain to remember everything, you’re not using it efficiently, and that’s when things start to slip through the cracks.

If you want to take back control of your time, you’ve got to start using your brain differently. This is where the more advanced part of your brain—what I like to call the “Supervising Parent”—comes in. This part of your brain is responsible for planning, decision-making, and self-control.

The Supervising Parent part of your brain helps you be more intentional and proactive with your time.

When you use this part of your brain to plan your day, you’re not just reacting to whatever comes your way. You’re making strategic decisions about how to handle your tasks in a way that helps you get more done while reducing stress.

This means setting priorities, breaking big projects into manageable steps, and scheduling your time in a way that actually works for you.

By understanding how your brain works, you can start using its strengths to your advantage and avoid its weaknesses. Instead of letting your brain get bogged down with too much information, you free it up to focus on what it does best: thinking critically and making smart decisions.

The bottom line is, learning to use your brain differently is the key to taking back control of your time and creating a more balanced, less stressful workday.

How to Use the Power of Being Proactive

Now that we’ve talked about why being proactive is so important and how your brain plays a role in managing your time, let’s get into some practical steps you can take to be more proactive.

The truth is, most accountants tend to be reactive, but being proactive is about making intentional decisions that help you stay ahead of the game—rather than always playing catch-up.

So, how do you do that? Let’s break it down into four simple steps.

Step 1: Make a Plan to Produce Specific Results – The first step to being proactive is making a plan that focuses on achieving specific results, not just staying busy. It’s easy to think that if you’re doing something, you’re being productive.

But here’s the reality: being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. If you’re just crossing tasks off your list without a clear goal, you might be spinning your wheels without really moving forward.

Instead, ask yourself what you want to accomplish by the end of the day, week, or month. What specific results are you aiming for? Once you know that, you can plan your tasks around those goals. This way, every task you complete brings you closer to where you want to be, and you’re not just filling your day with busywork.

Step 2: Make Your Own Deadlines – Deadlines are a big part of every accountant’s life, but they don’t always have to come from external sources. One of the best ways to be proactive is to set your own deadlines before the official ones.

When you do this, you give yourself some breathing room and reduce the stress of waiting until the last minute. By setting internal deadlines, you can break bigger projects into smaller, manageable tasks and tackle them one by one.

Not only does this help you stay on top of your workload, but it also gives you flexibility if something unexpected comes up. Plus, finishing tasks ahead of schedule can boost your confidence and make you feel more in control.

Step 3: Schedule Results on Your Calendar in Time Blocks – Once you’ve planned your results and set your deadlines, the next step is to schedule everything on your calendar in time blocks. This is where you can really take advantage of your brain’s strengths.

By scheduling specific tasks during the times of day when you’re most productive, you can work more efficiently and get more done in less time.

When you block time on your calendar, be realistic about how long tasks will take and don’t forget to include breaks and some downtime. It’s easy to underestimate how long things will take, so giving yourself a buffer helps prevent burnout.

Time-blocking also reduces decision fatigue because you’ve already decided when to do each task—now all you have to do is follow the plan.

Step 4: Follow the Plan – The last step is simple, but it’s where the real magic happens: follow the plan you’ve created. After you’ve taken the time to plan your results, set deadlines, and schedule your tasks, the key is to stick to it.

This is where being proactive pays off. By following the plan, you won’t have to make decisions on the fly all day, which saves you mental energy and keeps you on track.

Sticking to your plan also builds momentum. Every task you complete brings you closer to your goals, which motivates you to keep going. And because you’ve already prioritized and scheduled your time, you’re less likely to get distracted or derailed.

Remember, being proactive isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Even if things don’t go exactly as planned, having a proactive mindset and a clear plan helps you stay on course, no matter what bumps you hit along the way.

By using these steps, you’ll be able to take control of your time, reduce stress, and create a more balanced, productive workday.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

As you start embracing a more proactive approach to managing your time, it’s important to watch out for a few common pitfalls that can trip you up along the way. The good news? With a little awareness and the right strategies, you can easily avoid these traps and stay on track.

Let’s take a closer look at two of the most common challenges and how to handle them.

The Trap of “Not Enough Time” – One of the biggest obstacles to being proactive is believing there’s just not enough time in the day. We’ve all been there—swamped with work and deadlines looming, it can feel impossible to carve out time to plan.

You might think, “How can I possibly make time to plan when I’m barely keeping up with everything else?” It’s a valid concern, but here’s the thing: the idea that you don’t have time to plan is actually an illusion.

When you’re caught up in the hustle of your day, it can seem counterintuitive to stop and plan. But spending that time upfront can save you hours of stress and scrambling later.

Think of it like this: when you plan proactively, you’re creating a roadmap for your day or week. Instead of wasting time figuring out what to do next or dealing with last-minute surprises, you’ve already set a clear path that helps you move smoothly from one task to the next.

Yes, it might take a little extra effort at first to get into the habit, but the payoff is huge. You’ll find that being proactive actually helps you get more done in less time—and with way less stress.

So, the next time you catch yourself thinking, “I don’t have time to plan,” remind yourself that planning is what ultimately creates more time.

Overcoming Lower Brain Resistance – Another challenge you might face when trying to be more proactive is resistance from your own brain—specifically, the lower, more primitive part of it that I like to call The Toddler.

This part of your brain is designed to keep you safe and comfortable, which is great for survival—but not so great when you’re trying to create new habits. Your lower brain resists anything that feels like extra effort, especially if it’s new or unfamiliar.

You’ve probably felt this resistance before. It’s that little voice that says, “Do I really need to plan my day? Can’t I just wing it like I always do?” Or maybe it shows up as procrastination, where you keep putting off the very things that would help you get ahead.

This resistance is totally normal, but that doesn’t mean you have to give in to it.

The key to overcoming your lower brain’s resistance is to start small and build momentum. You don’t need to overhaul your whole routine overnight.

Instead, try adding proactive habits into your day little by little. Maybe you start by spending just 10 minutes each morning planning out your top priorities for the day. Or maybe you set a small goal, like planning one task ahead each day.

As you start to see the benefits—like getting more done and feeling less stressed—your lower brain will start to ease up. The resistance will fade as your new habits become second nature, and you’ll find it easier to stick to your proactive approach.

Remember, your lower brain (The Toddler) is just trying to protect you, but you are in control. By taking small steps and building up your proactive habits, you can train your brain to work with you, not against you.

Trust me, once you get your brain on board, you’ll be able to take back control of your time.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: From Overwhelmed To In Control

I’ve done a lot of work with accountants on better time management and have made a transformation in my own life, but let me share about one particular coaching client.

He came to me feeling constantly overwhelmed by his workload. No matter how hard he worked, he always felt like he was falling behind, reacting to deadlines rather than managing them.

Once he went through The Smarter Accountant Program and learned how to manage his brain, we then worked on how to better manage his time.  He learned that by setting aside one hour on Sunday and just 10 minutes each morning to plan his day, he could get more done in less time. 

Instead of waiting for external deadlines to push him into action, he started setting his own deadlines and prioritizing his tasks more effectively. It wasn’t easy at first, but soon he noticed a difference.

As he continued trying more proactive habits, he noticed that his stress levels dropped. He was no longer scrambling to keep up; instead, he was ahead of the game. 

His workdays became more manageable, and he even found himself leaving the office on time, feeling accomplished rather than drained.

I hope that this client’s story shows that small changes in how you manage your time can lead to big improvements in your professional and personal life.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key to reducing stress and improving efficiency as an accountant is in taking a proactive approach to managing your time. By planning ahead, setting your own deadlines, and using your brain strategically, you can regain control over your schedule and create a more balanced, less overwhelming workday.

Taking back control of your time means shifting from a reactive mindset to a proactive one, where you’re not just responding to external pressures but intentionally designing your day to work for you. It’s about making deliberate choices that prioritize what truly matters, professionally and personally.

This week ask yourself: “What’s one small, proactive change I can make today to take back control of my time and reduce the stress I’m feeling?”

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed taking back control of your time.  I hope you’ve learned something that you can begin to apply, whether it’s at work or at home.

As I share all the time, you worked hard to become an accountant; it’s time to make it easier to be one.

So if you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

And make sure you check back each week as I help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.

Make sure you go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant..

Also, I would appreciate it if you could get the word out to other accountants about this podcast.  The more accountants find out about it, the more we can begin to change the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.

We all deal with problems, right? As accountants, we’re used to solving all kinds of issues for other people. But when it comes to our own lives, things can feel a little more overwhelming.

Have you ever had a problem that just seemed too big to handle? Maybe you didn’t know where to start, and it felt like it was never going to get better.

Now, imagine this: What if you could handle any problem—big or small—with a sense of calm and confidence? How much easier would things be if you knew exactly how to deal with whatever life throws your way?

Let’s be real—most of us have freaked out when we’re hit with a new problem. Our brains start spinning, we feel stressed, and suddenly it feels like the problem is impossible to solve.

But what if you didn’t panic? What if you could stay calm and focused, and actually think of better solutions? Imagine being able to see problems as something you can handle, not something that’s out to get you.

Think back to a time when you were doing something you really enjoyed—maybe a work project that lights you up or a hobby you love—and everything just clicked. Ideas flowed, and solutions came easily, right?

That’s the kind of mindset I want to help you tap into when facing any problem. When you approach things with an open mind and curiosity, you can unlock your brain’s full power.

But how do you get into that mindset more often?

Here’s the key: You need a plan. Without a clear plan, it’s easy to get stuck, miss steps, or feel overwhelmed. A structured approach helps you stay organized and find solutions more easily.

Whether it’s a personal problem or something at work, knowing how to solve any issue with a clear plan makes life way easier—and a lot less stressful.

If you are ready to try a new way of solving your problems, let’s start with the best formula I’ve found for tackling any problem head-on.

The Formula Behind Every Solution

Have you ever noticed how some people just seem to handle life’s problems so easily, while others get stuck? It makes you wonder—what’s their secret?

Well, there’s actually a formula that can help you solve any problem, and it’s called “The Model.” If you’ve read my book, “The Smarter Accountant,” you might remember me talking about it in more detail. But basically, this formula is one of the best tools out there for solving any problem—big or small.

The reason The Model works so well is that it breaks things down into simple steps, helping you see how your thoughts and actions lead to your results. So, what is The Model, and how does it work?

The Model has 5 parts: Circumstances, Thoughts, Feelings, Actions, and Results. You can remember it as CTFAR.

Here’s a quick rundown of each part:

Circumstances: These are just the facts of any situation. They’re neutral, meaning they don’t have any feelings attached to them. Why does this matter? Because when you focus on the facts without mixing in your emotions, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed.

Thoughts: These are the stories you tell yourself about the circumstances. We all have tons of thoughts every day, and most of them run on autopilot. But here’s the thing: these thoughts change how we see things and affect what we do.

Feelings: These are the emotions that come from your thoughts. If you’ve ever noticed how your mood shifts depending on what you’re thinking, that’s what this is about. Once you understand the connection between your thoughts and feelings, you can start to manage them better.

Actions: This is where your feelings push you to do—or not do—certain things. So if you’re wondering why you act a certain way in different situations, it’s because of how you’re feeling in that moment.

Results: Finally, your actions create the results you see in your life. If you look at where you are right now, those results are tied to your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

When you understand The Model, it’s like having a map for your mind. It helps you take a step back, look at the situation clearly, and make changes to get better results.

So, how do you actually use this formula in real life? Let’s break it down. 

Getting Started With Solving Any Problem

Now that you know what The Model is, it’s time to actually use it. Understanding it is one thing, but the real magic happens when you apply it to your own life. So, how do you start solving your own problems?

First, you need to pick a problem. I know, that sounds easier said than done. But the trick is to choose one specific thing to focus on. It doesn’t have to be a huge problem; it could be something small that’s been bugging you.

Think about what’s been on your mind lately. Is there something stressing you out—maybe at work or at home? As accountants, we’re used to handling a lot at once, so I’m sure you have plenty to pick from!

Maybe it’s a deadline that’s getting close, a tough conversation you’ve been avoiding, or even something small like a messy room that’s been driving you nuts. Whatever it is, just pick one thing. Sometimes fixing the small stuff can make a big difference in how you feel overall.

Once you’ve picked your problem, it’s time to change how you think about it. Here’s something I ask my clients all the time: What if the problem isn’t the real issue? What if it’s how you’re thinking about the problem that’s making it feel worse?

Our brains can sometimes make things seem bigger or scarier, especially when we’re stressed. Have you ever noticed how a situation feels worse just because of how you’re thinking about it? When you step back and look at your thoughts, you can start to see the problem for what it really is—not just how it feels in the moment.

So, ask yourself: How am I thinking about this problem? Are my thoughts making it harder to solve? Am I focused on finding a solution or just stuck in the “this is a huge mess” mindset?

Once you’re aware of how you’re thinking, you can challenge those thoughts and change them. Instead of focusing on what’s going wrong, think about what you can do to make things better. You’d be surprised how much that simple shift can lead to new ideas and solutions you hadn’t thought of before.

In the end, getting started with solving problems is all about taking the first step and being willing to see things differently. So, pick your problem and in a few minutes I’ll explain how to approach it in a way that feels more manageable.

The Brain’s Role in Problem-Solving

Now that you’ve picked a problem to focus on, let’s talk about what’s really happening in your brain when you’re dealing with a challenge. Have you ever wondered why your brain seems to go into overdrive when a problem comes up?

Here’s what’s going on—your brain is actually wired for survival, not for solving modern-day problems. Way back when, our ancestors had to deal with life-or-death situations, so their brains learned to react fast—basically, fight or run away. Even though we’re not running from wild animals anymore, our brains still react the same way when we’re faced with a problem.

So, when something goes wrong, your brain might go into panic mode. You might feel your heart race, your stomach tighten, or your palms get sweaty. That’s your brain thinking it’s in survival mode, which makes it hard to think clearly or figure out what to do next.

But here’s the good news—it doesn’t have to be this way. Once you understand how your brain works, you can train it to handle problems better and stay calm.

Think of your brain as having two parts: the “panic” brain and the “problem-solving” brain. The panic brain reacts fast, but it’s not so good at coming up with smart solutions. That’s where the problem-solving brain comes in. This part of your brain helps you think clearly, make plans, and deal with problems calmly and creatively.

You’ve probably noticed this before—when you step away from a stressful situation, take a deep breath, or even sleep on it, suddenly the problem doesn’t seem as bad. That’s because your problem-solving brain finally got a chance to take over.

The best part? You can train your brain to switch from panic to problem-solving more often. With practice, you can start rewiring your brain to react differently. 

This is where tools like The Model really help. The Model shows you how your thoughts, feelings, actions, and results are connected, which helps you shift from feeling stressed to thinking strategically.

I’ll go over this more in a minute, but the next time you feel that panic setting in, remember—you have the power to switch gears. By taking a step back, calming down, and using tools like The Model, you can approach problems in a smarter, more creative way.

Just imagine how different things could be if you could regularly tap into that problem-solving part of your brain. It’s not about getting rid of problems; it’s about learning to handle them in a better way.

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Using The Formula To Rewire Your Brain for Better Problem-Solving

Here’s the exciting part—your brain can actually change! It has something called neuroplasticity, which means it can form new pathways and learn new ways of responding to problems. In other words, you can train your brain to handle problems better over time.

So, how do you start rewiring your brain for better problem-solving? It all begins with awareness. That’s where The Model comes in. By using The Model, you can understand why you’re thinking, feeling, and acting the way you are—and, more importantly, how to change it.

Now, let’s use The Model to tackle the problem you picked earlier.

Here’s how you can start:

Identify the Circumstances: Start by clearly figuring out the facts of the situation. What’s really happening with the problem you chose? Separate the facts from your opinions or feelings. When you focus on the neutral facts, it helps you see the problem for what it is—not as something your brain might be making bigger than it actually is.

Examine Your Thoughts: Once you know the facts, look at your thoughts about the problem. What are you telling yourself about it? Are these thoughts based on fear, negativity, or stress? By becoming aware of these thought patterns, you can start to question and change them.

Assess Your Feelings: Pay attention to how your thoughts about this problem are making you feel. Are you anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed? It’s important to realize that your feelings come from your thoughts. This matters because those feelings will influence what you do next.

Analyze Your Actions: Your feelings drive your actions—or sometimes, keep you from taking any action at all. What are you doing (or not doing) because of how you’re feeling? When you understand this, you can see how your thoughts and feelings are influencing your behavior, and where you can make changes.

Evaluate Your Results: Finally, look at the results you’re getting with this problem. Are they what you want? If not, go back and look at your thoughts and feelings. When you change your thoughts, you’ll change how you feel and what you do—and that’s how you get different results.

By practicing this process with the problem you chose, you’ll start to rewire your brain to approach challenges in a new way. Instead of getting stuck in stress or negative thinking, you’ll develop a more solution-focused mindset.

Let’s take an example accountants can relate to:

Imagine the problem you picked is a tight deadline for a project. The fact is, the deadline is in two days. But your initial thought might be, “There’s no way I can finish this!” That thought makes you feel anxious and stressed. 

Because of those feelings, you may start procrastinating or distracting yourself, which makes the situation worse. The result? You’re scrambling at the last minute and might even miss the deadline.

But if you use The Model, you can shift your thinking. Instead of focusing on “I can’t do this,” you could think, “I’ll break this project into smaller steps and work through them one at a time.” 

That new thought can make you feel more confident and focused, which will lead you to take action, stick to your plan, and finish the project on time. The result? You meet the deadline without all the extra stress.

The bottom line is that the more you practice The Model with real problems like this, the better your brain gets at staying calm and finding solutions.

Gaining Control Over Problems

Let’s talk about some ways to get control over problems. When you’re dealing with challenges, it’s easy to get stuck in stress and negativity. But what if the real issue is the way you’re thinking about the problem?

One way to change how you see problems is to think about “rich people problems.” Imagine the kinds of problems wealthy people might have—like missing a nail appointment or getting a rip in their hot tub cover. These problems seem small, right? So why do we let small issues in our own lives feel so overwhelming?

The point of thinking about “rich people problems” isn’t to make fun of anyone’s struggles, but to help you put things into perspective. When you look at your own problems through this lens, you might realize that what you’re dealing with isn’t as big as it seems.

For example, my husband and I were watching the Olympics, and there was a commercial about a Paralympic athlete with no legs playing basketball. My husband turned to me and said, “That pain in my shoulder feels like a small problem right now. Look at what he deals with every day.”

By realizing that some of our problems are smaller than we think, you can start to focus on finding solutions instead of getting stuck in the problem.

Another way to get control over a problem is to ask yourself, “What would I suggest if someone else had this problem?” When we’re stuck in our own issues, our emotions can make it hard to think clearly. But when you imagine someone else in your situation, it’s easier to think more logically and come up with helpful solutions.

For example, let’s say you’re feeling stressed about having too much work. Now, imagine a friend comes to you with the same issue. You might suggest they break the work into smaller tasks, figure out what’s most important, or ask for help. By giving advice to someone else, you might find the same solution that works for you.

This technique works because it helps you step out of your emotions and think more clearly about how to solve the problem.

Another important tool is to pay attention to the questions you ask yourself. The questions you focus on shape how you see and deal with problems. If you’re asking yourself, “Why me?” or “Why is this happening?” you’ll probably feel stuck and helpless.

But if you ask yourself, “How can I make this easier?” or “What can I do to fix this?” you start focusing on solutions.

For example, if you’re swamped with deadlines and thinking, “Why does this always happen to me?” you’ll feel overwhelmed and stuck. But if you switch to asking, “How can I make this easier?” or “What steps can I take to get back on track?” you’ll start thinking about things like organizing your tasks or asking for help. This simple shift in questions helps you go from feeling helpless to taking action.

Another powerful technique is the “So What?” approach. This means asking yourself, “So what?” when something goes wrong to help you get perspective. It helps you decide if the problem is really worth all your energy. Often, you’ll realize the problem isn’t as big as you thought.

For example, let’s say you sent an email with a typo to a client. At first, you might feel embarrassed and think, “I messed up, this looks so bad!” But if you ask yourself, “So what? Is this really a big deal?” you might realize the typo doesn’t affect the main message, and it can be easily fixed with a follow-up email. The problem suddenly feels less important, and you save yourself from unnecessary stress.

Lastly, one of the best ways to gain control over problems is to separate facts from thoughts. Facts are objective and can be proven, while thoughts are your personal interpretation.

For example, if you think, “My boss is unfair,” that’s not a fact—it’s your opinion. A fact would be, “My boss gave me extra work this week.”

When you can separate facts from thoughts, you avoid extra stress and focus on what you can control. Once you realize your thoughts are shaping how you see the problem, you can start to change them. This allows you to approach the problem more logically.

The bottom line is, you have more control over your problems than you might think. By changing your thoughts, you change what the problem means to you.

If you see a problem as impossible, it’s going to feel that way. But if you see it as a chance to grow and learn, you’ll be more motivated to find solutions and work through it.

By shifting your focus from problems to solutions, changing your perspective, and questioning how important the issue is, you can change the way you handle challenges.

So, imagine this: What would it be like to face your problems with confidence and creativity, knowing you have the tools to solve them? The good news is, the power to change how you experience and deal with problems is already within you—it all starts with your mindset.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Learning To Solve Any Problem

I want to share how one of my clients learned how to solve any problem. Like many of you, this client often felt overwhelmed by the pressures of her job. She had a lot of client accounts to manage, and the financial issues she was dealing with seemed to pile up faster than she could handle them.

Whenever a problem came up, her first reaction was stress and frustration. She kept thinking things like, “Why does this always happen to me?” and “I’ll never get through this.” Focusing on the problems made her feel stuck in a cycle of anxiety, which hurt her ability to get her work done.

After we worked together in The Smarter Accountant Program, she started to see that solving problems could be much easier. By using The Model and shifting her mindset from focusing on problems to finding solutions, she started to see challenges as opportunities.

Instead of asking, “Why is everything going wrong?” she began asking herself, “What can I do to fix this?” or “How can I see this differently?” This simple change helped her go from feeling stressed and frustrated to feeling curious and open to new ideas.

For example, one time she found a mistake in a client’s report. Instead of panicking, she practiced separating the facts from her thoughts about the situation. This helped her calmly figure out the actual issue and create a plan to fix it, without letting her negative thoughts get in the way.

She also learned to ask, “So what?” to put things in perspective. This helped her realize that not every problem was a big deal, and she didn’t need to stress over every little thing.

The best part? She became more proactive and focused on solutions. This change didn’t just make her work life better—it also reduced her stress, which allowed her to enjoy her personal time more.

What she didn’t realize was how much her stress was affecting her at home, and how it was impacting her family. She even told me that her husband wanted to thank me for the program because he felt like he finally got his wife back.

So, as you can see, even though we all have to deal with problems, solving them can be easier than you think when you learn how to manage your brain along the way.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key takeaway from this episode is that solving problems isn’t just about using a specific technique—it’s about changing the way you think. By using tools like The Model and having a structured approach, you can shift from feeling stressed and anxious to finding creative solutions and growing from challenges.

Understanding how your brain works and practicing new ways of thinking helps you deal with problems more clearly and confidently. As an accountant, this skill is super important because it lets you handle both work and personal challenges with more strength and focus.

Remember, the power to change how you deal with problems is in your thoughts and mindset.

For this week, ask yourself: “What’s one specific problem I’d like to work on, and how can I use the techniques from this episode to come up with a plan to solve it?”

That’s all I have for you today, but before you go, I want you to think about one specific problem you’re dealing with right now—whether it’s at work or in your personal life. What would change if you could approach that problem with calm, confidence, and a clear plan?

Imagine how much easier things could be if you knew exactly how to solve it, step by step.

You’ve worked hard to become an accountant; now it’s time to make being one easier.

If you’re struggling with any aspect of your career, why not take the first step toward a smarter approach? Head over to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me. Let’s tackle those challenges together.

And don’t forget to check back each week as we move you from feeling stressed and overwhelmed to becoming a Smarter Accountant.

In the meantime, go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’ll discover whether you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain and get a clear starting point for your transformation.

Also, if you’re finding value here, please spread the word to your fellow accountants. Together, we can shift how accountants think and work, changing the story of what’s possible in this profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.

Today, I want to talk about something we all face but rarely discuss: the fear of failure. This fear can sneak into our lives and hold us back, especially when it comes to managing our time and setting goals. We get so caught up in the idea of perfection that we forget it’s okay to make mistakes.

I’ve been in the accounting world for decades, and along the way, I became a Professional Certified Coach for Accountants. My mission? To help accountants like you have easier, more successful careers and more fulfilling lives. 

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that our fear of failure often stops us from even trying to improve. We become so paralyzed by the thought of not getting it right that we end up not trying at all. Sound familiar?

Let me share a little secret I’ve discovered through my years of coaching and personal experience: not all failures are created equal. That’s right! There are different types of failures, and understanding them can make a world of difference in how we approach our work and personal lives. 

What I’ve learned is that there are two types of failures – “escape fails” and “worthy fails.”

Escape fails are those moments when we let distractions, excuses, or procrastination take over. It’s when we justify not sticking to our plans because something else came up or we just didn’t feel like it. 

On the other hand, worthy fails are when we give something our best shot, but things don’t go as planned. These are the moments where we learn and grow the most, even if the immediate outcome wasn’t what we hoped for.

By redefining failure and learning to distinguish between these two types, we can start to see our missteps not as roadblocks but as stepping stones to success. This shift in perspective can transform how we manage our time, set our goals, and ultimately, how we live our lives.

Before I go further, I want you to consider a few questions:

• How often do you avoid setting goals because you’re afraid you might not achieve them?
• When you think about your past failures, do you see them as learning opportunities or just setbacks?
• Do you find yourself making excuses for not following through on your plans?
• How would your life change if you could see failure as a necessary part of growth rather than something to be feared?

Today I want to help you see failure in a completely different way.  I’m going to dive deep into the world of escape fails and worthy fails, and by the end of this episode, you’ll have a whole new way of looking at your challenges and opportunities. 

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for understanding the different types of failures, let’s dive into the role that fear of failure plays in our daily lives.

The Fear of Failure

The fear of failure is a sneaky little fear that impacts us in more ways than we might realize, especially when it comes to setting goals and managing our time. 

Have you ever avoided setting a goal because you were worried you might not reach it? Or maybe you’ve found yourself hesitating to even start a task because the thought of not doing it perfectly was just too overwhelming? If so, you’re not alone.

For accountants, this fear often ties back to our tendencies toward perfectionism. We’re trained to get the numbers right, to double-check our work, and to avoid mistakes at all costs. 

Now this is great when it comes to our professional responsibilities, but it can become a huge roadblock when we apply this perfectionist mindset to every aspect of our lives. We start to believe that anything less than perfect is unacceptable, and this belief keeps us from taking risks and trying new things.

Think about it this way – if you’re constantly worried about failing, how likely are you to set ambitious goals or try new time management techniques? Probably not very likely. 

This fear of failure can make us stick to what’s safe and familiar, even if it means staying stuck in a rut. It’s like we’d rather not try at all than risk not being perfect.

But the problem is that this fear doesn’t just impact our professional lives. It seeps into our personal lives too. 

When we’re afraid of failing, we might avoid trying new hobbies, not join that dating website, or avoid taking that dance class our spouse has been asking about.  This can leave us feeling unfulfilled and unhappy, both at work and at home.

I’ve even had coaching clients admit that they didn’t initially schedule a call with me or sign up for one of my programs because they were afraid of failing.  Their fear stopped them from doing something that they knew would help them professionally and personally.  

So, how often do you let the fear of failure keep you from setting goals or trying new things?

Are you holding yourself back from opportunities because you’re worried about not being perfect?

Really think about how this fear is impacting your professional growth and personal happiness.

Here’s the thing – acknowledging these fears is the first step toward overcoming them. Once we can recognize how the fear of failure and perfectionism are holding us back, we can start to make changes that will help us grow, both in our careers and in our personal lives.

Recognizing this fear is the first step, but what if we could see failure in a different light? Let’s explore how redefining failure can open up new possibilities.

The Hidden Value in Failure

Most of us see failure as this big, scary thing that’s out to get us. But what if I told you that failure could actually be your best friend? 

That’s right!  Failure doesn’t have to be a reason to quit; it can be a golden opportunity to learn and improve.

The first thing you need to do is shift your perspective. Instead of seeing failure as the end of the road, let’s start seeing it as a stepping stone. 

When we fail, it’s not a sign that we should give up. It’s a sign that something didn’t go as planned, and now we have the chance to figure out why and make it better next time. Every failure teaches us something valuable if we’re willing to look at it that way.

One of my favorite ways to look at failure is to say “plot twist”.  In other words, I was assuming a situation was going to go one way, but it didn’t, so just like in a movie or a book, the story had a plot twist that I just didn’t realize was going to happen. 

Now, here’s where it gets really interesting when it comes to failure – not all failures are created equal. As I shared earlier, in my coaching, I talk about two types of failures: escape fails and worthy fails. 

Understanding the difference between these can make a huge difference in how we approach things.

I’m going to discuss them both in more detail in a minute, but escape fails are those moments when we let ourselves off the hook. It’s when we give in to distractions, make excuses, or procrastinate. 

Think about the times you’ve planned to tackle a project but ended up scrolling through social media instead. Or when you justified not sticking to your schedule because something else seemed more urgent or easier to deal with. 

These are escape fails. They’re all about avoiding the task at hand because it feels too hard, boring, or uncomfortable.

On the flip side, worthy fails are the kind of failures we want to aim for. A worthy fail happens when you take action towards your goal, but things don’t go as planned. 

Maybe you tried a new time management technique, and it didn’t work out. Or you set a goal and didn’t quite hit it. 

The key here is that you took action, you learned something, and you can adjust your approach for next time. Worthy fails are about putting in the effort and learning from the experience, even if the result wasn’t what you expected.

So the next time you find yourself facing a potential failure, ask yourself: Is this an escape fail or a worthy fail? If it’s an escape fail, how can you turn it into a worthy fail? 

By embracing worthy fails, you’ll start to see failure not as something to fear, but as a necessary and valuable part of your journey to success.

Understanding failure is crucial, but did you know that your brain plays a significant role in how you experience and respond to it? Let’s explore how your mind influences these moments.

Your Brain’s Role in Escape Fails vs. Worthy Fails

Understanding your brain’s role can give you the tools to better manage your reactions and choices.

As I’ve shared on the podcast before, our brains are wired to avoid pain and seek pleasure. This makes perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective. 

Back in the day, avoiding danger (pain) and finding food or shelter (pleasure) were essential for survival. But in our modern world, this wiring can sometimes work against us, especially when it comes to managing our time and tackling challenging tasks.

The issue is that your lower, Toddler brain is the part that seeks immediate gratification and comfort. It’s impulsive and often driven by emotions. When faced with a difficult task, your Toddler brain might scream, “This is too hard! Let’s check email!”

On the other hand, your higher, Supervising Parent brain, is responsible for rational thinking, planning, and decision-making. This is the part of your brain that sets goals and understands the long-term benefits of sticking to a plan, even when it’s tough.

The reason I’m sharing this is because escape fails are driven by your Toddler brain. When you’re supposed to be working on that report but find yourself browsing the internet instead, that’s your Toddler brain in action. 

It’s seeking the immediate pleasure of distraction and avoiding the discomfort of the task at hand. This part of your brain is excellent at coming up with justifications for why it’s okay to procrastinate or abandon your plans. “Just five more minutes” or “I’ll do it later” are classic Toddler brain excuses.

Worthy fails, however, are the result of your higher, Supervising Parent brain taking the lead. When you attempt a challenging task, give it your best shot, and fall short, your Supervising Parent brain steps in to analyze what happened and learn from it. 

This part of your brain is capable of seeing failure as a valuable learning experience rather than a reason to quit. It understands that growth often comes from trying, failing, and trying again with new insights.

The good news is that you can train your brain to lean more towards worthy fails and less towards escape fails. Here are a few strategies:

Mindfulness and Awareness: Pay attention to when your Toddler brain is trying to take over. Simply being aware of this can help you make more conscious choices.

Planning and Scheduling: Use your Supervising Parent brain to set clear plans and schedules. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to make them less overwhelming.

Positive Reinforcement: Reward yourself for taking steps towards worthy fails. Celebrate the effort and the learning, even if the outcome wasn’t perfect.

Reflection and Learning: After a worthy fail, take time to reflect. What did you learn? How can you apply this lesson next time?

Bottom line: By understanding your brain’s role in escape fails versus worthy fails, you can start to make choices that align more with your long-term goals and less with immediate comfort. 

Now that we’ve seen how our brain influences our failures, let’s take a closer look at the first type: escape fails. What exactly are they, and how do they hold us back?

Understanding Escape Fails Better

Escape fails happen when we give in to distractions or excuses instead of facing challenging tasks head-on. They’re all about avoiding discomfort in the moment, but they can have a big impact on our long-term success.

In other words, escape fails are those moments when you let yourself off the hook. It’s when you justify not sticking to your plans because something else seems more urgent or more appealing. 

Essentially, escape fails are about avoiding the hard stuff by choosing the easy way out.

Let me share a few examples to see how escape fails might show up in your day-to-day life.

The first example is justifying interruptions.  Imagine you’ve set aside a block of time to work on a crucial project. But then, an email from a client pops up. 

Instead of sticking to your plan, you convince yourself that the email can’t wait and dive into it, derailing your scheduled task. Sure, client emails are important, but do they always take precedence over your planned work?

The next example is rationalizing partial success.  Let’s say you’ve planned to complete a full financial report by the end of the day. You get halfway through and then decide to call it a day, telling yourself, “At least I got half of it done.” 

While it’s true that partial progress is better than none, consistently settling for less than what you planned can prevent you from reaching your full potential.

The next common example is procrastination disguised as productivity.  Let’s say you have a big presentation to prepare for, but instead, you spend hours organizing your desk or updating your spreadsheets. 

These tasks might be productive in a different context, but right now, they’re just a way to avoid the more challenging work.

The last example is blaming external factors.  Let’s say you intended to start a new time management system, but an unexpected meeting or a family commitment throws you off.

Instead of finding a way to adapt, you abandon the plan altogether, blaming the external factors for your failure to follow through.

The reason why it’s so important to understand escape fails better is because they perpetuate the cycle of fear and inaction.  Each time you give in to an escape fail, you reinforce the idea that you can’t handle challenging tasks. This increases your fear of failure, making it even harder to take on tough projects in the future.

The thing is, when you consistently avoid difficult tasks, your confidence takes a hit. You start to doubt your abilities and question whether you can achieve your goals, which can be incredibly demotivating.

The truth is that escape fails can become a habit. The more you give in to them, the easier it becomes to do so again and again. This habit of inaction can keep you stuck.

And let’s face it, time spent on escape fails is time wasted. By giving in to distractions or excuses, you’re not using your time effectively.

And if you’re already feeling stressed and overwhelmed, escape fails will just exacerbate those feelings.  When you avoid tasks that need to be done, they don’t go away. 

They pile up, creating a backlog that can feel overwhelming. This increases your stress levels and makes it even harder to focus and be productive.

The good news is that you can break the cycle of escape fails.  You just need to be aware of when they’re happening and take proactive steps to address them. 

By understanding and addressing escape fails, you can start to take control of your time and move closer to your goals. Remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s about making progress and learning from each step along the way.

While escape fails can trap us in a cycle of inaction, there’s another side to the story. Let’s shift our focus to worthy fails and how they can lead to growth and learning.

Understanding Worthy Fails Better

Worthy fails are the kinds of failures that we should actually strive for because they involve taking action and learning from the results, even if things don’t go exactly as planned. Worthy fails are all about growth, improvement, and moving forward despite setbacks.

A worthy fail happens when you give something your best shot, and while you might not get the exact result you wanted, you gain valuable insights and experience from the effort. Unlike escape fails, which are about avoidance, worthy fails are about engagement and perseverance.

To get a clearer picture, I’m going to share some real-life examples of worthy fails:

The first example is practicing a new skill.  Imagine you decide to learn a new accounting software that promises to streamline your workflow. You spend a few hours each week practicing and trying to get the hang of it. 

Initially, you struggle and make a lot of mistakes. Instead of getting discouraged and giving up, you keep practicing and gradually start to understand how it works. 

Each mistake teaches you something new, and over time, you become proficient. The early struggles were worthy fails because they were steps toward mastery.

The next example is implementing a new time management strategy.  Let’s say you decide to try a new time management technique you read about, like time blocking. 

You meticulously plan your week, assigning specific tasks to specific time slots. But when you try to follow your schedule, things don’t go as planned. You get distracted, meetings run over, and some tasks take longer than expected. 

Instead of abandoning the strategy, you take time to reflect on what didn’t work. Maybe you realize you need to allow more buffer time between tasks or be stricter about minimizing distractions. 

Each week, you tweak and adjust your approach, learning from each setback. These are worthy fails because they help you refine your strategy and improve over time.

The last example is setting ambitious goals.  Let’s say you set a goal to bring in five new clients by the end of the quarter. You put in the effort, reaching out to prospects, setting up meetings, and pitching your services. By the end of the quarter, you’ve only secured three new clients. 

While you didn’t hit your original target, you gained valuable experience in client acquisition, learned what works and what doesn’t, and built relationships that could lead to future business. This shortfall is a worthy fail because it was a step toward growth and provided you with important insights.

The truth is that successfully navigating worthy fails boosts your confidence. As you see yourself overcoming obstacles and learning from mistakes, you start to believe in your ability to handle challenges and achieve your goals. This increased confidence can motivate you to aim even higher.

So, the next time you face a setback, remember that it’s not the end of the road—it’s just a worthy fail, and you’re one step closer to achieving your goals.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Knowing The Difference Between An Escape Fail And A Worthy Fail

One of my coaching clients is a CPA who was struggling with time management and a fear of failure. When he first came to me, he was overwhelmed and stuck in a cycle of escape fails. 

He constantly put off important tasks, justifying his procrastination by convincing himself that urgent emails and calls took priority. This left him feeling frustrated and exhausted, as he never made real progress on his goals.

In our sessions, we worked on shifting his mindset. We redefined failure and discussed the concepts of escape fails and worthy fails. 

He learned to see failure not as a negative endpoint but as a stepping stone to improvement. We set small, actionable goals and created a structured schedule with time for him to assess.

One of his first worthy fails came when he tried to overhaul his entire filing system. Halfway through, he realized it was too big a project to complete in one go. 

Instead of giving up, he broke it down into smaller tasks. This taught him the importance of manageable chunks and better planning.

Over time, he became more comfortable setting ambitious goals and taking on challenging projects. He also started noticing an improvement in his productivity and confidence. When setbacks occurred, he analyzed what went wrong, adjusted his approach, and moved forward.

Today, he manages his time effectively, sets and achieves ambitious goals, and views failure as an opportunity for growth. He’s completely changed his relationship with failure and has embraced how much worthy fails have empowered him.  

So hopefully you can see that although we all have a fear of failure, worthy fails make it possible to not limit ourselves and our growth opportunities.  

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key takeaway from this episode is that not all failures are equal. By distinguishing between escape fails and worthy fails, you can change your relationship with failure. 

Escape fails hold you back by encouraging avoidance and procrastination, while worthy fails move you forward by encouraging growth and learning. Embracing worthy fails allows you to see failure as a valuable part of your journey rather than a dead-end. 

By shifting your mindset and training your brain to view challenges as opportunities, you can break free from the fear of failure and unlock your full potential in both your professional and personal life.

This week, think about a recent failure you experienced. Was it an escape fail or a worthy fail? What steps can you take to turn future escape fails into worthy fails, and how might this change impact your personal growth and career success?

Well, that’s what I have for you.  Thank you for joining me as I discussed the difference between an escape fail and a worthy fail.  I hope you’ve learned something that you can begin to apply, whether it’s at work or at home.

As I share all the time, you worked hard to become an accountant; it’s time to make it easier to be one.

If you are struggling with any aspect of being an accountant, you can simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar and book a free session with me.

And make sure you check back each week as I help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.

Make sure you go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and take The Smarter Accountant Quiz. You’re going to want to know if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain so that you have a starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant..

Also, I would appreciate it if you could get the word out to other accountants about this podcast.  The more accountants find out about it, the more we can begin to change the narrative in the accounting profession.

The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.