Before I get started, I’m not sure if you know that every week I do an additional podcast episode in a segment I call “Smarter in 5 Minutes.”  Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from the smallest shifts. That’s the idea behind Smarter in 5 Minutes, a weekly mini-episode series from The Smarter Accountant Podcast. 

Each short episode is designed for busy accountants who want quick, practical ways to understand how their brain works—and how to use it to work smarter, not harder. In just five minutes, you’ll learn why your brain reacts the way it does to things like stress, procrastination, overthinking, and a packed calendar, and what to do differently so you can stay focused and in control.

These episodes aren’t about more theory or long lectures. They’re quick, brain-based insights you can actually remember and use in the middle of a hectic day. 

Think of them like your weekly reset button: five minutes to step back, reframe what’s happening in your brain, and choose a smarter way forward. If you’ve ever wished you had a coach in your ear during those tough moments at work, Smarter in 5 Minutes was created for you.

They are available on any podcast platform that carries The Smarter Accountant Podcast like Itunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.  Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to say “no” when someone needs something from you? Even when you’re already busy, it’s easy to feel like you should just squeeze one more thing into your day.

Most accountants are great at helping others. We’re the ones who jump in, figure things out, and try to make everything run smoothly. But sometimes that means we put ourselves last without even realizing it.

You might wake up with a plan for the day, but then emails, meetings, and other people’s requests take over. Before you know it, the day is gone, and your own priorities didn’t stand a chance.

It’s easy to think that being flexible and always available is a good thing. And sometimes, it is. But not if it leaves you tired, stressed, or frustrated at the end of every day.

If you’ve ever felt like there’s no line between your work and your life, you’re not alone. For a lot of accountants, the days just blend together—and the to-do list never seems to shrink.

And if you’ve ever had the thought, “I’ll get to my stuff after I finish everything for everyone else,” then you already know how easy it is to put yourself at the bottom of the list.

The truth is, when you try to do it all, you wind up doing less of what matters. Not because you’re lazy or disorganized, but because there’s only so much time and energy to go around.

You might not think of it this way, but saying yes to everything is really just saying no to yourself. And over time, that can take a toll on how you feel—both at work and at home.

Here’s the tricky part though: a lot of us don’t even realize this is happening. We’re so used to being helpful and dependable that we forget to check in with what we need.

What if the answer isn’t doing more, but making better choices about what you say yes to? What if your workday could feel more calm and less chaotic—not by changing your job, but by changing what you allow?

It’s not always easy to protect your time and energy, but it might be one of the smartest things you can do. Especially if you want to show up strong for the things and people that matter most.

So if you’ve been feeling stretched too thin or like your day is running you instead of the other way around, you’re in the right place. Let’s talk about what’s really getting in the way—and why it matters more than you might think.

Why Accountants Struggle to Set Boundaries

One of the biggest issues for accountants is not realizing they’re missing boundaries in the first place. When you’re always helping others, it can feel like you’re doing the right thing—even if it’s wearing you down.

Without meaning to, many accountants slowly give away their limits. It starts small. You say yes to one extra task. You answer emails at night. You take that one quick call on the weekend.

Before long, people expect you to always say yes. And you start to expect it from yourself too.

This can happen in so many areas—not just with time. Maybe you take on too much at work. Or maybe you keep quiet during meetings even when something bothers you. Maybe you don’t speak up when someone crosses a line because you don’t want to make things awkward.

Being reliable feels good. Being helpful feels right. But when those things come at the cost of your peace, your health, or your focus, that’s a sign something’s off.

Accountants are used to being the one who steps up. We carry a lot of responsibility. We want to be the person others can count on. But when we never give ourselves space to say no, to pause, or to ask for what we need, we end up running on empty.

The problem is, this starts to feel normal. You look around and see other accountants doing the same thing—working long hours, always available, always pushing. So you tell yourself it’s just part of the job.

But when there are no boundaries, everything feels urgent, and nothing feels fully done. You go through your day reacting instead of deciding. You spend more time putting out fires than focusing on what really matters.

It’s not that other people are trying to take advantage of you. Most of the time, they simply don’t know where your line is—because you haven’t shown them.

I tell my coaching clients all the time – you teach people how to treat you and you teach people how to treat your time.  The problem is that we don’t realize what we’re teaching them.

In other words, when you always say yes, always show up, and always push through, it sends a quiet message: “I don’t have limits.” And once that message is out there, it’s hard to take it back.

This isn’t about being selfish. It’s about being clear. And that clarity is what leads to more control, less stress, and better decisions—not just at work, but in every part of your life.

Now I want to get real and talk about the cost of not having boundaries.  We can’t afford to stick our heads in the sand any longer.

The Real Cost of Not Having Boundaries

When you don’t set boundaries, the lines between work and the rest of your life start to disappear. What was supposed to be a quick check of your email turns into an hour of catching up after dinner.

Even if you’re technically “off,” your brain doesn’t know how to shut off. It stays in work mode because you’ve trained it to always be alert, ready to respond, and never fully rest.

At first, you might not notice the toll it’s taking. You might just feel a little more tired than usual or a little more irritable. But over time, the pressure builds.

Without clear boundaries, everything starts to feel like too much. It’s harder to focus. It’s harder to care. And even small things can feel overwhelming.

You might even start to feel resentful—at your job, at your clients, or even at yourself. But you don’t know what to do differently because this is how things have always been.

That slow buildup leads to burnout. Not the kind that hits you all at once, but the kind that sneaks up day after day. The kind where you start dreading your work, even if you used to enjoy it.

And when your brain is constantly in stress mode, it’s hard to make good decisions. You might find yourself spinning in indecision, forgetting things, or struggling to keep up—even though you’re working more than ever.

Boundaries aren’t just nice to have. They’re how you protect your energy, your time, and your ability to do good work. Without them, everything gets harder, and nothing feels quite right.

So if boundaries are this important, why are they so hard to set? The answer is in your brain—and we’re going to talk about that next.

What Your Brain Has to Do With Setting Boundaries

Your brain doesn’t like change. It likes comfort, routine, and approval. So when you try to set a boundary—especially one that feels uncomfortable—your brain sees it as a threat.

Saying “no,” asking for space, or even just pausing before responding can feel scary. Not because something is actually wrong, but because your brain is wired to keep you safe by avoiding anything that might lead to rejection or conflict.

That’s why people-pleasing is so common among accountants (I’ll be doing a whole episode on this topic soon). It feels safer to say yes, go along with the request, and avoid rocking the boat. Your brain believes that keeping others happy will help you avoid trouble.

It also explains why you might feel guilty or anxious after setting a boundary. Even when it’s the right thing to do, your brain sends out an alert: “Wait! This is unfamiliar. We don’t know what will happen.” And that discomfort makes you question your decision.

Your brain has learned that being helpful and agreeable often leads to praise, approval, or a sense of safety. So when you start changing those patterns, it can feel like something is wrong—even when nothing is.

That feeling of unease is not a sign that you made a mistake. It’s just your brain doing what it’s designed to do: protect you from perceived risk. But in this case, the “risk” isn’t real—it’s just new.

The good news is, your brain can be retrained. The more you practice setting and keeping boundaries, the less uncomfortable it becomes. Your brain starts to see that you’re safe—and that your needs matter too.

Setting boundaries isn’t selfish. It’s smart. And once you understand that your brain might fight you on this at first, it’s easier to keep going—even when it feels awkward.

So now that you know why your brain makes boundaries feel hard, let’s talk about what smarter accountants do differently.

The 5 Boundaries Smarter Accountants Set

Once you understand why boundaries matter and why your brain pushes back, it becomes easier to set them with more confidence. Smarter Accountants don’t try to control everything—they focus on what they can protect. And that starts with five key boundaries.

1. Work Hours – Define your start and end times

When you don’t set a clear start and stop to your workday, your brain stays in “work mode” all the time. Smarter Accountants choose work hours and stick to them, whether they’re in the office or working from home.

Example: You can decide your workday ends at 6pm and stop checking emails after that time, even if something is still unfinished.

2. With Clients – Set response expectations

When you respond to every client request immediately, it teaches people that you’re always available. Smarter Accountants set clear expectations for response times, communication preferences, and what’s included in their services.

Example: You could let clients know you respond within 24 hours and only check emails twice a day, so they don’t expect instant replies.

3. Meetings – Limit and structure your calendar

Unplanned or excessive meetings can take over your day. Smarter accountants limit how often they meet, how long meetings run, and when they’re scheduled.

Example: You can set aside certain days or time blocks for meetings and keep them limited to 30 minutes whenever possible.

4. With Yourself – Protect focus, energy, and attention

This boundary is often the hardest because it’s about holding yourself accountable. Smarter Accountants block off time to focus, take breaks without guilt, and recognize when perfectionism or people-pleasing is taking over.

Example: You could block off a two-hour time slot each morning for focused work and silence notifications during that time.

5. Work-Life Balance – Guard personal time from work intrusion

Without a clear separation between work and life, everything starts to blend together. Smarter Accountants protect evenings, weekends, and personal time.

Example: You can plan activities after work that have nothing to do with your job—like dinner with family, going for a walk, or reading a book.

Each of these boundaries is a decision made in advance—one that helps you stay in control instead of constantly reacting. They’re not about building walls; they’re about creating space for what matters.

Next, I want to share what happened when one of my coaching clients finally started using these boundaries—and how it changed everything.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Setting Better Boundaries

One of my coaching clients came to me feeling completely overwhelmed. She was working long hours, answering client emails late at night, and saying yes to every meeting—even the ones she didn’t really need to attend. She thought this was just part of being a “good accountant.”

At first, she didn’t think she had a boundary problem. She thought she had a time problem. But after just a few sessions, she realized she wasn’t protecting any part of her day. Her time, her energy, and even her personal life were all wide open.

We started small. She picked one boundary to focus on: setting a firm end to her workday. No more checking email after 6pm. At first, it felt uncomfortable. She worried she’d miss something or let someone down.

But once she stuck with it for a week, everything started to shift. She slept better. She felt less anxious in the evenings. And surprisingly, no one complained. In fact, a few clients even started respecting her time more.

From there, she added one boundary at a time. She created “meeting-free” hours in her calendar. She added an auto-response letting clients know her typical reply time. And she blocked time for focused work in the mornings before diving into email.

Little by little, her stress went down and her productivity went up. She stopped feeling like her day was running her and started feeling in charge again. Most importantly, she had more energy left over at the end of the day—for herself, her family, and the parts of life she used to put last.

This wasn’t about becoming a different person. It was about giving herself permission to make better decisions—and letting those decisions protect her time, energy, and focus.

Now, let’s wrap up by going over the key takeaway and the five boundaries one more time so they’re fresh in your mind.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, pulled in too many directions, or like your day never really ends, it might not be about needing more time. It might be about needing clearer boundaries.

Smarter Accountants don’t wait for burnout to make a change—they set boundaries that protect their time, focus, and well-being. As you listen to this recap, think about the questions for each boundary and answer them as honestly as you can.

1. Work Hours

They decide when their workday starts and ends—and they stick to it.

Question to ask yourself: Do I have clear start and stop times, or am I working around the clock?

2. With Clients

They set realistic expectations for response times and availability.

Question to ask yourself: Am I teaching clients that I’m always available?

3. Meetings

They limit meetings and structure their calendar to avoid interruptions.

Question to ask yourself: Are my meetings helping me work better, or just filling up space?

4. With Yourself

They protect their own focus and energy—even from themselves.

Question to ask yourself: Am I giving myself space to focus, or constantly interrupting my own work?

5. Work-Life Balance

They guard their personal time just as carefully as their work time.

Question to ask yourself: Am I making time for life outside of work, or letting work take over everything?

The bottom line is that you don’t need to change everything overnight. But if you want to feel better, think more clearly, and actually enjoy your work again, start by setting just one small boundary—and honoring it.

To wrap up, let me pull back the curtain and share a personal story about how I learned the power of boundaries the hard way.

Pulling Back the Curtain

Let me take you back to a time when I had no boundaries…

When I first started working in public accounting, I didn’t even know what a boundary was—at least not one I was allowed to have. The culture was all about showing up early, staying late, and saying yes to whatever was asked. So that’s what I did.

At first, it felt like the right thing. I got praised for being dependable. I became the person people could always count on. But over time, it started to wear me down. I was exhausted, stressed, and secretly frustrated—but I didn’t think I had another option.

I remember one week during busy season when I worked ten days straight without a break. I didn’t set a single limit—not with my hours, my clients, or even myself. I told myself I could rest later, that this was just part of the job.

But that weekend, I completely crashed. I couldn’t think clearly, I was short-tempered with my family, and I felt like I had nothing left to give. That’s when it hit me—being available all the time wasn’t helping anyone, especially not me.

I wish I could say I made changes right away, but I didn’t. I went back to work that Monday and kept pushing. 

It took years—and a lot of personal growth—before I realized the power of boundaries. Not walls, not ultimatums. Just simple, clear decisions made in advance that protected me from overextending myself.

Now, I know better. I know how to say, “That doesn’t work for me,” without guilt. I’ve learned how to pause before saying yes. And I’ve learned that people respect your boundaries a lot more when you start respecting them yourself.

So if you’ve been working without boundaries, I get it. I’ve been there. But I promise—it doesn’t have to stay that way. You’re allowed to protect your time, your energy, and your peace of mind.

If this episode hit home for you, I’d love for you to take the Smarter Accountant Quiz at www.thesmarteraccountant.com. And if you’re ready to set better boundaries and finally feel more in control of your workday, let’s talk. You can book a free 30-minute call with me at www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar.

And of course, if you know another accountant who needs this message, please share this episode with them. The more of us who learn to work smarter—not harder—the better this profession becomes.

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