April 09, 2019
We often educate about the impact of stress on our mind, body, and spirit and believe in using natural ways to do so. With April 15th embedded firmly in our minds, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit stress and provide some tools for you to stay calm and tranquil if you’re down to the wire on completing your taxes. Along with some forward thinking here are some tips that will help prevent stress or soothe your jangled nerves.
Between calculating numbers, deciding to self-complete your taxes vs. hiring a professional, worrying of owing more than you expected or making a profound mistake on your 1040, we all have ample reasons for dreading the tax season. In the worst case, these scenarios let our fear take hold and we’ve waited until the final hours of the deadline to complete our documents. Remember, in a worst case scenario, filing an extension is an option. Whatever the situation, there are some things you can do to ensure your tax season is easy going!
Stay Organized All Year
A smooth tax season starts with one habit: stay organized all year long and do your best to begin the process well before the official deadline. Create a separate folder in your inbox for digital receipts and keep paper receipts in a file folder in a safe place, so when tax season comes you’re not running around like a chicken with its head cut off searching for your documents.
As the New Year approaches, begin setting aside time to go through your documents and receipts, organizing them in a way that simplifies the process for yourself or your accountant. If you run your own business, this is a great time to create an income and expense spreadsheet.
Start Your Accountant Search Early
If you need to find an accountant to complete your taxes, start the search early. The process of finding someone trustworthy and reliable can be more stressful than the actual process of filing taxes, so if you know you will be hiring out the service, get ahead of the game. Ask for referrals, interview each candidate, and choose a tax professional that best fits your needs.
Be Honest
As long as you’re being truthful about your taxes, you really don’t have too much to worry about. Sure, for a lot of us math is the bane of our existence. That alone can be a hair-pulling scenario! Practice due diligence, be honest and just breathe. Outside of worrying about how many times you can throw your calculator before it breaks, you have nothing to worry about.
Take A Break
When your mind starts spinning and clearheadedness has gone out the window, step away. Recognize when you need a break and take it, your taxes will still be there when you return. By allowing yourself to take breaks, you minimize the risk of making a mistake which should help calm your nerves even more.
When The Stress Inevitably Comes Knocking…
Even for the best of us, stress will still sneak its way into our lives. We love self-soothing with topical products laced with comforting aromas like lavender, citrus, and ylang-ylang to calm the senses. Whether it’s a subdued facial mist, a roller ball of luscious oils, or a decadent bath, there are a number of options. Sometimes simply breathing in the invigorating aromas straight from an essential oil bottle will do the trick! Another option to take your mind off of the stress of tax season is to DIY topicals at home with crafty projects like these soothing shower melts.
If topicals and essential oils don’t do it for you, try going outside for some personalized green time. Remember: you’ve got this. April 15th marks the end of crunching numbers, it’s nearly over, and you won’t have to read an article like this again until next year!