Carrier Bag Accounting

Image via Wikipedia

Your client turns up with a carrier bag full of receipts days before the tax returns are due and hands them over.

There's an expectation that somehow you'll be able to perform a miracle and turn them around in order to get their tax return completed on time.

It's also the weekend and you were looking forward to time with the family having completed all your other clients returns on time.

The last few days of January are always particularly busy for accountants.  Clients will inevitably leave it to  the last minute, before sending their paperwork to their accountant and that puts more pressure on you to get the work done.

If you meet their expectation - you're likely to end up working late or over the weekend in order to get their return completed in time.  Great service perhaps but it's not respecting your time.

If you let them do it once, they'll do it again and again and again and you're the one left working long hours to complete all those last minute returns.  (This doesn't just apply to accountants).

So, what can you do to stop it happening next year?

• Let them know the last date you'll accept their records, to guarantee that you'll be able to submit their return on time.

• Email them reminders at the end of the Tax year and at intervals before their returns are due and increase the frequency the closer the deadline gets.

• Apply a financial penalty the closer the deadlines gets, especially if it means you'll be working overtime or at the weekend.

• Make it clear that you may not be able to complete their return in time if they're late and they will have to pay the £100 fine + interest.

Use the same principles for any work you do with clients who leave things to the last minute or put pressure on deadlines.

You could also suggest that they get in touch with me or complete the Time Audit if their time habits are impacting their business in other ways.

Related articles

• 7 last-minute Self Assessment tips (simplybusiness.co.uk)

Create A To-Do List That Works

Do you work from a daily to-do list or do you have a 'rolling', never-ending to-do list?

According to @BBCBreakfast this morning - people who write lists and set goals are more likely to achieve their objectives and get more done.

Well, we already know this - it's well known and oft quoted.  To-do lists, checklists or however you like to organise your work, are essential tools to make sense out of the chaos of our busy lives.

Using and writing to-do lists is great but you need to have one that works.

Keep them short - if there's too much on your daily list, you'll feel overwhelmed.  Pick 5-10 tasks that you'll be able to action today.

Prioritise them - not every task has the same importance, so use numbers, letters or colours to prioritise the items on your list and make sure you do the high priority ones first.  Otherwise you'll cherry-pick the 'nice' tasks and leave the more difficult ones, even though they may be more important.

Group similar tasks together and tackle them at the same time - like phone calls, email, admin or updating your finances.  It's quicker and more efficient.

Create intelligent lists.  Don't just list out tasks but break them down in to manageable tasks.  'Complete Project X' - may be a series of tasks and take several days but 'arrange meeting with Y' may be the first step and take just a few minutes.  Add completion dates and timings to better organise your tasks.  You might also want to include a status if other people are involved.  Spreadsheets are a great way to plan your activity.

Review your lists - check your list regularly during the day to stay focused, act as a reminder and keep you on track.  At the end of the day - cross off what you've completed and add what's still to be done to the following day.

Cull your lists regularly - quite often the more trivial items will fall off the end of the list.  Relate your daily tasks to your goals and objectives - where do they fit in?

Create a master list - these are place holders or tasks that you'd like to do 'some day' or in the near future but aren't yet a priority or something you need to focus on right now, so don't clutter up your list.

Set aside time every now and then to tackle all those little tasks you never quite get round to but you know won't actually take long when you do.  An hour's focused action can enable you to tick off quite a few of those tasks.  (A Focus Day is a great way to tackling to-do lists).

Use your to-do list as part of your daily planning.

If you're struggling with your lists give me a call and I'll help you make sense of them.

Image: Rawich / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Networking Tip #25 Meet Up

If you regularly attend network meeting, you'll know that you don't often manage to have a lengthy conversation with the people you meet.

While you might carry on a conversation and follow-up via email, phone or social media - it's always good to meet up for a longer conversation.

You'll be able to find out more about what they do away from the noise and distractions of a busy network meeting and perhaps discover something you didn't know.

As part of the follow-up process, after each networking meeting, arrange to meet up with at least one or two of the people you've met.  Either a new contact or perhaps even someone you already know but haven't had a longer chat over coffee.

Remember, the intention is to find out more about them, their challenges and how you might be able to help.  Don't see it as an opportunity to do a sales pitch.

Image via Wikipedia

Blue, Blue Monday

Today is the day of the year when we're all supposedly feeling depressed.  It's cold dark and gloomy, the glow of the Christmas holiday is  fading, New Year's Resolutions have already been broken and we're regretting the over-indulgence and spending as the credit card bills arrive and you don't get paid until the end of the month and the Summer seems like a long way off.

Well today is most certainly blue - as I write this, the sun is shining, there's a lovely blue sky out there and I'm watching the birds on the feeders in my garden which is bathed in winter sunshine.

So how can you beat the January blues?  Start by thinking positively - if you look for the negative then you'll find it.

Keep things in perspective.  If you've got food in the refrigerator, money in the bank, a roof over your head and somewhere to sleep - you're better off than 75% of the world, so be grateful for what you do have.

If you want to know how to keep those New Year resolutions, you just need to read January's newsletter for a few tips to keep the motivation going throughout the year.

Take a look at your life as it is now - what do you want to change.  Rather than moan about it and feel worse - decide to do something.  If you're not sure where to start do the Life Balance exercise - it will show you were you need to focus and give you a few ideas.

Don't just plan your Summer holiday but plan a few breaks throughout the year.  Easter is coming up in April, there's a long weekend to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June.  Take advantage of the long weekends for a few days away at least once a quarter.

Get out in to the fresh air and sunshine.  Even though it's January, it's not cold and grey every day (like today).  Wrap up warm and go for a brisk walk in your lunch break or on the way in to work.

Budget your finances, so you know how much you have to spend each month and put a little away to save up for those special occasions or unexpected expenses.  Take a look at the More Money e-Course to help you get on top of your finances and start saving for your future.

Image via Wikipedia

Related articles

• Top 7 Blog Posts of 2011 (clareevans.blogspot.com)

January Newsletter: How To Achieve What You Want In 2012

"Setting out at the beginning of a new year as you intend to continue is always a good starting point.

However, most people slip back into bad habits or forget all about those New Year resolutions by about mid- February if not before.

But how can you make those resolutions stick?

How can you make sure that all those good intentions and possibilities at the beginning of the year actually continue? ..."

Read the full article: 'How To Achieve What You Want In 2012' in January's newsletter - here.

Register for the free monthly newsletter and get additional tips, information and resources to help grow your business and improve your work life balance direct to your inbox once a month - www.clareevans.co.uk.

Related articles

• December Newsletter: Review Your Year, Ensure Your Success + Two Special Offers (clareevans.blogspot.com)
• November Newsletter: Are You Suffering From Information Overwhelm? (clareevans.blogspot.com)

Have You Lost Your Identity?

According to a recent NetMums survey, over half of working mums today feel as if they've lost their 'mojo'.

Many women I know have lost a sense of who they are.  Before they got into a relationship or got married and had children, they were their own person.  They had a job, they had their own interests outside of their family and friends.

Now many women are defined by being a wife, a mother, a carer, chief cook and bottle washer and have lost their own sense of identity.  Even if they're running their own businesses or have a full-time job, they still end up being responsible for the majority of the

I've heard many working mums say their children come first - of course they're important and they need you but it doesn't mean you should come third, fourth or even further down the list of importance.

Find time for yourself as the woman you once were before you become even more invisible to your children, your partner and your family.  Think about your own personal development.  What is it that you want to achieve in your life?

If you're happy, motivated and content with your own life and who you are, you'll be in a better position to give more to your family and friends.

Top 7 Blog Posts of 2011

Here are the links to my Top 7 blog posts for 2011 based on page views and popular topic titles.  Many of them will help you to have a more productive and profitable 2012, so check back when you need a burst of inspiration or motivation.

Seven Top Tips For Working Fewer Hours - start the year as you mean to go on.

How Are Your Boundaries - clear boundaries are important for good time management.

15 Minutes of Exercise For Better Health - a good one for all those New Year Resolutions we have to get fit and lose weight.

Working Long Hours Increases Risk of Heart Attack - a theme developing here - looking after your body is important.

7 Tips To Avoid Last Minute Holiday Panic - a bit late for Christmas but worth thinking about when you're planning your holidays this year.

Taking Time Out For Your Business - don't get too bogged down in the day to day routine.

Drop Outs No Shows And Last Minute Cancellations - frustrating but inevitable.

As we start a new year - I hope you find these and many of my other blog posts useful to increasing your productivity, growing your business and living the life you want.