Dan Henn CPA
Dan Henn CPA

Tired of Starting the Day in Chaos? Try This.

Mornings set the tone for the entire day. If you start off overwhelmed, distracted, and already feeling behind, the rest of your workday follows suit. And if you’re like most tax professionals, your mornings don’t start with calm focus—they start with chaos.

You wake up, check your email, and—bam—your inbox is on fire. Clients “need” something immediately. A client finally responds to an email from three weeks ago—with 15 follow-up questions. That one annoying client has sent yet another last-minute panic message.

And just like that, your real priorities take a backseat. This leads to the “what the heck did I do today!” moment at the end of the day.

The truth is, this reactive cycle is not sustainable. It’s mentally draining, kills productivity, and ultimately leaves you feeling stuck. But there’s a way to reclaim control of your mornings—and your business.

Why Your First Hour of Work Matters

Here’s the hard truth: Your first hour of work determines your entire day.

If you start your day reactively, you will spend the rest of the day putting out fires, responding to demands, and feeling like you’re constantly playing catch-up. If you start your day proactively, you’ll make real progress toward your goals and business growth.

Too many tax professionals wake up and immediately dive into emails, client messages, and administrative tasks. It feels like work, but in reality, it’s just draining your time and energy before you even get started. You’re reacting to problems rather than setting the direction of your own day.

The Cost of a Reactive Morning

When you begin the day in a reactive state, several things happen:

  • You allow external forces—phone calls, emails, notifications—to dictate your day.
  • You get pulled into solving problems that could have waited.
  • You burn through your best energy in the least productive way.
  • You train clients to expect immediate responses, making your workload even heavier.

This is why so many tax pros feel exhausted before lunch. They spend their mental bandwidth on low-value activities instead of business-building work. So how do you break the cycle?

Try This: The “No-Reactive Work Before Noon” Rule

If you want to regain control of your workday, implement this simple but powerful rule: No-Reactive Work Before noon. For most people, this is your most productive time of the day.

For the first part of your workday, do this:

✅ No checking email. Your … Continue reading

How to Get Rid of Time-Wasting Clients (So You Can Actually Enjoy Your Life)

If you handle IRS Representation, you already know: not all clients are created equal.

Some are reasonable, responsible, and pay well. Others? Well… they make their emergency your emergency, argue about your fees, disappear for months, then suddenly demand immediate help. These clients suck the life out of your business—and your sanity.

The good news? You don’t have to keep them. In fact, the sooner you fire your worst clients, the sooner you free up time for better clients, higher fees, and a life outside of tax season.

So, let’s talk about how to politely (but firmly) show bad clients the door—and what to say when you do.

Why You Need to Drop Time-Wasting Clients

The tax professionals I work with are overworked, underpaid, and exhausted. They tell me:

“I work 80+ hours a week, but my worst clients still complain.”
“I’m constantly stressed, but I can’t afford to lose any clients.”
“I haven’t taken a real vacation in years.”

Sound familiar?

Here’s the hard truth: Every minute you waste on a bad client is a minute you could spend on a better-paying client… or, you know, actually enjoying life.

Your worst clients are holding you back. Drop them, and suddenly you have:

✅ More time for clients who respect you
✅ Higher profits because you’re working with better-paying clients (and they will pay you more)
✅ More energy for the things you love—family, gardening, woodworking, golf. Netflix, or even gasp sleep

How to Identify Time-Wasting Clients

If a client matches two or more of these traits, it’s time to cut them loose:

❌ They argue about your fees (“Why do you charge so much?”)
❌ They ignore your deadlines but expect immediate help (“Can you call the IRS for me today?” or “I need to get this to a Revenue Officer tomorrow!”)
❌ They send you half the documents, then expect magic
❌ They constantly demand answer to “quick questions” (which are never quick) and they don’t want to pay for that “quick answer”
❌ They “ghost” you until they get a scary IRS letter and even then, wait until the last minute to give it to you

Recognize anyone? Yeah, I thought so.

How to Fire a Client: 3 Scripts You Can Use

Once you’ve decided to part ways, keep it short, professional, and final. Here are three scripts you can use:

👉 For the Ghosting Client Who Comes Back Only in Emergencies… Continue reading

Uncover The Compound Effect of Eating the Elephant One Bite at a Time – So to Speak, for your Productivity

As licensed tax professionals, we often find ourselves juggling numerous responsibilities, especially during the busy tax season. The pressure to meet deadlines and deliver quality work can be overwhelming. However, there’s a powerful principle that can help us navigate this chaos: the Compound Effect. Coined by Darren Hardy, this concept emphasizes that small, consistent actions can lead to significant results over time. In this article, we’ll explore how breaking down tasks into granular steps can enhance your productivity and ultimately transform your practice.

Understanding the Compound Effect

The Compound Effect is all about making small, smart choices consistently over time. It’s not about making drastic changes overnight but rather about the cumulative impact of our daily habits. For tax professionals, this means that instead of viewing a daunting project as a whole, we should break it down into manageable tasks. This approach not only makes the workload feel lighter but also allows us to maintain focus and momentum.

Imagine you have a large project, such as preparing a comprehensive tax return for a client. Instead of writing “Prepare tax return” on your to-do list, you can break it down into specific, actionable steps. For example, you might list tasks like “Gather client documents,” “Review last year’s return,” and “Calculate deductions.” By doing this, you create a clear roadmap that guides you through the process, making it less intimidating and more achievable.

The Benefits of Granular Tasks

When tasks are detailed and specific, it’s easier to understand what needs to be done. This clarity helps you stay focused and reduces the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed. Large, vague tasks can lead to procrastination. By breaking them down into smaller steps, you create a sense of urgency and accomplishment as you check off each item on your list. You know, the way to eating the so-called elephant one bite at a time.

Granular tasks allow for better tracking of progress. You can easily see what has been completed and what still needs attention, making it easier to hold yourself accountable. When you focus on smaller tasks, you can dedicate more time and attention to each one. This leads to higher quality work and fewer mistakes, which is crucial in the tax profession where accuracy is paramount.

Completing small tasks creates a sense of momentum. Each completed task boosts your confidence and motivation, propelling you forward to tackle the next item on your list. This positive reinforcement cycle is … Continue reading