Did you enjoy the process?

I spent last week working on my accounting and taxes. This is never my favorite time of year for many reasons that include (1) being angry at myself for not having my accounting up-to-date and (2) stressing over how much I owe the IRS. Every year I vow to do things better – and I do make improvements – but so far I still have a ton of work around tax-time.

We all have parts of our businesses that we don’t enjoy. For you it might be accounting, writing, networking, or social media. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could transform these tasks from miserable to tolerable ? Or better yet — gratifying? This year I challenged myself to enjoy the accounting process instead of wallowing in self-pity while I completed my year-end financials.

One of my favorite movies is Mary Poppins. In one scene she gives the children medicine while she sings Just a Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down. My goal was to find the “spoonful of sugar” that would make the process easier and more enjoyable.

How to enjoy the process of your least favorite tasks

It might not be possible to move from horrible to happy thoughts, but you can make things incrementally better. Here are some of the ways I used to make my accounting experience better:

• Know your work style. I do best when I work on a project – whether I enjoy it or not — 100 percent of the time. I like to get my painful experiences over with and prefer the Brian Tracy method outlined in Eat That Frog. For this reason, I always devote the last two weeks of February to my finances. This full-time approach works for me. Another approach is to devote one hour a day until you reach your goal. In other words, take tiny bites of the frog until it disappears!
• Recognize another perspective. I have a colleague who loves keeping her financial records up-to-date. She makes it a priority and gets great satisfaction from knowing her accounts are always balanced. She does not view accounting as a burden or complain about any finance-related tasks. Her attitude reminds me that there are other perspectives beyond hating tax season. Like my friend, I could choose to feel joy in knowing that my accounts are in the process of being balanced and reconciled.
• Make your environment as pleasurable as possible. Buy some fresh flowers for your desk. Light a scented candle. Wear your comfiest clothing. Put your favorite music or Netflix show on in the background. Indulge in a fancy Starbucks’ coffee or your favorite chocolates. Do everything you can to make your environment as nice as you can.
• Connect with your reasons. I just spoke with a friend who’d had her first colonoscopy. She complained about the prep and how miserable the experience was. I sympathize. I’ve had more than a dozen colonoscopies to remove pre-cancerous polyps. I willingly accept the prep because I know it can keep me from dying of colon cancer. Knowing that there is a bigger purpose for your trouble – whether it’s a life-saving procedure or not getting into trouble with the IRS – can improve your attitude.
• Stop the negative self-talk. Grumbling, complaining, and being angry at yourself does not make any unpleasant task easier. Accept your circumstances. Focus your efforts on the solution, not beating yourself up for creating a problem or finding people to validate your misery.
• Make consistent progress. My favorite way to approach unpleasant tasks is to use the Pomodoro Technique. The basics are that you set a timer for 25 minutes and completely focus on your project for that time (yes that means no Facebook or texting), take a 5-minute break, and then repeat three more times. After two hours, take a longer break and then repeat. This process is very satisfying because it keeps you from procrastinating and enables you to make real progress.
• Stay focused on the result. I know that I will feel a profound sense of relief once I file my taxes. Focusing on those good feelings can make the accounting process more positive.
• Be willing to make changes. Take a good look at your challenges and be open to solutions. If you’re somebody who procrastinates on their finances, there are several things that might help. You might benefit from an easier-to-use accounting system or some additional training. You could take steps to avoid a tax crunch next year by scheduling time every week to update your accounts. Or maybe it’s time to hire a bookkeeper and take a two-week vacation instead of toiling over your taxes!

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About Sue Allen Clayton

Sue Allen Clayton is the author of Solopreneur Success: How to Plan, Create and Run a One-Person Business. She is Founder of the Solopreneur Academy which provides online education and encouragement to female solo business owners. Members of the Solopreneur Academy enjoy daily interaction in our private Facebook group, as well as monthly events including Master Classes, Book Club, Mindset Monday, Get It Done Day, and group coaching.D