Category: Big Mistakes Tax Pros Make

Is Your Schedule Controlling You?

You sit down at your desk, ready to tackle the big projects that will move your business forward. But before you even get started, your day is hijacked.

Client emails. IRS notices. Last-minute calls. The “Got a minute!” quick questions that somehow take 15-45+ minutes to answer.

And just like that, the work you planned to do? It never even started.

The truth is, if you don’t control your time, someone else will.

The Difference Between Reactive and Proactive Work

Many tax professionals spend their days in reactive mode—responding to what’s in front of them instead of intentionally focusing on what will truly grow their business.

Common signs you’re stuck in reactive mode:

📌 You start your day by checking emails (and get sucked in for hours)
📌 You take calls whenever a client reaches out—no matter what you’re working on
📌 You feel like you’re always working, but never making real progress
📌 Your most important projects keep getting pushed to “later”

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The good news? There’s a way to take back control.

The Time Block Rule: How Productive Tax Pros Stay Ahead

The most successful tax professionals don’t just work harder—they work smarter by following The Time Block Rule.

Here’s how it works:

✅ Pick 1-2 “protected work blocks” per day. Usually in the morning or when you are the most energized and productive. These are non-negotiable. No emails, no phone calls, no internal meetings, no distractions—just focused work.
✅ Communicate boundaries. Set response times for emails and calls—your availability shouldn’t be 24/7. This should be a normal thing. Remember, we are not doctors and there is no financial emergency that you need to deal with outside of regular business hours. Your time is your time.
✅ Own your schedule. You don’t need to answer client requests the moment they come in. Set the rules for when and how you engage. Train (or retrain) your clients on your schedule, not the other way around. Does your doctor, dentist, attorney take your call when you call or return your call immediately. Probably not. They have a schedule and return calls or messages according to that schedule.

This isn’t about ignoring clients—it’s about creating space to actually work on the things that will build a profitable, sustainable tax practice.

How to Implement Time Blocking in Your Business

If you’re not used to protecting your schedule, … Continue reading

The Biggest Lie We Tell Ourselves: “I Don’t Have Time”

If you’re a tax professional, you probably start each day feeling like you’re already behind. Your calendar is packed, your inbox is overflowing, and your phone doesn’t stop ringing. You’re constantly working—yet somehow, at the end of the day, the most important tasks remain untouched.

You’re not alone.

We’ve all said it: “I don’t have time.”

But here’s the truth—being busy and being productive aren’t the same thing.

Why Being Busy Feels Like Progress (But Isn’t)

There’s a reason tax professionals fall into the “busy” trap so easily. We thrive on solving problems, responding to client needs, and handling urgent tasks. The problem? Urgent doesn’t always mean important.

Many tax pros spend their best energy on:

📌 Answering never-ending client emails, immediately when they hit the inbox.
📌 Attending meetings that could have been an email
📌 Handling administrative work instead of high-value cases. You know, that $10-20/hour work.
📌 Jumping between tasks without real focus

At the end of the day, you’re exhausted—but what actually moved your business forward?

If you feel stuck in a cycle of busyness without progress, it’s time to shift your approach.

The Productivity Hack: The Priority Filter

Instead of starting your day by reacting to emails and client requests, try this instead:

🔥 The Priority Filter 🔥

Before you start your workday, ask yourself one question:

“If I only get ONE thing done today, what would make the biggest impact?”

Not just on today’s work—but on your long-term business growth.

This could be:

✅ Following up with a high-value prospect who could become a premium client
✅ Streamlining a process that wastes hours of your time every week
✅ Working on marketing efforts that attract better clients
✅ Raising your fees to reflect the real value of your services
✅ Delegating a task to a VA, contractor or employee. Or hiring one of these if you do not have them

Once you identify that task, block out time for it first.

Do it before checking emails.
Do it before responding to client messages or returning phone calls.
Do it before distractions pull you in 10 different directions.

The Power of Focused Work

Most tax professionals don’t need more hours in the day—they need better focus.

Think about the last time you had a completely focused hour. No interruptions. No checking notifications. Just deep work on something that actually … Continue reading

Every morning, you wake up, grab a cup of coffee (or whatever your morning gogo juice is), and open your task list for the day. It’s a mile long.

• “Call Bob about his tax lien.”
• “Finish that Offer in Compromise.”
• “Email or call Sally to get the final pieces to finish her tax return.”
• “Reply to 27 emails.”
• “Figure out why Susan still hasn’t sent her documents.”

The moment you see that overwhelming list, the stress kicks in. Your mind starts racing with all the things you need to do, and before you know it, you’re bouncing from task to task without actually finishing anything substantial.

The problem?

Your to-do list is lying to you.

It feels productive, but in reality, it’s draining your energy before you even start. Instead of helping you, your endless task list is keeping you stuck.

Why Traditional To-Do Lists Don’t Work

Most people assume that productivity is about checking off as many tasks as possible. But here’s the truth: Your brain is not designed to focus on 25+ different things at once. When you write down everything you need to do, your brain doesn’t see priorities—it sees an avalanche of demands. This leads to:

📌 Decision Fatigue – You waste time figuring out which task to tackle first.

📌 Task Hopping – You jump from one thing to another without deep focus. Then before you know it, you have 5 or more things open that are not all done and distractions mentally.

📌 A False Sense of Productivity – Checking off small, low-impact tasks feels good, but they don’t actually move your business forward. So, how do you fix your to-do list and actually get meaningful work done?

The “Three-Task Rule”: A Simpler, More Effective Approach

If your to-do list is making you feel stuck, it’s time for a better system. Every morning, before you check emails or dive into work, do this:

1️⃣ Pick ONE Revenue-Generating Task This should be something that directly contributes to growing your business—not just maintaining it. Examples include:

• Following up with a potential client (i.e. a prospect) that you talked to within the last 3 months (or less).
• Working on marketing your firm.
• Setting up a new service or revenue stream. Like IRS Collections and/or Exam representation.
• Optimizing your pricing or create packages.

2️⃣ Pick ONE Stress-Reducing Task This should be something that, when completed, makes the rest of your day … Continue reading