Before we dive in, I want to ask you a quick question—does managing your time feel harder than it should?  If you’re like most accountants I work with, you’re working hard but still feeling behind, overwhelmed, or stuck in the same patterns day after day.

That’s exactly why I created The Smarter Accountant Time Management Personality Quiz. It only takes five minutes, and it reveals your unique time management style—why you work the way you do, and why certain things keep tripping you up.

Once you take it, you’ll get personalized insights and strategies tailored specifically to accountants, so you can finally align your day with the way your brain actually works.

Hundreds of accountants have already taken the quiz and told me how eye-opening it was for them. Don’t miss out—take it today and start making your workday a whole lot easier.

You can take it at www.thesmarteraccountant.com/personality-quiz

Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel like you’re falling behind? You’re doing the best you can, but it still feels like it’s not enough.

Maybe you forgot something important. Or maybe you stayed up too late trying to finish things that didn’t get done during the day. And even then, you still woke up feeling like you’re already behind.

It’s easy to think something’s wrong with you. Like maybe you’re just not as organized or focused as other people. Maybe you’ve even asked yourself, “Why can’t I just get it together?”

If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. A lot of accountants feel this way—especially when life is busy and work feels non-stop.

Sometimes we look around and assume everyone else has it figured out. We see someone who seems calm, collected, and totally on top of things, and we wonder what we’re doing wrong.

But what if you’re not doing anything wrong at all? What if the way you’re feeling isn’t a sign that something’s wrong with you—but a sign that something else needs to change?

It’s so easy to blame ourselves when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or behind. But blaming yourself doesn’t actually help. It just makes things feel heavier.

And when things feel heavier, it’s even harder to get anything done. That’s when the negative thoughts really start showing up—thoughts like, “I’m bad at this” or “I just need to try harder.”

We’ve all had moments like that. Moments when you feel like no matter how hard you try, there’s still more to do, and not enough time to do it.

But here’s something to think about—what if you’re not the problem? What if the way you’re working or the way you’re thinking about time is what’s actually causing the struggle?

That might sound like a strange idea at first. Especially if you’ve always been the one to take on more, help everyone else, and try to push through no matter what.

Still, it’s worth asking: is it really you that needs fixing—or is it time to look at things a different way?

If you’ve ever felt like you’re behind in life or work, even though you’re trying your best, you’re in the right place. You’re not lazy, you’re not broken, and you’re definitely not alone.

So let’s take a step back and look at what might really be going on here. Because maybe, just maybe, you’re not the problem at all.

Why So Many Accountants Blame Themselves When They’re Overwhelmed

When things feel out of control, most accountants don’t ask what’s wrong with the system—they ask what’s wrong with themselves. That’s because we’ve been trained to believe that if something isn’t working, it must be our fault.

You miss a deadline or forget something small, and suddenly your brain jumps to: “I should be better at this.” Or maybe your to-do list is never-ending, and instead of asking if it’s even reasonable, you wonder why you can’t keep up.

This is what I call the self-blame loop. It happens quietly and quickly, and most of the time, we don’t even realize it. 

We just assume that if we were smarter, faster, or more disciplined, things wouldn’t feel this hard. It’s like your brain is holding performance reviews in the background while you’re just trying to find time to eat lunch.

But here’s the thing—accounting as a profession often rewards overworking and perfectionism. It encourages pushing through no matter how tired or stretched you are. There’s an unspoken message that says, “If you can’t handle it, maybe you’re not cut out for this.”

So what do most accountants do? They keep pushing. They work longer hours. They sacrifice personal time. They try to “get it together” by trying harder.

The problem is, the more you push, the more exhausted you get. And the more exhausted you get, the more mistakes happen. That just adds fuel to the blame loop—making you feel like you’re falling short, even when you’re doing everything you can.

It’s easy to see how this cycle keeps going. You feel behind, blame yourself, try harder, get more overwhelmed, and then start over again. No one wins in that loop.

What makes it even harder is that this kind of pressure feels normal in our profession. Everyone around you seems busy, overworked, and stressed, so it becomes the standard. You don’t question the pace—you question yourself.

But what if the problem isn’t you at all? What if the real issue is the way the profession—and your brain—has been taught to respond to pressure?

Next, I want to talk about why this self-blame cycle is so common, and what’s really going on under the surface. Because understanding why this happens is the first step toward doing something smarter.

The Hidden Cost of Thinking You’re the Problem

When you believe you’re the problem, everything starts to feel heavier. You don’t ask for help—you just try to push through and hope no one notices you’re struggling.

That kind of thinking creates a cycle of guilt and shame. You blame yourself for falling behind, then feel ashamed for not being able to “fix” it fast enough.

Instead of reaching out for support or making small changes, you turn inward. You try to be more disciplined, more focused, more of everything—but it never feels like enough.

Over time, that self-pressure adds up. You might start to feel burned out, even though you’re still showing up and getting things done. You might even start to wonder if you’re really good at your job—or if you’ve just been lucky so far.

That’s what imposter syndrome often sounds like: “I should be better at this by now,” or “If they only knew how behind I am.” Those thoughts are exhausting.

You might also notice that you’re always reacting. Jumping from one urgent thing to the next. Putting out fires. Answering everyone else’s requests before you’ve even looked at your own priorities.

When you’re stuck in this cycle, it’s hard to make intentional choices. You’re too busy trying to catch up, and your brain is too tired to think clearly.

The problem isn’t just how you feel—it’s what those feelings stop you from doing. You can’t create a smarter plan when you’re busy blaming yourself for not having one.

But there’s a better way. And it starts with knowing what’s really causing the overwhelm in the first place.

Let’s talk about what you actually need—and why more motivation, more willpower, or longer hours isn’t the answer.

What Accountants Really Need to Manage Time Smarter

Most accountants were never taught how to manage our time, our brain, or our energy in a way that actually works long term. We were told to work hard, stay busy, and check things off a list—and that’s about it.

But real time management isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters, without burning out in the process.

Trying harder only gets you so far. If the approach is off, effort alone won’t fix the problem. You’ll just end up exhausted and frustrated.

That’s why motivation isn’t the answer. It comes and goes. And it definitely won’t carry you through back-to-back deadlines or weeks when everything feels urgent.

What actually helps is something most people don’t talk about—margin. Space to think. Time to reset. Room to make thoughtful decisions instead of reacting on autopilot.

You also need a clear way to make decisions about what gets your time and energy—and what doesn’t. Not everything deserves your attention, no matter how loud or urgent it seems.

And here’s the big one: you need support. Not more tasks. Not more pressure. Just real support for your brain, your time, and your well-being.

When you stop trying to “just push through” and instead give yourself smarter tools and support, everything gets lighter. You start to see what’s possible again.

But none of that works if you don’t understand what’s going on in your brain when you’re overwhelmed. So let’s talk about that next.

Why Your Brain Makes Time Management Feel So Hard

Your brain is always trying to help you be fast and safe. That’s its job. So it takes mental shortcuts—quick thoughts that feel true, even when they’re not.

When you’re overwhelmed, your brain doesn’t look for smart solutions. It just reaches for whatever is familiar. And for a lot of accountants, that familiar thought is something like, “I’m bad at this,” or “I just need to try harder.”

Those thoughts aren’t facts. They’re habits your brain has built over time. And when stress kicks in, those habits take over.

When you’re under pressure, your Supervising Parent brain—the part that plans and prioritizes—starts to shut down. Your brain sees stress as a threat and flips into survival mode instead.

And when your brain is in survival mode, it’s not interested in strategy. It just wants to get through the moment. That’s when reactive choices happen. That’s when time management falls apart.

This is why margin matters so much. Without space to think, your brain can’t access the part of itself that helps you make good decisions.

That’s also why brain-based tools—like learning how to work with your brain instead of against it—aren’t just nice to have. They’re absolutely necessary.

When you understand how your brain works, everything starts to make more sense. You stop blaming yourself for how you feel, and you start giving yourself what you actually need.

And to see what that looks like in real life, let me tell you about a client who went through this exact shift.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Discovering He Was Not The Problem

When one of my clients first came to coaching, he was convinced something was wrong with him. He said he had always struggled with time management and figured he just wasn’t wired the right way.

He told me that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep up. His to-do list was always full, deadlines were always looming, and he often worked late just to feel a little caught up.

The worst part is that he blamed himself. He thought he just needed to try harder, be more focused, or stop being so distracted. But nothing he tried seemed to work for long.

As we talked, it became clear that he didn’t have a motivation problem. He had a margin problem. His brain was constantly in survival mode, jumping from one fire to the next.

We started working on small changes that gave him breathing room—things like building in short breaks, setting realistic expectations, and learning how to say no without guilt. We also looked at what he was thinking about his time and how those thoughts were keeping him stuck.

Within a few weeks, he started to notice a shift. He felt less scattered. He could think more clearly. He was no longer beating himself up for every little thing that didn’t get done.

He told me, “I used to think I just wasn’t good at time management. Now I see that I never gave myself a chance because I didn’t know how my brain actually worked.”

He didn’t become a different person. He just started managing his brain instead of letting it manage him.

That’s the power of knowing you’re not the problem—and giving yourself smarter tools instead of more pressure.

Let’s wrap up with a quick recap of what you’ve learned today.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key takeaway is that you are not the problem—especially when it comes to time management. Your brain is doing exactly what it was wired to do under pressure. 

The real issue isn’t a lack of discipline or motivation—it’s a lack of margin, support, and brain-friendly tools. When you stop blaming yourself and start working with your brain, everything starts to feel more manageable.

Any time you catch yourself thinking, “I should be better at this,” or “What’s wrong with me?”—pause. 

Instead of going into blame mode, ask yourself this instead:  “What would support look like right now?”

Whether it’s taking a five-minute break, setting one small boundary, or crossing something off your list that doesn’t matter—give your brain the margin it’s craving. Start there, and notice what changes.

When you stop seeing yourself as the problem and start giving your brain what it actually needs, everything begins to shift. You’re no longer fighting against yourself—you’re working with yourself in a smarter, more sustainable way.

Okay, as I finish up, let me pull back the curtain and share a personal story of how I had to learn this the hard way too.

Pulling Back the Curtain

Now let me pull back the curtain…

There was a time in my career when I honestly thought I just wasn’t cut out for this work. I was always behind, always tired, and always wondering why I couldn’t seem to keep up the way other people did.

I remember one week in particular—I had a full workload, a tax deadline coming up, and my kids needed me for a few things at school. I tried to push through like I always did, but one night I found myself sitting in the dark in my kitchen, just staring at my laptop and thinking, “I can’t do this anymore.”

What hit me hardest wasn’t the amount of work—it was the constant voice in my head telling me I should be better at handling it all. That voice said I needed to try harder, be more organized, stop complaining. And for years, I believed it.

But what I’ve learned since then is that voice isn’t the truth—it’s just a thought pattern. It’s my brain trying to protect me by pushing me to keep going. It meant well, but it didn’t help.

The shift happened when I stopped blaming myself and got curious instead. I started learning how my brain works under stress. I started building in more margin. I stopped treating myself like a machine that needed to work harder and started treating myself like a human who needed real support.

And everything changed.

If you’ve ever felt like I did in that kitchen—tired, overwhelmed, and wondering what’s wrong with you—please hear this: You are not the problem. You just haven’t been taught how to manage your brain yet.

That’s why I created The Smarter Accountant Quiz—to help accountants like you finally see what’s getting in your way and what your brain actually needs to manage time smarter.  You can take it at www.thesmarteraccountant.com.  

After you take the quiz, you’ll have the chance to schedule a free 30-minute call with me. We’ll talk about your current struggles and how to turn things around. You can schedule that call at www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar. 

And if this episode helped you, share it with another accountant who might need to hear they’re not the problem either. Because sometimes, all it takes is hearing those words to finally start changing everything.

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