Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right. - Oprah Winfrey

With the New Year just a couple weeks away, many are preparing to jump-start their businesses with new approaches and strategies.  Last week we introduced the following five tips to help you prepare for a more productive and profitable New Year:

1.    Revamp workplace

2.    Clean up computer files

3.    Revisit damaged relationships

4.    Create a financial forecast

5.    Implement new techniques and services

This week we’ll complete this series by covering the final five tips on preparing your tax practice for a New Year of business:

6. Consider final tax benefits

You’re a tax professional; this one should be a no-brainer.  In fact, you’ve probably already given your clients this tip.  Take advantage of holiday sales to purchase items your business will need next year. They’re deductible and you should easily be able to stock up on furniture, supplies, and other equipment you use in your business.

7. Contact clients

Some businesses send holiday cards or even give gifts.  Whatever you do, it’s important that you remind clients of your services before the New Year begins.  You may also want to take the opportunity to share with them your valuable, year-round tax planning services which can help them lower their tax liability and ultimately save them money.

8. Go green

More and more professionals are looking for ways to lessen the impact of their businesses on the environment.  Consider incorporating a few environmentally conscious techniques that will ultimately save you money in the long run: recycle, look at alternative energy sources, cut back on energy consumption and waste, and consider purchasing a hybrid vehicle.  Some of these practices are accompanied with valuable tax breaks.  That, and it will just make you feel good.

9. Eliminate clutter

No one likes to start the New Year with a messy office.  Give your office a good cleaning before 2009 so that you’re not dreading the paperwork stacked on your desk.  Along with revamping your office, creating a clean and functional workspace will make you more productive.  Not to mention, you may enjoy your work more.

10. Create your New Year business strategy

Every business should evaluate their standing and, based on scrutiny of past performance, create a strategy that will enable their practices to be more productive in the New Year.  As you assess your business’s performance, consider ways you might improve your marketing strategies, networking approaches, and work processes.  From there you can develop a list of resolutions that will make your business more profitable.

Choose the Programs that Will Best Suit Your New Year Needs

Universal Accounting Center has a host of programs designed to help professionals like you enhance their service offerings and grow their practices.  Learn more about these programs by purchasing our special DVD set which includes the following:

Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program

Learn how becoming a Professional Bookkeeper will enable you to enhance your service offerings and remain busy year-round and not just during tax season.

Yes Sample Marketing CD

Learn how to introduce your services to a potential client. Use this to role playing, watch with a prospective client or pass it out.

Start Today and Have Your Own Bookkeeping Service

Learn how to make over $80,000 per year working from home while getting more clients than you can handle. Know how to charge your client so you can afford to take that next vacation while they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you.

The Art and Science of Getting Clients

Learn how to get more clients by using our proven methods.

After watching these videos you’ll have the information you need to select the programs that will benefit your practice and enable you to experience the profitability and growth you desire.  2009 is your year!  Realize your New Year resolutions this time around.  Order this special video library today!

5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. - George S. Patton

There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t clearly articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing. - James Kouzes and Barry Posner

Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it. - John Naisbitt

Small business owners are, by default, managers.  And if they have employees, they better be good leaders as well.  Leaders, by definition, are able to steer an organization and its resources to success.  Are you a good leader?  Ask yourself the following five questions to determine whether or not your business has a good leader at its helm:

1. Is your business headed in the right direction?

The best sign that you are a good leader is when your business is headed in the right direction, headed being the operative word.  While your business may not have yet achieved perfection, it’s important that it be improving by the month.  If not, you should reevaluate your current financial situation and see where you must shift your attention in order to see more profitability and growth.

2. Do you regularly research industry trends?

It’s important that you know what’s happening in your industry.  If you become too busy to follow current tax trends and keep up with the every-changing tax law, you’ll not only be ill-informed, but you’re most likely to be out of work very soon.  Small businesses that have a lead on the competition are generally run by individuals who know where their industry is headed and have incorporated those trends that will help them remain on top.

3. Are you enthusiastic, sharing your vision with clients and employees?

Employees are inspired by leaders with a clear vision.  Do you have a vision?  If not, you must create one, and soon.  If so, you must practice sharing it with employees and clients.  Your ability to transmit your enthusiasm to those with whom you associate will do wonders for your business.  Enthusiasm is contagious, and the sooner it starts catching at you business, the better.

4. Do you communicate clearly and succinctly?

Your ability to communicate well will often evidence itself in your employees’ actions.  If they are following your directions and fulfilling your requests without incident, chances are you’re communicating clearly, in a manner that is well understood by those who work for you.  If not, chances are you’re not being as straightforward and clear and you might like.  Good leaders are also good communicators who can articulate their messages without extreme effort.

5. Are your employees proactive and independent?

Good leaders hire and train employees that don’t require much oversight.  Not only that, if you lead by example you’ll find that your staff desires to work independently, fulfilling their job requirements in such a way that your vision will be quickly realized.  If you find yourself continually micromanaging your employees, you need to change your approach.  Perhaps they need more training or encouragement to magnify their responsibilities.

Good Leaders Provide Employees with Valuable Training

If you would like to improve your leadership skills, consider offering group training to your employees.  You can learn from UAC’s example while offering your employees something that will impact your business in a positive and profitable way.  We offer valuable business management training, which helps your employees develop a strong company culture that’s committed to its own financial success.  Or consider accounting, bookkeeping and tax staff training which enables each employee to become a Profit Expert within your organization.  Either would jumpstart your business for the New Year.  To learn more, visit Universal Accounting Center today!

Business Advice From a 21 year old Entrepreneur? You Betcha!

Learn from Those Who Have Thought “Out of the Box”

At 12-years old Cameron Johnson started his second (yes, second) business. He purchased his little sister’s Beanie Baby collection for just $100. He sold it on Ebay for $1000, after which he promptly applied to become a retailer for several Beanie Baby manufacturers. Using a personal computer he got for Christmas when he was nine, he sold Beanie Babies from his website, eventually making $50,000 from this venture.

Now 21, Cameron has successfully started, managed and sold 12 businesses. You might say he’s an entrepreneurial phenomenon. He continues to be involved in several businesses, has been featured in over 200 news stories, is a motivational speaker, and is currently celebrating the publishing of his first book, You Call the Shots. This young businessman offers 3 principles for success to other entrepreneurs like himself.

Believe in yourself.
Cameron mentions the first principle to success is confidence. A little moxie, pluck, spunk, and self-assurance can go a long way. He says, “It’s actually not that difficult to succeed. It’s much more common sense than rocket science. But it starts with finding the courage to put yourself out there.”

Self-confidence is what give you the courage to respond positively to rejection; it also gives you the ability to trust your own instincts, which Cameron says is crucial when running your own business. “You can learn all kinds of things from other people, but ultimately it’s your own instincts that you’ll need to rely on.”

And finally, a belief in yourself will resonate to those you interact with. While your product and/or service may be exceptional, clients and potential clients must also believe in you for your business to be successful.

Believe in what you’re selling.
It’s difficult to sell something if you don’t believe it has any value. Regardless of what you’re selling, you need to appreciate its worth. Cameron firmly believes that a business person is also a salesperson, and that there’s a difference between being pushy and being persuasive. People resort to being pushy when selling something that’s useless. He says, “I’m persuasive when I’m selling, but that’s because I truly believe in what I’m selling and the value it will create for my customer. My feeling is, I’d be doing my customers a disservice if I let them not buy my product.”

Treat others with respect.
When you respect yourself, respect for others follows naturally. Cameron states that respect is the best secret of business success. When you treat each person you encounter with respect, your client base will grow as more and more individuals are attracted to both you and your services; these same people will also send family and friends your way because they will trust you to treat them well.

For such a young businessman, Cameron Johnson is brimming with confidence and ease. With such a bright past his future appears even more radiant. But the important thing to remember is that Cameron doesn’t have an MBA, and when he first started he didn’t have an impressive repertoire of business experience; he was simply a kid with a good idea, some common sense and gusto. And while he’s just 21, there’s probably a lot we can all learn from this young entrepreneur about believing in yourself.

For this and more information straight from Cameron himself, visit his article “A Teen Millionaire’s Three Principles to Success.”

Are you ready to take that next step? Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life. Click here to find out if Professional Tax Preparation Certification is a fit for you.

Young and Successful Entrepreneurs: What’s Their Secret?

Recently Inc.com released an article naming the top 30 entrepreneurs under 30 years old. From iPod accessories to business furniture, from real estate to large and trendy women’s shoes, and from popcorn seasonings to insomnia cookies, these young upstarts are clever and dedicated. But what else to do they have in common and how can it help other entrepreneurial hopefuls like you?

Obviously one thing they have in common is youth. But interestingly, they are part of a generation more likely to start their own businesses, not once but countless times. Donna Fenn reported that a recent survey conducted by OPEN from American Express found that 55% of Generation Y (born between 1977 and 1994) view themselves as serial entrepreneurs while only 33% of baby boomers do.

There are other commonalities among these young entrepreneurs, including a desire to take risks, familiarity with technology, and an understanding of their peers’ wants and needs.

Risk Enthusiasts
We all know that starting your own business requires a fair amount of risk taking. 70% of Gen Y says they like taking risks while only 53% of their older counterparts agree. While some of that can be attributed to having less to loose, it enables them to move forward without fear, focusing all their energy on making their venture work.

Familiarity with Technology
Because they’ve grown up with the Internet, multimedia, gadgets, widgets, and other technologies, they recognize its inherent value in helping promote and build their businesses. Not only do many of these 30 under 30 entrepreneurs have technology-based enterprises but most of them recognize the value of using the Internet to promote their businesses, either through viral marketing, blogging, websites, or other electronic means.

An Understanding of Their Peers Wants and Needs
Obviously, Generation Y makes up a large portion of the American population, nearly as much as the baby boomers. And because Gen Y is a large group of like-minded consumers, it serves these entrepreneurs well to know what appeals to them. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that many of these risk enthusiasts have a pulse on this young and hip market and know which business ventures are viable and which are not.

But you don’t have to be 17 to 30 in order to become a successful entrepreneur. But perhaps we could learn a thing or two from these trendy upstarts. Here’s some advice from just a few of these 30 young and successful entrepreneurs:

One thing I’ve learned is that you have to learn to celebrate the little successes when they happen, and not just worry about the failures all the time. —Ben Goldhirsh, Good

Identify your own weaknesses and find people that you can work with who will make up for that. —Nick Kenner, Just Salad

You have to have a vision of what you’re actually going to provide for someone. Why is someone going to use my service? What is it going to do for them? If you can actually solve somebody’s problem, the money will always follow. —Raj Lahoti, Online Guru

See yourself first, then sell your idea. Ninety percent of investors will invest in a person. If you create an ‘A’ team with a ‘B’ product, then you’ll have an ‘A’ company. If you create a ‘B’ team with an ‘A’ product, then you’ll have a ‘B’ company. —Miles Munz, InterviewStream

The most important thing is just to go out and start something. I think a lot of people feel as if they are not qualified yet or they just need to get X-amount of money in the bank before they go out and start something. And it doesn’t really matter what it is, you’ll get phenomenal experience starting everything. And eventually you’ll get a successful business under your belt. —Hayden Hamilton, GreenPrint

If It’s Accounting, It’s Universal:

Get to Know More About the Company That Will Change Your Career!

Universal Accounting is a company that is making a difference in the lives of their students! For those who are pursuing or looking into the possibilities of pursuing a career path into the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation services, you need to get to know more about what all Universal offers in their comprehensive training programs.

If you prefer onsite classroom study or looking for the benefits received on independent study, we have developed the programs that you will be able to get the one-on-one experience in your own home. The skills we have used over the course of the last 28 years, with the trial and error, the fine-tuning of accounting methods and strategies, and what we and thousands more have experienced running their own practices - we have provided to you the advantage to stay on top of your profession. Our coursework is designed to be exactly what you will be doing when you are servicing the biggest customer base available, the small business owner.

If you are looking for the knowledge, the skills, and the know-how to start or build your accounting or tax practice, or just looking to gain the essential skills to further your career in your place of business, Universal’s Programs are what you are going to need.

Click here to take the Video Tour of Universal and all that we offer to you, the accounting and tax professional to be the best in your field and to have the success in business and in your professional life that you are seeking.Our exclusive short term courses do just that!

Imagine staying on top of the latest in the industry and having access to the experts who can assist you through training? Imagine what you are learning can be applied the very next day at work? Imagine being able to keep the materials, and the reading for continued referencing as you take that path in Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation? You don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is one of the many things you receive when you enroll in these specialized programs! Click here to get to know Universal Accounting.

Are You Ready For The Next Step?
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself getting paid what you’re worth! Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life. Click here to find out if Professional Tax Preparation Certification is a fit for you.

Be the Profit Expert Professional for Small Business! Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting and Marketing Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming the Profit Center Expert for small business accounting and tax!

Work with Time, Not against It

Practice 10 Time-Saving Techniques

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. - Benjamin Franklin

Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. - Harvey MacKay

You know what they say, time is money. So if you can learn to better use your time, you’ll increase your bottom line. So how do you go about practicing better time management in order to log more billable hours, making your workday more productive? We’ve gathered ten time-saving techniques that should help.

1. Practice delayed gratification
Often we perform the most appealing tasks first. The problem with this approach is that it often causes the dread for those less-appealing tasks to build, tempting you to delay them even longer and waste more time in the long run. Approach the more consuming tasks at the beginning of your day when you have the most energy; the rest of your day will prove to be more enjoyable (and productive!).

2. Prioritize
At the beginning of each day determine which tasks are most important and timely. That way you ensure that you’re not only productive but responsible, completing those jobs that need your attention first.

3. Make a To-Do List
Using the list of priorities from above, create a To-Do list. You can fill in your list with other less crucial, but still necessary tasks (like running errands or returning phone calls).

4. Plan ahead
While it’s important to plan your daily schedule you should also look ahead and see how you can plan for future projects. For example, as tax season approaches are there things you can do now to prepare, making that crunch time easier and less stressful? As you use down time to manage future tasks you’ll find that you’ll complete them more quickly, giving you even more time for other duties and activities.

5. Organize
Taking the time to organize your office, your files and your supplies will help you work more efficiently. That time you spend organizing now will pay off in the long run because you’ll avoid wasting time later trying to find those things you need.

6. Group like tasks together
You can save time by completing similar tasks at the same time. For example, return phones call all at once, catch up on all your email, or send all your faxes together. You’ll be focused on the task at hand and can maximize that time it takes to open your email, search for phone numbers, and operate the fax machine.

7. Power shop
As with number six, when you run your errands all at the same time (and buy supplies in bulk) you’ll save a significant amount of time.

8. Avoid unnecessary meetings
Countless hours could be saved in avoiding unnecessary meetings. Evaluate all appointments currently on your calendar and ask whether or not you could eliminate any by corresponding over the phone or via email. Some people spend hours at meetings designed to gather information or answer a series of questions that could easily be addressed through some other, more time-efficient means.

9. Get it right the first time
Do a job right the first time. It may take longer, but it will ensure the quality of your work and eliminate the need to revise your work or redo it altogether.

10. Take a break
You can’t imagine how much time you save in taking reasonable and necessary breaks. Working hard for days on end without interruption or that occasional vacation will eventually take its toll, either through job burnout or illness, costing you in productivity later.

Everyone can improve their time management, and thankfully, it takes little time to implement any of these ten time-saving techniques. Try applying just one a day to see the difference it makes. Imagine all the hours you can save in one month of utilizing these time-saving tips.

A Safety Net

What cannot be achieved in one lifetime will happen when one lifetime is joined to another. -Harold Kushner

Because tax preparation doesn’t require much interaction, at times you may feel lonely and isolated. To counter that you must build a support system. Not only will this provide you with involvement in a professional community, but interacting with your peers can also help you discover ways to improve your business. Here are some places to look for like-minded business professionals.

Professional Organizations

There are many organizations you can join in order to network with other tax professionals. Some of these include the National Society of Accountants (NSA) and the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP). The NSA represents more than 30,000 independent practitioners who provide accounting, tax, auditing, financial, and estate planning and management services to 19 million individuals and businesses. The NATP is a non-profit organization designed to provide taxpayers with vital information and knowledge. It exists to serve professionals who work in all areas of tax practice and has more than 17,000 members nationwide, including tax preparers, enrolled agents, public accountants, accountants, attorneys and financial planners.

There are also organizations designed to help the self-employed. The Small Business Association is an independent agency of the federal government designed to assist, promote, and protect the small business owner. Their site contains many useful resources including free newsletters.

Local Organizations

You’d probably be surprised to discover there are local organizations designed to support the community while providing business owners with networking opportunities. One of the best places to start is with your local Rotary Club. Comprised of local business owners, the Rotary Club will expose you to potential clients and networking associates. And because the Rotary Club maintains high ethical standards, it is a good organization with which to be associated.

You may be surprised at what you find when you start doing a little research. There are countless local organizations (some of them non-profits) designed to help small businesses succeed. Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to get the support you need.

Online Forums

It can be difficult to find a group of small business owners with whom you can ask questions, share insights, and offer advice. Luckily there are online discussions groups, listservs and forums to help you connect with these individuals, including the Small Business Community Forums.

There are also a lot of online tax and accounting forums designed to help financial professionals connect. Universal Accounting Center has developed a forum for accountants and tax preparers to provide just that community environment you may have been searching for. Please join us and make our community stronger. Members are free to ask questions, provide resources and take advantage of the resources others may offer. We also ask that you give us feedback on our articles and suggest topics you’d like us to cover. Join us today!

Picking the right organization(s) to frequent and possibly join will not only expose you to professionals like yourself, but will alert you to key conferences, workshops and other events where you can meet even more potential members of your support system.

References
National Association of Accountants (NSA)
National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)
Rotary International
U.S. Small Business Association
Small Business Community Forums

It’s mid-summer and you’re probably experiencing a lull in business; not too many are interested in taxes this time of year. What are some things you can do? We have a suggestion. Why not use this time to enhance your skills and become a full service financial provider? You’ll be able to increase your service offerings and turn your business into a full-time, year-round venture. It’s finally time to quit your day job and give yourself a raise.

How Easy Is It?

You may think that adding accounting services to your offerings would require a lot of time, energy, and money. That’s simply not true. In 60 hours you could not only have the skills, but the confidence to perform small business accounting for a growing niche market. Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program provides hands-on training in the day-to-day accounting tasks required by small businesses. From payroll to bank reconciliations, you’ll learn how to manage more than your clients’ books; you’ll also become their Profit Expert, informing them how they can increase their business’s profitability and success. Imagine how valuable that service would be to small business owners who often struggle to last longer than 5 years.

Testimonial: This course has really helped open options I never thought I had before. The training was easy to understand, and the hands-on work emphasizes that understanding and know-how.-Barbara W.

How Much Could You Make?

We’ll do more than give you an average income range; we’ll share an equation that will help you calculate how many clients you will need to earn the income you desire. You can charge the average client $300/month. If you have 20 clients you’re earning $6000 per month. That’s $72,000 in one year, and that number doesn’t even take into account how much you earn during tax season. Depending on your needs, you can increase or decrease the number of clients in order to hit your target income.

Testimonial: As of July 1st, I am leaving my job of 15 years and working my business full time. I already have enough clients, on contract, to give me a larger annual income than I had working for my employer.-Robbie Ursu

How Many Clients Could You Have?

We challenge you to take a drive down your main street or thumb through the yellow pages of your local phone book. How many small, local businesses can you find? And that doesn’t even include the countless entrepreneurs working from their homes. Your potential client base is huge and continues to grow every year.

Testimonial: After completing UAC’s training I opened my business. I now have 15 clients, and have only had one meeting that did not result in a new client.-Victoria Richardson

How Long Would It Take To Get Started?

The Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed to teach you everything you need to know to get started. And because operating an accounting and bookkeeping practice from your home requires little to no startup costs, you could have your practice up and running as soon as you’re ready. This program is practically a ready-made business; you add confidence and stir.

Testimonial: I did not imagine that I could face this world out there and talk confidently about accounting and bookkeeping, let alone start my own business in it. But having this class, I have developed the confidence that I need to go out there and be on my own and the confidence to make a go at it. I’m ready to face the world!!!-Julie M.

Now is the perfect time to take advantage of a lull in business to grow your clientele and become a full-service financial provider. It’s not only easy, but profitable and can take just a couple months to get started. You’ve already got a strong base with your tax preparation business. Why not take advantage of your standing by growing your business this summer?

Our Business-Warming Gift

If you order the Professional Bookkeeper Program now, we’ll throw in QuickBooks Made Profitable as a business-warming gift! Most financial professionals know that QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software used by small business owners. You can use your QuickBooks skills to attract even more clients. When you order the PB Program, you’ll learn how to do just that! With these two programs you will be able to increase your service offerings and learn how to use your QuickBooks skills to attract even more clients.

Not only is now the perfect time for you to grow your business, but this is the perfect opportunity to help you do that.

• Click here to pay in full.
• Click here to finance.

(Part One of a Two-Part Series)

You still have a few weeks until the April 17^th deadline, and chances are you’re swamped with tax forms and to-do lists. And while you probably recognize that the busier you are the more lucrative the season, it doesn’t make the stress go away. But there are some things you can do to better manage the stress and alleviate some of the anxiety. Here are 10 of 20 stress relieving techniques that we hope will help.

1. Get up 15 minutes early.

Having the extra time to get ready for the day ahead is always good. Use the time to take a deep breath, enjoy a good breakfast, or plan your day.

2. Take the time to plan your day.

Sometimes we let ourselves get caught up in the chaos of the day without really planning for it. Take some time before you start working to order your priorities and make lists of what needs to be done.

3. Be realistic.

When planning your day, be realistic. Have a list of must-do’s and another list of would-be-nice-to-do’s. When we have unrealistic expectations, we invite stress into our lives.

4. Avoid procrastination.

Procrastination causes stress. And you might be surprised at all the time you waste worrying about those tasks you’re procrastinating. Don’t put off anything you could realistically do today.

5. Tackle unpleasant tasks first.

People generally procrastinate unpleasant tasks (and procrastination causes stress). When planning your day, see that you tackle the unpleasant tasks first. You’ll find the rest of the day is much more enjoyable.

6. When you’ve reached maximum stress-capacity, take a break.

We all know the feeling; we’ve lost our focus and every task we undertake seems to be going wrong. That’s a sign that we’ve reached maximum stress-capacity and need a break. Do something enjoyable to give your brain a break.

7. Schedule breaks into your day.

Everyone needs a break to clear their mind and start again refreshed. Don’t just wait for those times when you’ve reached maximum stress-capacity; every couple hours take a break, even if it’s just to push yourself away from your desk to get a breath of fresh air.

8. Everyday treat yourself to something you enjoy.

Live is a dreary thing if you don’t enjoy it. Be sure that everyday you take the time to do something that makes you feel good: exercise, watch a favorite program, listen to music, talk to a friend.

9. Do things right the first time.

Never walk away from a task or project with the understanding that you’ll probably have to “fix” it later. If you know that it’s incomplete or incorrect, go back until the job is properly done. It saves you the time worrying about it later.

10. Get enough sleep.

It’s easier to face a full and chaotic day when you’ve gotten your sleep.

While stress is inevitable this time of year, you can still manage that stress so that you don’t burn out. Take the time to take care of yourself. And return next week to read 10 more stress-relieving techniques.

(Part Two of a Two-Part Series)

When you have a big deadline just weeks away, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed. We congratulate you for all the good business, but know you need more than our good wishes in order to survive the stress. Last week we gave you these 10 stress-relieving techniques to help you better manage the chaos of tax season and other big deadlines:

1. Get up 15 minutes early.
2. Take the time to plan your day.
3. Be realistic.
4. Avoid procrastination.
5. Tackle unpleasant tasks first.
6. When you’ve reached maximum stress-capacity, take a break.
7. Schedule breaks into your day.
8. Everyday treat yourself to something you enjoy.
9. Do things right the first time.
10. Get enough sleep.

Here are 10 more that we hope will carry you through the rest of the year for all your big deadlines and for next year’s tax season.

11. Rethink all current appointments; think twice before scheduling anymore.

When facing a big deadline, it would be a good idea to look at all your appointments and question their necessity. People will understand if you must reschedule when faced with a lot of pressure. And don’t schedule any new appointments unless absolutely necessary.

12. Schedule time for yourself and your family.

Your family probably wonders if you’ll ever resurface and spend quality time with them. While it may not seem like you have any time to spare, it can be extremely rejuvenating to take an hour or two and do something relaxing with your family. It also can give you the perspective you need to make it through the most hectic times.

13. Work one project at a time.

When you look at all the files on your desk or imagine the tasks you still have left to do, it can be paralyzing. But rather than thinking of what’s left to do, take it one project at a time. And be sure to congratulate yourself at the successful completion of each task.

14. Recognize when things go well and be grateful.

At stressful times in our lives we have a tendency to look at the negative and feel discouraged by all the things that seem to go wrong. Instead, make a conscious effort to acknowledge the positive and be grateful when things go well. This will help your mood tremendously which will make tackling all those tasks much easier.

15. Organize your office space.

Often we feel stressed because our work environment is cluttered and chaotic. Piles of paperwork and a messy desktop not only cause stress, but it makes you less productive. Imagine all the time you would save if everything was where it belonged. And imagine how good you would feel to work in a clean and organized workspace.

16. Have something to do in case you have to wait.

Getting stuck in rush-hour traffic or in a backed-up doctor’s office can be stressful, especially if you spend that time thinking about all the things you could be doing. Anticipate these moments and carry work with you. Just be sure it’s travel-friendly and kept safe.

17. Don’t spend your free time worrying.

When you do finally get some free time to spend relaxing or with your family, don’t let the stress of work follow you. Give yourself permission to take a mental vacation from work so that you can enjoy the time and recharge your battery.

18. Do something for someone else.

Often the best cure for personal worry and stress is to do something kind for someone else. It will help shift the focus from you to someone in need, and you’ll feel good. Chances are you’ll be able to recognize the value of your deed and will be the object of someone’s gratitude.

19. Delegate.

When possible, delegate tasks. Your family will probably be more than willing to help if it means they can spend more time with a less stressed you! Consider simple tasks that don’t require your knowledge or expertise (filing, organizing, mailing, etc.).

20. Plan your celebration.

You should always take the time to reward yourself for work well done. And planning some type of celebration, regardless of how small, will give you something to look forward to when it’s all over.

Be sure to take care of yourself; you’ll be surprised at how much easier work seems when you’ve taken the time to relieve stress. Good luck!

To read more stress-relieving techniques, visit the National Headache Foundation.