The Brain Science Behind Taking Back Control of Your Time
Show notes
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.
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