{"id":69296,"date":"2021-12-01T14:05:19","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T12:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=69296"},"modified":"2026-01-29T17:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:24:41","slug":"how-accountants-can-better-take-care-of-their-mental-health-and-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-accountants-can-better-take-care-of-their-mental-health-and-wellness\/","title":{"rendered":"How accountants can better take care of their mental health and wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tManaging people<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tMarijke Makomba<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Accountants are some of the most important people in our society, each helping to keep our economy going. They help make sense of (and solve) complex problems on an individual level for their clients, and then connect the dots to the wider fundamental functioning of all commerce, everywhere. So, we can\u2019t afford to lose them! We need them! They\u2019re going to be a crucial part of rebuilding our battered economy and are, as we speak, helping people and businesses everywhere get through an historic, traumatic global pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of just surviving the pandemic (and suddenly becoming the principal of a home-school, dealing with the work-from-home funk, or the constant anxiety that you\/someone you love could literally catch<\/em> a deadly virus), accountants have the added pressure of being the trusted advisors and first point of contact for small business owners (read: families) in financial distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an already onerous<\/a> job that not uncommonly keeps many accountants working 10- 12-hour days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no surprise then, that stress was a concern in the accounting profession long before the COVID-19 outbreak<\/a>. But by 2021, surveys suggest that as many as one in three accountants<\/a> suffers from unmanageably high stress, every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download the resurgence: small businesses and accountants are ready to try again Sage research<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tips for better stress management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Work smarter<\/strong>
\nPut in place clear and effective workflows and processes to help share the load and build efficiency into the way you manage your projects \u2013 so you don’t have to frantically keep all the balls in the air. Set realistic deadlines, use a calendar, and make a to-do list (or several).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prioritise thoughtfully<\/strong>
\nPrioritise output over hours spent at work, for you and your team. Creating the space for this flexibility will allow people to find their best work groove, to manage their own productivity. Nurturing trust, a sense of personal freedom, and self-confidence can positively and dramatically impact day-to-day stress and frustration levels. Stick with two to three big projects at a time \u2013 \u2018If everything is a priority, nothing is priority.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delegate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s okay to ask someone else to do something you don\u2019t feel like doing, aren\u2019t good at, or don\u2019t have the time for. Spreading the load boosts overall productivity, especially when things unexpectedly get tough. Equally, be open to helping out someone else on your team who need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good work vibes start at home<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ve all heard this before, but brace yourself because you\u2019re about to hear it again:<\/p>\n\n\n\n