For accounting professionals, March and April are the ultimate stress test. The pressure of tax season, long hours, and looming deadlines can feel overwhelming. But not all stress is bad—some of it can actually enhance focus and performance. The key is understanding the difference between eustress (beneficial stress) and distress (harmful stress), learning how to manage them, and, most importantly, reframing your perspective to protect both your mind and body.
Understanding Stress: Eustress vs. Distress
The concept of eustress and distress was introduced by endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1976. The term eustress comes from the Greek prefix eu- (meaning "good") combined with stress. Selye’s research on stress highlighted how not all stress is harmful; in fact, some stress can be beneficial and drive performance. His studies on the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) demonstrated how the body responds to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The key takeaway? Stress itself isn’t the problem—it’s how we manage and perceive it that determines its impact.
At first glance, all stress feels the same. Your heart rate increases, your muscles tense up, and adrenaline kicks in. But there’s a critical difference in how that stress impacts you.
- Eustress (Good Stress) – This is the stress that drives you to meet deadlines, stay focused, and push through challenges. It’s the mental boost that helps you get in the zone when tackling a complicated return or solving a client’s financial issue.
- Distress (Bad Stress) – This is when stress becomes overwhelming and leads to burnout, anxiety, and physical exhaustion. It drains you, causing brain fog, irritability, and even physical ailments like headaches and back pain.
The tricky part? Both types of stress feel the same physiologically. The difference lies in how you interpret it.
How to Identify Your Stress Type
? Is this stress helping me focus and perform better? (Eustress)
? Do I feel completely overwhelmed, exhausted, and on the verge of burnout? (Distress)
Am I using stress to push through, or is it pushing me down? If your stress is leading to exhaustion rather than motivation, it’s time to reframe it.
Reframing Stress: The Power of Perspective
Your body reacts to stress based on how your mind perceives it. If you see stress as a crushing force, it will harm you. But if you view it as a source of energy and momentum, you can convert distress into eustress.
1. Reinterpret the Physical Sensations
Instead of saying, “I’m so stressed,” tell yourself:
- “My body is giving me energy to get this done efficiently.”
- “This pressure means I care about my work and want to do well.”
- “Stress is just my body preparing me to perform at my best.”
- “The stress I'm feeling means this work is meaningful and valuable.”
This shift turns anxiety into focus and prevents your stress response from spiraling into exhaustion.
2. Break the Cycle of Overwhelm
Feeling buried under work? Instead of thinking, “I have too much to do,” break it down:
- Prioritize: What must be done today vs. what can wait?
- Time-Block: Work in focused sprints instead of marathon sessions.
- Celebrate Small Wins: Finishing one return = progress. Acknowledge it.
- Adjust Scope for Manageability: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider reducing the scope of work for certain clients. Focus on the minimum required to keep them compliant, and remove extra services—even if they’re paying for them. Renegotiate deadlines for additional work to spread out the workload and reduce stress.
- Purge High-Stress Clients: Some clients take up too much time, while others drain your energy and attention. A big project that takes hours isn’t the same as a short but highly stressful one. Learn to recognize which clients consume a disproportionate amount of emotional energy versus time. Letting go of those who drain you—regardless of how much they pay—frees up mental space and allows you to focus on clients who align with your work style and goals.
3. Change Your Internal Dialogue
Your brain listens to what you tell it. Instead of:
?? “I’ll never get this done.” -> ? “I always get it done, and I will this time too.”
?? “This stress is killing me.” -> ? “This is temporary, and I have the tools to handle it.”
Reframing stress into something manageable and useful protects your body from its harmful effects.
I have found that generally what sets the difference between stress that can be felt as negative vs. positive is your level of control over the situation. So the way to improve your circumstances is to either:
- Only focus on what you CAN control
- Stay away from (or say NO to) situations that put you in a position to have little no control
Practical Stress Management for Accountants
Even with the best mindset, stress needs to be managed physically, too.? I want to add that I am not a health professional and all this is from my personal experience and research...
1. Protect Your Body
- Breathe intentionally: Take 30 seconds to inhale deeply and exhale slowly when stress spikes; and repeat until you feel a difference.? I love this specific video which gets into more details on breathing: https://youtu.be/kSZKIupBUuc
- Hydrate & Eat Smart: Caffeine* and processed sugars spikes amplify stress responses. Balance them with water and protein to maintain energy levels.? If you need a caffeine kick, I have found that green/black tea or matcha gives you energy with less of a crash and if you need the sugar kick, keep it to "low GI" sugars like Dates/Figs combined with nuts are perfect.
- Protect Your Eyes: Staring at screens for long hours strains your eyes and contributes to fatigue. Reduce blue light exposure by using dark mode on your devices, enabling blue light filters, and taking screen breaks every 20 minutes to focus on something distant for at least 20 seconds. Investing in blue light-blocking glasses can also help reduce eye strain and improve sleep quality.
- Sleep Smart: Sleep plays a crucial role in how your body and mind handle stress throughout tax season. Poor sleep quality can turn eustress into distress, leading to burnout, decreased focus, and weakened immune function. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Prioritize a consistent bedtime, limit screen exposure before bed to reduce blue light disruption, and avoid caffeine too late in the day (ideally, avoid it at least 6 hours before bedtime to prevent sleep disturbances). Consider adding natural sleep aids such as magnesium, which helps relax muscles and regulate sleep, or melatonin, which can assist in resetting your circadian rhythm. Herbal teas like chamomile and valerian root can also promote relaxation before bed. Creating a wind-down routine, such as reading or light stretching, can further enhance sleep quality and ensure that your body fully recovers from daily stressors. Power naps of 10-20 minutes during high-stress days can also provide a quick mental and physical reset without grogginess. One effective method is the Napaccino—drink a small cup of espresso right before a 20-minute nap. Since caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, you'll wake up feeling doubly refreshed and energized, combining the benefits of rest with a natural energy boost.
- Love & Connection: Stress management isn’t just about what you do for yourself—it’s also about who you surround yourself with. Talking to a loved one, sharing a moment of connection, or even giving and receiving a hug can quickly reduce stress. My mom always taught me about the six-second hug, which is long enough to trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Whether it’s hugging a family member, calling a friend, or simply spending time with someone who supports you, prioritizing love and connection can be a powerful stress reliever.
- Stretch & Move: Sitting for 8+ hours stiffens your body and worsens stress. A 5-minute walk or quick stretch releases tension; I recommend one 5-min walk per hour or 10-min walk/stretch session per 2 hours. During Lunch break, keep away from phone and computer as stress/tension while eating disrupts digestion and can make the matter worse.?To relieve neck/shoulder tension, hip/back tension, and lower extremities circulation; Neck rolls: Slowly roll your head in a circular motion to release stiffness. Upper trapezius stretch: Gently pull your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder, holding for 20-30 seconds per side. Shoulder shrugs: Lift your shoulders toward your ears and hold for a few seconds before relaxing. Cat-cow stretch: While seated, alternate between arching your back (cow) and rounding it (cat) to loosen the spine. Pelvic tilts: While seated, rock your pelvis forward and backward to engage your core and relieve stiffness. Ankle pumps: While seated, move your feet up and down to stimulate blood flow. Seated calf raises: Lift your heels off the ground and hold for a few seconds before lowering. Leg extensions: Straighten one leg at a time and hold for a few seconds to activate your thigh muscles. Standing quad stretch: Stand up, grab your ankle, and pull it toward your glute to stretch the front of your thigh. I really like this 10-min mid-day Yoga routine
2. Set Boundaries ("non negotiables")
- Schedule Breaks: Even 5 minutes away from the screen resets your brain.
- Learn to Say No: Not every client emergency is your emergency. Your customer's deadline is for THEM to meet, if you did not get the work to start on time, you are not the one responsible for the missed deadline
- Protect Your Sleep & Time Off: Fatigue fuels distress. Even 30 more minutes of rest makes a difference.
- Significantly increase pricing: to "deadline sensitive" work or limit it to your most premium clients; this will naturally turn customers away from shifting deadline stress to you.
3. Find a Release
- Make Breaks Count: Be intentional about your breaks. Don't just stop working—use them to reset your body and mind. Step away with a purpose to shift distress into eustress. A mindful break can make all the difference.
- Laugh: A quick joke with a colleague breaks tension. If you’re a solo practitioner without a colleague at your disposal, consider scheduling a quick check-in with a friend, mentor, or fellow accountant. A weekly Zoom call or chat where you can vent, share challenges, and hear encouragement like 'You've done this before; you can do it again' can be a game-changer in managing stress.?
- Decompress: Whether it’s a workout, yoga / deep stretch, massage, acupuncture, music, a quick walk, sunbathing, or just stepping outside, find something that helps you mentally reset.
Final Thoughts: You Will Get Through This
Every tax season, you push through. And you will again. But the difference between barely surviving and thriving is how you frame the stress. Recognize the stress signals, reframe them into something useful, and manage your body’s response.
Stress doesn’t have to destroy you—it can be the fuel that gets you through. The trade-off? Learning to shift your perspective so that your body takes less of the hit.
Your Challenge:
Try one reframing technique this week and see how it changes your response to stress. Small shifts make a huge difference.
One of the biggest steps toward reducing stress is how you price your services. Increasing your rates and refining your offerings can help you serve fewer clients while maintaining or even increasing revenue. Reducing your overall client load while prioritizing high-value, low-stress engagements is one of the most effective ways to avoid burnout.
If you want to dive deeper into pricing strategies and confidently charge what you're worth, join us at Reframe 2025 this November. The theme will be 'Pricing with Confidence', where we’ll explore how to structure your pricing to align with your expertise, reduce stress, and build a more sustainable accounting practice.
You’re an accounting professional—you’re built for this. And you’ve got the tools to handle it.