Tax season is finally over, and if you’re like most accountants, you’re probably thinking, “I just need a break.” After weeks—or maybe months—of long hours, tight deadlines, and constant pressure, it’s tempting to believe that some time off will be the answer to everything.
In fact, I’ve got a vacation planned with my husband next week, and I can’t wait to relax. But have you ever noticed how the stress seems to creep right back in, no matter how much rest you get?
We’ve all been there. You plan the perfect vacation or just a quiet weekend to recharge, thinking it will fix the exhaustion and overwhelm. And for a little while, it works. You feel better—lighter, even.
But then Monday rolls around, or the emails start piling up again, and suddenly, it’s like you never left. Why does that happen? Why doesn’t time off give you the long-term relief you were hoping for?
The truth is, feeling stretched too thin isn’t just about working too much. It’s about the ongoing mental and emotional load that builds up over time—something a vacation or a few days off can’t fully reset.
So here’s the big question: If breaks aren’t the full solution, what is? And how can we make sure this draining cycle doesn’t keep repeating every tax season?
I know it feels like rest should be enough. You’ve just pushed through one of the busiest times of the year, and of course, your body and brain need a break. But what if the real issue isn’t just needing more time off?
What if it’s about changing the way you live and work every day—not just for a few weeks after April 15th, but all year long?
Think about it: Have you ever come back from a vacation, only to feel more overwhelmed by how much you’ve fallen behind? Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to feel more in control—even in the middle of busy season?
If you have, you’re not alone. Most of us find ourselves stuck in this same loop, wondering why rest alone never seems to be enough.
We’ve been conditioned to think that time off is the cure—but what if that’s only part of the story? What if the real answer isn’t escaping your life for a little while, but creating a life that doesn’t constantly leave you depleted in the first place? Wouldn’t that be worth figuring out?
So, if you’ve ever felt like a week off wasn’t enough to make a lasting difference, stick with me. We’re going to talk about why the pressure keeps creeping back—and what actually needs to change to stop that from happening again.
Why Time Off Feels Good… But Doesn’t Actually Help
It’s no wonder so many accountants think a vacation or time off is the answer when everything feels like too much. When you’re stressed and overwhelmed, the idea of getting away from it all seems like the perfect solution. And for a little while, it does help.
You finally relax, sleep better, and maybe even feel like yourself again. But then, before you know it, you’re right back where you started—stressed, stretched thin, and wondering why the break didn’t last.
The truth is, vacations only provide temporary relief. Sure, you may feel better while you’re away, but the stressors you left behind are still there when you return.
The same workload, deadlines, and expectations don’t magically disappear just because you took a few days off. And without getting to the root of what’s draining you, it doesn’t take long for that old pressure and exhaustion to creep back in.
Think about this: Have you ever taken two weeks off, only to feel buried within days of being back? The emails, the meetings, the tasks that piled up in your absence—it can all hit you like a wave.
You might even feel worse than before your break, questioning whether taking time off was worth it at all.
But the real issue isn’t the vacation—it’s that stepping away doesn’t solve what’s making work so heavy in the first place. It doesn’t change how you think about your responsibilities or how you respond to stress. It doesn’t teach you how to protect your time or your energy in a sustainable way.
In the end, it’s like putting a band-aid on something deeper—it covers things up for a little while, but it doesn’t actually help you heal.
That’s why time off alone rarely creates lasting change. It’s not just about getting more rest. To truly feel better, we have to understand what’s creating the constant tension and figure out how to shift it—day by day, not just once in a while.
What’s Really Draining Your Energy
Let’s talk about what’s actually behind that constant sense of exhaustion—because it’s so much more than just being tired. It’s that deep, worn-down feeling that doesn’t go away with a good night’s sleep or even a long vacation.
It’s what happens when stress stops being something that shows up once in a while and starts becoming a normal part of daily life. It’s emotional, mental, and physical strain all wrapped together, and it can leave you feeling completely depleted.
One of the biggest contributors to this kind of exhaustion is unrealistic expectations. Sometimes they come from the outside—like tight deadlines or demanding clients. But often, they come from within.
We tell ourselves we have to be perfect, we have to work harder than everyone else, and we have to say yes to everything. And honestly? That internal pressure can be just as heavy as anything anyone else puts on us.
Another big issue is boundaries—or the lack of them. When the line between work and life gets fuzzy, it’s easy for work to take over. Maybe you’re answering emails at night or thinking about work on your day off.
Even when you’re technically not working, it’s still in your head. And without clear boundaries, it’s like you never really get to shut down, which makes everything feel heavier.
Then there’s the pressure to always be “on.” Whether it’s performing well at work, staying on top of everything at home, or trying to meet everyone’s expectations, it can feel like there’s no room to breathe.
That nonstop need to prove yourself and keep it all together? That’s what quietly wears you down over time.
And here’s the thing: this kind of depletion doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly—one late night here, one “yes” too many there—until one day, you realize you’re running on empty.
It’s not just about how much you’re doing. It’s about how much of yourself you’re giving away without enough space to recover.
To really change how you feel, you have to understand what’s happening beneath the surface—especially how your brain is wired to handle all of this. And that’s what we’re going to talk about next.
How Your Brain Reacts to Stress (And Why It Matters)
Let’s talk about what’s actually going on in your brain when everything starts to feel like too much—because once you understand it, it actually makes a lot of sense.
Your brain is wired to handle stress in short bursts. It’s part of that ancient fight-or-flight response, where your body kicks into gear to help you deal with immediate danger.
Back in the day, this was incredibly helpful if, say, you were being chased by a lion. But today? Your brain reacts to emails, deadlines, and back-to-back meetings the same way it would to a life-threatening emergency. And the problem is—it doesn’t know when to shut the alarm off.
When stress sticks around too long, your brain gets stuck in overdrive, flooding your body with stress hormones like cortisol. And here’s the tricky part—too much cortisol doesn’t just leave you feeling on edge.
It also makes it harder to think clearly. That’s why everything can start to feel urgent, even when it’s not. Your brain is so busy trying to keep you “safe” that it can’t always tell the difference between a real crisis and just a full inbox.
Cortisol also affects your emotions. You might find yourself snapping at someone or feeling overwhelmed by something small. It’s not because you’re overreacting—it’s because your brain is stretched thin and trying to manage too much at once.
But here’s the good news: your brain can learn a different way to respond. With some simple, consistent changes, you can teach it how to calm down and focus—even when life is hectic. And that’s where real change starts.
This is exactly why vacations feel so good at first. When you step away from the usual stressors, your brain finally gets a break. It’s like hitting a reset button.
But that reset doesn’t last if nothing else changes. Time off doesn’t rewire the way your brain reacts to pressure—it just hits pause for a little while. And when the stressors return, your brain goes right back to the old patterns it knows best.
Here’s the thing: your brain loves habits—even the unhelpful ones. If you don’t make intentional, ongoing shifts, it will default to what it’s used to: overthinking, overworking, and staying in a state of alert.
That’s why short-term relief isn’t enough on its own. To really feel better, you need to teach your brain a new way to respond—and that starts with daily practices that support you.
So if breaks don’t bring lasting change and your brain thrives on routine, what’s the next step? That’s where small, intentional changes come in—and we’ll get into that next.
The Little Things That Actually Help You Feel Better
I’m going to mention a term that might make you roll your eyes, but stick with me. When I say “self-care,” you might picture something like spa days or binge-watching your favorite show.
But for accountants, real self-care isn’t about occasional indulgences—it’s about building habits that make your day-to-day life feel more manageable and less draining. It’s about small, practical actions that support your well-being and help you feel more in control.
For example, how often do you push through lunch or skip breaks because there’s just too much to do? Taking even 10 minutes to step away from your desk—whether to eat a meal, stretch, or just breathe—can completely shift how you feel for the rest of the day.
And what about boundaries? Deciding when to shut down your computer for the night, even if everything isn’t finished, is a form of self-respect. It helps you recharge and protect your energy for the long haul.
Another small but powerful shift is how you handle interruptions. Instead of letting emails or phone calls dictate your day, try setting designated times to check your inbox or return calls. That simple change can reduce mental clutter and help you focus more deeply.
And if you’ve never tried mindfulness, it’s worth exploring. Just a few minutes to pause, close your eyes, and take some slow, deep breaths between client meetings can do more than you might expect. It gives your brain a reset and your nervous system a moment to calm down.
Now let’s talk about small, incremental changes—because these are the ones that stick. They’re doable, not overwhelming, and they quietly shift how your day flows.
For instance, you might start your morning by glancing at your calendar and choosing just one thing that absolutely needs to get done. That small act can help you feel grounded before the day gets away from you.
Or you could try building in 10–15 minutes of buffer time between meetings or tasks. That breathing room can prevent the rush from one thing to the next and give you space to reset.
One of my favorite shifts is practicing the power of “no.” Let’s say a colleague asks you to take on a project, but you know your plate is already full. Instead of automatically saying yes and dealing with the stress later, try something like, “I’d love to help, but my schedule’s tight right now. I’ll let you know when I have more capacity.”
That kind of boundary isn’t selfish—it’s responsible. It’s how you protect your energy without guilt.
These daily habits may seem small, but that’s exactly what makes them so effective. Layered over time, they create a steadier, more sustainable way to work and live—one where you’re not constantly running on empty.
So, if these kinds of small shifts can make such a big difference, what does it look like in real life? Let me share how a few of my coaching clients put this into practice.
Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Reclaiming Their Time and Energy
Let me share a few examples of how my coaching clients made small, practical changes that fit into their busy lives—and saw big results. These weren’t major overhauls. Just simple tweaks that helped them feel more in control and work in a way that supported their energy, not drained it.
One client, a tax accountant, was constantly interrupted during her workday. We created a “focus zone” by setting specific times for uninterrupted work and using a simple sign on her door to signal availability. That small shift helped her get more done in less time—and feel a lot less scattered.
Another client struggled with perfectionism, spending hours tweaking reports that were already good enough. By adopting a “done is better than perfect” mindset for certain tasks, she freed up time to focus on higher-priority work and eased some of the pressure she’d been putting on herself.
One client couldn’t say no and kept taking on extra tasks, even when his schedule was already packed. We practiced using a simple phrase: “Let me check my schedule and get back to you.” Over time, he grew more confident saying no to requests that didn’t align with his priorities, and that made a huge difference in how he felt at the end of the day.
Another client felt mentally drained by all the decisions she had to make throughout the day. We set up a time-blocking system so she could plan her priorities the night before. That one change gave her more clarity and saved a ton of mental energy during the day.
Finally, a small firm owner felt overwhelmed because he was doing everything himself—including tasks his team was fully capable of handling. By putting a delegation plan in place and training his team to take on more responsibility, he created more space for big-picture thinking and found himself enjoying his work again.
These small changes might not seem like a big deal at first glance, but that’s exactly what makes them so effective. They’re easy to implement, sustainable over time, and tailored to what each person actually needs. The key is figuring out what works for you and turning it into a routine that supports—not drains—you.
The bottom line? When you have systems in place that protect your time and energy, everything else becomes more manageable. Time off becomes the bonus, not the lifeline. Instead of needing a break to recover, you’re using breaks to recharge—and that’s a much better place to be.
Now I’m going to share the key takeaway from today and an action item for the upcoming week.
Key Takeaway and Action Item
The key takeaway from this episode is that long hours and time off aren’t the full story—what really helps is making small, consistent changes that protect your energy and support you day to day.
When you create routines that actually work for you, your life becomes more sustainable, and time off becomes a bonus, not something you depend on to recover.
So for this week, ask yourself, “What is one small change I can make today to protect my energy and feel more in control?”
This question matters because it shifts your mindset from waiting for relief to taking action now. Feeling overwhelmed can make you believe the solution has to be big or dramatic.
But more often than not, it’s the simple, intentional changes—like stepping away for a real lunch break, setting a clear boundary, or pausing for a breath—that have the biggest impact over time.
By starting with just one small shift, you’re moving toward a more balanced and sustainable way of working and living—something that will serve you long after tax season ends.
Well, that’s what I have for you today. Thank you for joining me as I shared why time off isn’t the reset you think it is.
If you’d like to discuss how to better manage your time or anything you’re currently struggling with, you can schedule a free 30-minute call with me at https://thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar/.
And don’t forget to check back each week for more tips and strategies to help you go from being a stressed accountant to a Smarter Accountant.
Also, if you haven’t already, make sure to take The Smarter Accountant Quiz at www.thesmarteraccountant.com to see if you’ve been underutilizing your accountant brain. It’s a great starting point to see where you are and how you can improve.
Lastly, if you’ve found today’s episode helpful, I’d really appreciate it if you could spread the word to other accountants. The more we get this message out, the more we can change the narrative in the accounting profession and help accountants everywhere.
The truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.