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 mattered.
That’s where real progress happens. And the truth is, most of the work that moves your business forward doesn’t require long hours—it requires focus.
How to Make the Priority Filter a Daily Habit
Breaking free from the busyness trap takes effort, but here’s how you can make the Priority Filter a habit:
1️⃣ Start your day with intention. Don’t open your inbox first thing. Instead, identify your highest-impact task before anything else.
2️⃣ Time-block your most important task. Put it on your calendar like an unmovable appointment. Treat it with the same importance as a client meeting.
3️⃣ Create a “No-Distraction Zone.” Silence notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and let your team know you’re unavailable during this time.
4️⃣ Measure your results. At the end of each day, ask yourself: Did I complete my priority task? If not, what got in the way?
5️⃣ Adjust as needed. Productivity isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Keep refining your process until it works for you.
The Results? Less Stress, More Progress
When you apply the Priority Filter consistently, you’ll notice some big changes:
📌 Less stress – You’re no longer drowning in endless tasks.
📌 More control – Your schedule stops feeling chaotic.
📌 Better business growth – You focus on tasks that actually generate revenue.
📌 More time for yourself – Because working smarter beats working longer.
Inside Tax Resolution Academy®, we help tax pros systemize their work, take control of their time, and stop getting buried in busywork.
Your time is too valuable to waste on low-impact tasks. Start making it work for you.
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Here’s to working smarter, not harder!
And a brighter future for your tax practice!
If you want to know more consider joining the Tax Resolution Academy® by clicking this link
I hope this helps.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
I would love to hear your thoughts, challenges, and successes in writing your very own book.
Have a GREAT day,
Cordially,
Dan
Dan Henn, CPA, CTR™
Co-Founder, Tax Resolution Academy®
Managing Member
Tax Pro Academy, LLC
P.S. Want to learn more about the Tax Resolution Academy®, go to https://community.taxresolutionacademy.com.
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