A Little Now or a LOT More Later

You've got that stack of paper piling up on your desk threatening to teeter over and consume the entire floor of your office. It's the end of the year and your accountant is requesting your books so they can process your taxes. What you wouldn't give to be back at the beginning of your fiscal year when your last set of taxes were complete and your goal was to do your books a bit each month so you wouldn't be looking at watching the sunrise after being up all night cramming the work in.

I'm here today to provide a bit of support and encouragement. My husband is always after me to schedule, set goals and make a plan. Let's not tell him I said this, but it is very sound advice. I have a creative personality type and creating a schedule feels as restrictive as a straight jacket, but I have found that to be truly successful I need make small goals and then reward myself when I have successfully completed them.

Here's my suggestion, pick one day each month to set aside for bookkeeping if you can get away with only doing your books once a month. Put the day in your calendar and don't plan to do anything else.

The key to making this successful is to plan for a reward after you are done. What is something you would love to do for yourself once a month? Maybe a mani pedi or a massage or a coffee out at Chapters while you browse the book shelves. I don't know what it is for you, but figure out what a good reward would be and then don't allow yourself to have it without completing the books.

Another advantage with doing your books at least monthly is that you will remember what is going on way better than after a year has gone by. I know that for me, sometimes I can barely remember transactions after a month has passed, never mind a year.

Take a little bit of time each month instead of that dreaded long stretch at the end of the year and I guarantee you will thank yourself at year end.

Have a productive day!