Before I start, I just wanted to mention that I have put together The Smarter Accountant Time Management Kit.  I’ve noticed a lot of accountants saying that they feel behind—even when they’re working nonstop.

If you can relate, I just want to tell you that you’re not bad at time management. You’re just using tools that weren’t designed for how your accountant brain actually works.

As I’ve shared on the podcast before, I’ve been a CPA in public accounting for over 35 years, so I know the struggle is real!  That’s why I created The Smarter Accountant Time Management Kit—a free, 3-step system to help you take back control of your day.

The kit includes the G.P.A. Formula: A 3-step process that works with your brain, not against it, a To-Do Download page to clear mental clutter and start each day with focus, The Smarter Workday Planner to follow through on what matters most and a short video showing you exactly how to use the kit in just 5 minutes a day.

This isn’t another to-do list. It’s a smarter way to work—built for accountants, by an accountant.

You can download the kit and watch the short video walkthrough and see what can change in just 5 minutes a day by going to https://thesmarteraccountant.com/kit/

I’m going to talk about something that’s made a huge difference in my own career as an accountant. It’s something I wish I had learned a lot sooner.

This episode is about what Smarter Accountants do differently—and why it matters. It’s not about working harder or being better at spreadsheets. It’s about how we think, how we feel, and what we do with that.

As an accountant myself, I know how easy it is to fall into patterns. You wake up, check your email, and boom—your day is off and running. It can feel like you’re always playing catch-up.

The way we think as accountants has so much more power than we realize. And the truth is, a lot of us were never taught how to manage our minds. We were taught the technical stuff, but not how to handle the pressure, the stress, or the self-doubt that often shows up.

That’s why I wanted to record this episode. Because when I learned how to pay attention to my thoughts and feelings, everything started to change—without changing my job, my workload, or my clients.

If you’ve ever felt stuck or frustrated, or wondered why no matter how much you do, it never feels like enough—this might help explain why. It’s not that you’re doing something wrong. You’ve just never been shown a different way to think about it.

So the question is: what are Smarter Accountants doing differently that’s helping them feel more in control, even when things get busy? And what would happen if you started doing those same things?

Let’s talk about it.

Smarter Accountants Separate Circumstances from Drama

One of the first things Smarter Accountants do differently is something most people never even think about. They’ve learned how to separate what actually happened from all the drama their brain wants to add on top.

Let me explain what I mean. There’s what happened—what someone said, what a client did, what the deadline is. And then there’s what your brain thinks about it. Most of us mix the two together without realizing it.

Smarter Accountants hit pause and ask, “What are the actual facts here?” Not the story. Not the frustration. Just the facts.

This might sound like a small thing, but it’s not. It changes everything.

Most accountants say things like, “My boss dumped everything on me at the last minute,” or “This client is driving me nuts.” But when you strip away the emotion, the facts usually sound very different.

A Smarter Accountant would say something like, “My boss gave me three tax returns this morning with a Friday deadline,” or “The client emailed me three times in one hour.” That’s it. That’s the circumstance.  Those are the facts.

The difference is subtle, but very important. One version feels overwhelming. The other is neutral.

When you separate the facts from the drama, you stop making things worse in your head. You stop spinning. You stop feeling like the world is out to get you.

It doesn’t mean you have to love what’s happening. But it gives you a much clearer place to start from. And when your starting point is clean, it’s so much easier to decide what to do next.

The bottom line is that Smarter Accountants don’t waste energy arguing with reality. They save that energy for more important things—like solving problems, staying calm, and doing their best work.

Smarter Accountants Question Their Thoughts Instead of Believing Them

The second thing Smarter Accountants do differently is that they don’t believe everything their brain tells them. And that’s a big reason why they feel more in control, even when things get busy.

Most of us have a thought, and we assume it’s true. Especially in the moment, our brain offers something like, “There’s no way I can get all this done,” and we just run with it.

But Smarter Accountants slow things down. They notice the thought and ask, “Wait—do I want to keep thinking that?  Is that thought helpful or useful?”

They don’t make themselves wrong for having the thought. They just get curious about it.

Because the truth is, your brain likes to repeat the same thoughts over and over. Not because they’re true, but because they’re familiar. And familiar feels safe.

Smarter Accountants understand that their thoughts are optional. That means they get to decide which ones they want to keep and which ones they’re ready to let go of.

So instead of getting stuck in “I’ll never get this all done,” they pause and ask, “Is that really true?” Or, “What thought would help me move forward right now?”

That tiny pause can make a big difference. It gives you space to choose a thought that’s more useful—something like, “I can handle this one thing at a time.”

You don’t have to think positive all the time. But you do get to choose what kind of thoughts you want leading your day.

The bottom line is that Smarter Accountants don’t let their brain run the show on autopilot. They check in, ask questions, and choose thoughts that help them feel clear and focused.

Smarter Accountants Take Responsibility for How They Feel

The third thing Smarter Accountants do differently can be a bit of a surprise at first. Smarter Accountants know that how they feel isn’t caused by their boss, their clients, their workload, or their inbox.

They’ve learned that feelings come from thoughts—not from what’s happening around them.

Most accountants don’t realize this. They think the stress is coming from the deadline. Or the pressure is coming from the number of emails. But those are just facts. The feeling comes from what they’re thinking about those facts.

Smarter Accountants take responsibility for their emotions. That doesn’t mean they blame themselves. It means they understand that if they want to feel different, they need to think different.

They see feelings as information, not problems.  They understand how much power they have to feel better and to feel the most productive and effective emotions.

In other words, they don’t wait for the work to calm down to feel calm. They choose a calm thought—even in the middle of chaos.

So instead of saying, “This is too much,” they pause and ask, “What am I thinking that’s making me feel overwhelmed right now?” That one question can stop the spiral and bring them back to center.

They choose feelings on purpose—feelings like focused, calm, or confident—because those are the emotions that lead to better actions.

The bottom line is that Smarter Accountants don’t expect to feel great all the time. But they do understand that their feelings are always connected to their thinking. And once you see that, you start to realize just how much power you actually have.

Smarter Accountants Act Intentionally, Not Reactively

The fourth thing Smarter Accountants do differently is that they don’t just react to everything that pops up during the day. They act on purpose.

They decide ahead of time what’s important, and they stick to those decisions—even when things get busy or unexpected.

Most accountants are used to bouncing from one thing to the next. A client emails, and we drop everything. Someone asks for something, and we say yes without thinking. The day becomes one big reaction.

Smarter Accountants do it differently. They make a plan, and then they follow through—even when their brain wants to do something else or when someone else’s urgency shows up.

They’re not cold or uncaring. They’re just clear. And that clarity helps them stay focused.

So when a last-minute client request comes in, they don’t panic or people-please. They take a breath and respond from a calm place, not a reactive one.

Acting intentionally doesn’t mean your day will always go perfectly. But it does mean you won’t spend it putting out fires and feeling behind.

The bottom line is that Smarter Accountants trust the decisions they’ve already made—and that’s what keeps them moving forward instead of spinning in stress.

Smarter Accountants Use Their Results as a Mirror, Not a Measuring Stick

The fifth and final thing that Smarter Accountants do differently is that they don’t beat themselves up when things don’t go as planned. They get curious instead.

They look at the result they created and ask, “What was I thinking and feeling that led to this?”

Most accountants use their results to judge themselves. If they missed a deadline or didn’t get enough done, they think, “I’m falling behind,” or “I should be better at this.” And that just adds more pressure.

But Smarter Accountants see results as feedback—not failure. They use those results as a mirror to see what’s really going on in their mind.

If they’re constantly behind, they don’t blame the calendar or their clients. They take a step back and ask, “What thoughts have I been believing that might be causing this pattern?”

They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for awareness.

This isn’t about being hard on yourself. It’s about understanding what’s working and what’s not—so you can make smarter choices moving forward.

The bottom line is that Smarter Accountants know that results always tell a story. And the story starts with how they’re thinking.

Your Accountant Brain’s Role

Whether you realize it or not, your brain isn’t trying to make you smarter—it’s trying to keep you safe.

It’s not wired to challenge your thinking. It’s wired to repeat what’s familiar. Even if that familiar thought is stressful, your brain would rather stick with it than try something new.

It’s always looking for ways to save energy, so it favors speed over thoughtfulness. That’s why your brain loves routines, even when those routines leave you feeling overwhelmed.

If you’ve ever wondered why you keep falling into the same patterns—like reacting to emails right away or saying yes when you don’t want to—it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s just your brain taking the easy path.

Your brain offers automatic thoughts like, “There’s too much to do,” or “I’ll never get this done,” without checking if those thoughts are actually helpful. And when you don’t question them, you end up feeling stuck, stressed, or frustrated.

Smarter Accountants don’t let those automatic thoughts run the day. They’ve learned how to pause, notice what their brain is offering, and ask, “Is this helping me right now?”

They don’t expect their brain to stop being reactive. But they’ve trained themselves to catch it in the moment and gently redirect.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant isn’t about fighting your brain. It’s about understanding how it works and working with it instead of against it.

Smarter Accountants know their brain’s first reaction isn’t always the best one. So they give themselves a moment to respond on purpose instead of reacting on autopilot.

Once you see that your brain is designed to protect you—not to help you grow or succeed—you’ll stop blaming yourself for feeling stuck.

And when you stop reacting to every thought or problem right away, you create space. And in that space, you can make smarter choices that actually help you move forward.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Learning To Do What Most Accountants Don’t

One of my clients came to me thinking she just needed better time management. She had tried new planners, new apps, and even color-coded calendars, but nothing seemed to stick.

She was overwhelmed almost every day. She kept reacting to emails, saying yes to everything, and working late just to try to keep up. No matter how hard she worked, it never felt like enough.

She told me, “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I’m busy all day, but I still feel like I’m failing.” She honestly believed the problem was her schedule.

But when I taught her the tool, The Model, in The Smarter Accountant 6-week program, and showed her how her thoughts were creating her stress, something clicked. She started to see that it wasn’t just about the time—it was about what was happening in her mind.

Once she began noticing her thoughts, she realized she was constantly thinking things like, “I have to get this done now,” or “If I say no, they’ll be upset.” Those thoughts were making her feel anxious and pressured—and that was driving all of her actions.

Now, instead of jumping into her day on autopilot, she takes a few minutes to check in with herself first. She looks at what she’s thinking, decides how she wants to feel, and then starts from there.

And the difference has been amazing.  She’s getting more done with less stress. She’s not working as late, she’s setting boundaries, and she’s actually enjoying her work again.

The truth is that she didn’t need more hours in the day. She just needed to see how much power she had over how her day felt—starting with her thoughts.

Now I’m going to share the key takeaway from today and an action item for the upcoming week.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

Here’s what I really want you to take away from this episode—being a Smarter Accountant isn’t about how many degrees you have, what company you’ve worked for, how many hours you work, or how good you are at juggling tasks. It’s about how well you understand and manage your own mind.

Everything you do—how you plan your day, how you respond to stress, how productive you are, and even how you feel about your job—starts in your brain. The way you think creates the way you feel, which drives what you do, and that’s what creates your outcomes.

The problem is, most accountants were never taught that. We were taught to manage our work, not to manage our minds. But once you see that your thoughts and feelings are creating your actions and results, you can actually start making changes that last.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being more aware. It’s about noticing when your brain is running on autopilot and deciding to pause and take a different approach.

So here’s a question to really think about: “What am I overlooking right now—and what would shift if I paid more attention to it?”

Maybe you’ve been so focused on your to-do list that you haven’t noticed the thoughts behind your stress. Or maybe you’ve been trying to change your actions without checking in on how you’re feeling first.

Whatever it is, there’s no judgment here—just a chance to learn more about yourself and how your brain is working behind the scenes.

That kind of awareness is what sets Smarter Accountants apart. Not because they’re doing more, but because they’re thinking differently. And I promise, you can too.

Pulling Back the Curtain

Pulling back the curtain for a moment…

When I first started paying attention to my thoughts, I’ll be honest—it felt weird. I had spent so many years just reacting to everything. Emails, client demands, deadlines, even my own inner pressure. I thought I just needed to be more efficient or more organized. That if I could just do more, I’d finally feel caught up.

But what I started noticing was that I was walking around every day with thoughts like, “There’s never enough time,” or “I have to say yes or they’ll be disappointed.” And I believed them, without question.

It wasn’t until I learned how to separate facts from thoughts that things really started to shift. I remember one week during tax season where I had a massive workload and back-to-back client calls. Normally, that would have sent me into a tailspin. But I paused. I asked myself, “What’s actually happening right now, and what am I making it mean?”

Just that small moment of awareness helped me step out of panic mode. I didn’t change the number of returns I had to do, or the number of hours in the day—but I changed how I thought about it. And that changed how I felt. I went from feeling scattered and anxious to feeling focused and steady.

The biggest surprise? I didn’t lose my edge—I actually became more effective. I got things done faster, I was less reactive with clients, and I didn’t come home feeling like I’d been hit by a truck.

So if you’re in that place where it feels like something has to change—start with your thoughts. You might be surprised at just how much power you already have.

And if you’re ready to take the first step, I encourage you to take The Smarter Accountant Quiz at www.thesmarteraccountant.com. It’ll show you exactly where you might be underutilizing your accountant brain—and how to start thinking differently.

Once you’ve taken the quiz, you can schedule a 30-minute call with me to discuss your results or to talk about anything that you’re struggling with.  Simply go to www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar.

And if today’s episode felt helpful, would you share it with another accountant, a colleague, someone you know is struggling to keep up.  We don’t talk enough about the mental side of this profession, but we should. And you never know who might need to hear this.

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