Accounting and Bookkeeping Articles

Establishing Goals That Will Build Your Business

Now is the time to make those New Year’s resolutions.  You’re not the only business owner trying to boost your business with fresh goals.  According to a survey conducted by the American Express, 56% of small business owners resolved to be more profitable last year, while 36% were looking to be better bosses, get to know their customers better, and take more personal time for themselves.  What would you like to achieve this year?

The best guarantee in accomplishing your business objectives is to set clear resolutions you can use to measure your success.  Here are seven guidelines in ensuring that your professional resolutions have sticking power:

1. Be specific

Vague resolutions like, “increase revenue” will give you nothing concrete for which to aim.  But when you make specific goals like “increase revenue by $5000,” you not only have a clear target to shoot for, but you also have a standard against which you can measure your progress.

2. Be realistic

Steve Kaczmarski said, “Those who are successful are those who have more realistic goals.”  While you may have grand ambitions, setting 10 major goals for one year may be overwhelming in the long run.  Select a handful of realistic resolutions to focus on this year, and ensure they’re attainable!  You’ll find that succeeding in small ways will help you eventually achieve those larger goals.

3. Write them down

Resolutions that have been memorialized in writing are much more powerful than those you make in your head.  As time goes by, you can revisit them regularly and assess your progress.

4. Ensure they don’t conflict with personal goals

If you resolve to grow your business by 50% this year, and then set a personal goal to spend more time with your family, you may find yourself stretched too thin.  It’s best to set both personal and professional resolutions together to ensure they don’t conflict.

5. Involve others

Share your business goals with your immediate family; they may be able to help you in ways you hadn’t imagined.  And if you have a staff, share your business goals with them as well; they’ll perform much better when they understand your expectations.

6. Be accountable

Your family and staff, upon learning your resolutions, will help you be accountable for them.  It’s also important that you take your resolutions seriously as well.  If you’re unsure whether or not you’ll pursue your goals, there’s no reason setting them in the first place.

7. Follow-up

Schedule a time in your business calendar to follow-up and assess your progress.  June is a good mid-year point at which time you can determine what more needs to be done in order to accomplish your resolutions.

Make Professional Certification Your 2009 Goal

In this day and age of economic uncertainty, business owners don’t want to turn their finances over to just anyone.  They feel much more comfortable leaving their accounting to a certified professional: a Professional Bookkeeper (PB).

Set a goal you can easily accomplish this year by enrolling in the Professional Bookkeeper program and earning your PB designation.  Not only can you earn valuable certification that will put prospective clients at ease, but you will also learn valuable accounting skills that will help you best serve your small business clients.

Here are just a few things this program enables you to do:

• Master accounting for retail and wholesale businesses
• Determine and establish the accounting method that best fits any given business
• Set up an efficient system for a “ma & pa” manufacturing company
• Track job costs simply and efficiently for a construction company
• Effectively handle flooring for an inventory-financed business
• Confidently consult with business owners on key business issues
• Enter data quickly and accurately
• Prepare payroll like a seasoned pro
• Avoid costly IRS penalties
• Spot and avoid dangerous trends before they become tragedies
• Save a company thousands of dollars in auditing costs
• Start your own bookkeeping and accounting business, using a step-by-step approach
• Acquire clients quickly and cost-effectively

One course will enable you to accomplish all that and more.  Talk about a powerful resolution!  Take advantage of the New Year and earn valuable certification that will help you advance your accounting practice.  Enroll today!

7    Tips in Getting Your Business off to a Fresh Start

We know it’s cliché, but true:  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  The New Year is a great time to revisit your business plan and assess your current standing.  Current economic turmoil should be reason enough to revamp your business strategies and begin 2009 with a solid list of goals.  As you anticipate difficulty and plan for success, you’ll find your business in better shape than ever.

Consider the following tips:

1. Revisit your business objectives.

Remember that fire within that motivated you to start your business in the first place?  Generally it’s the passion for what you do that helps you move forward, through the good times and the bad.  You should revisit your business objectives regularly, reminding yourself of the vision with which you started your practice.  How close are you to accomplishing those objectives?  What would it take to exceed them?  Is it time to revise them, and consider how to see your business become, as the Olympic motto suggests, faster, higher, stronger?

2.    Contact all previous clients.

Now may be a good time to contact previous clients who no longer retain your services.  Send them a quick note or email asking how they’re doing.  Depending on your relationship, you may also ask if there’s a reason why they no longer come to you for their accounting.  You may receive valuable feedback or regain their business.

3. Take advantage of the recession.

Warren Buffet once said, “Be scared when everyone else is greedy, be greedy when everyone else is scared. “  Right now, everyone else is scared, and you can take advantage of their recession fears in ways you may not have realized.  Last month we ran an article that highlighted action steps you can take to increase your profitability in the midst of a recession.

4. Do first for yourself.

It’s your job to manage your clients’ finances.  If you’re a truly valuable and proactive accountant, you watch key indicators that will tell you whether or not their businesses are profitable and suggest ways to increase their bottom line.  It’s important that you do that for your own business as well.  Become your own profit expert and, using last year’s numbers, project this year’s earnings, looking for ways to increase your own profitability.

5. Set new goals.

Would you like to increase your client base this year, or perhaps, increase your service offerings?  Maybe you’d like to move your business out of your home and into a professional office space.  Whatever it is you’d like to accomplish, it’s important that you set and record these goals.  Then break them down into smaller, more manageable steps that you can take throughout the year.

6.    Schedule the month of January.

Now that you’ve set some new goals you can begin to schedule action items within the first month of the year.  What steps can you take to make your business faster, higher and stronger?

7. Educate yourself.

It’s a good practice to participate in some type of training at least once a year in order to hone your skills and maintain your competitive edge.  The New Year is a good time to consider what you would like to focus on this year.  We suggest Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks.

The PBG will enable you to master this software program that over 80% of small businesses use to manage their accounting.  Once you do, you will be able to work more efficiently as you use all the features, functions, and shortcuts QuickBooks offers.  Not only will the PBG enable you to manage your own books more efficiently, but it can increase your bottom line as you add QuickBooks consultation, help and setup services to your menu.  With hands-on training you can earn a professional designation as a QuickBooks Specialist that will give you the creditability you need to convince prospective clients that you are an outstanding bookkeeper!

With one simple click you can enhance your offerings and increase your bottom line. What a great way to start the New Year.  Order now!

5 Tips to Enjoying the Holidays

Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts. - Janice Maeditere

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! - Hamilton Wright Mabie

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.  - Charles Dickens

We’ve talked a lot about prepping your business for the holidays.  Now is the time to sit back and relax.  What?  You’ve got too much to do to relax?

We understand and appreciate the stress that often accompanies the holiday season.  But if you don’t take time to enjoy your family and friends, and perhaps rest your weary head, your business may suffer in the end.  Here are 5 tips that will help you truly enjoy the holidays:

1. Clean your desk.

Not only will you enjoy returning to a clean office once the holidays are over, but clearing off your desk will let your mind know that you are taking a break from work.  It’s easier to enjoy the holidays when you’ve literally put work away for a bit.  If you don’t, you’re likely to visit your office and easily slip back to work because it was accessible.  Don’t give yourself that excuse.

2. Inform your clients.

It’s important that your clients know that you will be enjoying the holidays.  Create a new voicemail message that informs callers how long you will be away and what they might do in case of emergency.  You might also consider creating an automatic email responder that informs emailers of your absence as well.  Even Walmart is closed for Christmas; you shouldn’t feel bad about shutting down shop for the holidays.

3. Schedule time for your family and friends.

As they say, “Tis the season.”  Be sure to schedule quality time with family and friends.  Kids have recitals, friends throw parties, and families deserve a little quiet time.  Just as you would schedule important meetings with clients, be sure to write these events in your calendar and honor these appointments as best you can.

4. Indulge in personal time.

Whether you want to take a nap, get a massage, or read a novel, be sure to indulge in that much needed personal time.  When you take time for yourself, you’re able to return to work refreshed and invigorated.  Don’t feel guilty; schedule some “me” time.

5. Enjoy the moment.

Sometimes we get into the habit of thinking business 24/7.  It’s time to break that habit and enjoy the moment.  Whether you’re attending a family party, decorating the Christmas tree, or opening presents, you should fully enjoy the occassion.  Don’t let your mind wander back to your to-do lists, client roster, or year-end calculations.  You’ve scheduled this moment (see numbers 3 and 4), enjoy it!

You’re bound to get a present or two that doesn’t satisfy your needs.  Instead of exchanging those presents, why not get a full refund and spend the money on something found in Universal Accounting Center’s catalogue?  From training materials to business books to manuals to informative DVDs, we have something that will complete your holiday season and better prepare your business for the New Year.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. - Eric Hoffer

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.  - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.  Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary. - Margaret Cousins

‘Tis the season to give thanks!  In just a few days we’ll be celebrating the holiday that focuses on gratitude.  In these current times of economic turmoil it may be difficult to determine exactly what we have to be grateful for.  But as Buddha once said, “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”

Gratitude is a powerful emotion.  It can change your relationship with others, alter your perspective, and perhaps, grow your business.  Consider the following three exercises in gratitude as you offer thanks this Thanksgiving:

1. Discover all that you have to be thankful for

Your first task is to determine all those things you have to be grateful for.  In tough times that can be difficult.  You may be required to consider things you regularly take for granted: perhaps good health, a place to live, family and friends, food to eat, gracious neighbors, hope for a better tomorrow.

Those who believe in the Law of Attraction would tell you that in focusing on all the things you are grateful for, you will begin to attract more good things into your life.  Either way, focusing on the good will raise your spirits.

2.    Develop an attitude of gratitude

Consider a business run by a depressed, negative staff.  Such businesses exist, and they rarely become power companies.  Consider a business run by an enthusiastic, upbeat staff.  Such businesses are more likely to generate positive experiences with their clients.  When you focus your energy on all the good things in your life, you develop an attitude of gratitude which impacts employees, clients, and contacts in an affirming way.  Your business will be much more successful simply because you have a positive attitude.

3. Express thanks to your clients

Everyone likes to be appreciated.  And when you realize that your business wouldn’t exist without your clients, it becomes easier to feel genuine gratitude for everyone on your roster.  When you are able to do more than simply feel gratitude for your clients, but also express it, you’ll find that your clients feel better about the services you offer.  Now is the perfect time to let your clients know that you are thankful for their service.  You’ll find that they’ll be more likely to refer their friends and family to your business when they recognize your sincere appreciation.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on all those things for which we have to be grateful.  It’s also a good opportunity to practice gratitude in a way that can positively impact our lives, and not just throughout the holidays.  Take the time to consider all those blessings you enjoy, and then feel grateful for them.  You may be surprised at how such a simple act can change your life experience.

Thank Us Later!

Consider what your life would be like without the convenience of modern technology.  Without software programs like QuickBooks, we would be required to do things the slow, old-fashioned way.  Thankfully, we don’t have to.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks will enable you to master this software program that over 80% of small businesses use to manage their accounting.  Once you do, you will be able to work more efficiently as you use all the features, functions, and shortcuts QuickBooks offers.  Not only will the PBG enable you to manage your own books more efficiently, but it can increase your bottom line as you add QuickBooks consultation, help and setup services to your menu.  With hands-on training you can earn a professional designation as a QuickBooks Specialist that will give you the creditability you need to convince prospective clients that you are an outstanding bookkeeper!

With just one small initial investment, you can increase your income and your clientele.  Don’t wait to thank us.  Order now!

Why Now’s the Perfect Time to Shift Gears

In the face of recession the natural tendency is to lay low, to duck and cover.  It’s likely that your competitors are doing that already, which is why this is the best time for you to shift gears and take advantage of the economic downslide.  Here are six things you can to move ahead during the recession:

1. Take advantage of down time

Remember all those times that you bemoaned your crowded schedule and lack of free time?  And remember all those things you had to place on the backburner because you lacked the time to attend to them?  Take advantage of downtime by doing those things you may not have had time for before: networking, de-cluttering your office, researching industry trends, reorganizing your files, following-up with prospective clients, etc.

2. Hire good talent

Now’s the perfect time to hire good talent for less.  The recession has left lots of talented individuals without jobs and without appealing positions to which they can apply.  You will be able to select from a qualified pool of applicants and bolster your staff in order to prepare your business for number three!

3. Prepare your business for an influx of new clients

Think positively and prepare your business for what might result in an influx of new clients for you.  As you market more aggressively (see six below), build your staff, and take advantage of downtime, you’ll find that your client roster will begin to grow.  So use this time to prepare yourself by ensuring that you have the resources necessary and processes in place that will enable you to manage all that business more efficiently.

4. Cut expenses

Of course it’s a good idea!  Take a look at your budget and see if there’s anything you can cut.  While an accounting practice doesn’t have much overhead, you may consider ways you can streamline your workflow, accomplishing more in less time.  Your objective should be to increase billable hours while cutting unnecessary expenses.

5. Diversify your services

The best way to take advantage of this recession is by making it more appealing to prospective clients.  Have you considered adding QuickBooks services to your menu?  Or perhaps you could learn how to prepare a small business’s tax returns as well as manage their books?  You’ll definitely gain an edge over the competition when you are able to provide full financial services for your clients who will be more than happy to take all their financial needs to just one firm.

6. Practice aggressive marketing techniques

Chances are your competitors are currently trying to maintain their rosters rather than grow them.  Big accounting firms are focusing on their A-list clients rather than their smaller ones who are no longer worth the time or energy to maintain.  Your aggressive marketing techniques will enable you to acquire many of those small business accounts that have been overlooked or forgotten.

Not only that, but when you market like there’s no tomorrow, you inspire more confidence in current clients who see your efforts as evidence that your business is thriving despite the recession.

Universal Can Help You Market More Effectively

UAC has been helping professional like you gain the skills necessary to succeed as small business accountants.  With over 25 years experience, we not only know the skills required to succeed but the strategies you need in order to market your skills more effectively.

It’s no secret that accountants are not marketing experts.  In fact, some accountants even get a little nervous when talking about promoting their services.  With UAC’s Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program you will have everything you need to grow your business and your bottom line.

Here’s a sampling of what you will gain from enrolling in this amazing program:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately
• A process which can produce 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• 3 months of coaching via telephone and Internet
• Training on a computerized database tracking program
• A presentation DVD to show potential clients

While your competitors hunker down for a long recession, you need to take advantage of this time to grow your business and become the premier accounting firm in your area.  And when you enroll now you will receive QuickBooks Made Profitable (QBMP) for FREE, a program designed to help you use your QuickBooks expertise to enhance your services and attract even more clients!  You’ll be trained in the following:

• A proven system in using QuickBooks to attract larger numbers of potential clients
• Representing yourself as a QuickBooks expert
• Leveraging your time
• Meeting potential clients
• Offering clients services that will help them reduce taxes, increase profits and put money in the bank

Only ostriches hide their heads in the sand.  Don’t duck and cover simply because the economy is struggling.  You can take advantage of the recession and have a stronger business as a result.  Order this package today and begin a journey to a brighter financial future for you and your business.

Become a Profit and Growth Expert

Accountants offer valuable services-services every business needs.  In fact, businesses are required by law to keep books.  So how could you possibly increase the value of your accounting services when they are already extremely valuable?  By becoming a Profit and Growth Expert!

What is a Profit and Growth Expert?

A Profit and Growth Expert uses information from the accounting system to analyze a business’s fiscal standing, sharing that analysis with those who can use it to make more profitable financial decisions.

A Profit and Growth Expert is a proactive accountant who realizes that the information he/she generates provides crucial data that can make or break a business.  It’s the accountant’s job to share this data with business owners, explaining it in such a way that they both understand what the information indicates and can use it to make important business decisions.

Profit and Growth Accounting

When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program you not only learn small business accounting, but you are trained to watch key indicators that will help you diagnose a business’s health and recommend a course of action that will improve its profitability.  This will enhance your service offerings and enable you to market this competitive advantage.  Here’s what one student had to say about her new skills:

I am about half way through the program and, in the next month or so, plan…to start visiting my local businesses.  I have been focusing on the marketing side of things and it seems like every meeting I have with a potential client I am able to close.  So far since purchasing the program I have about 6 more monthly clients.  I am sure that 50% of those transactions were closed because [of] improvements in my sales techniques.  I love the fact that I am not an Accountant or Enrolled agent, I am now a “Profit, Growth, and Tax Expert.”  It does work…. -Lynette R., CA

Using the skills mastered in the Professional Bookkeeper Program, Lynette has been able enhance her tax practice before she even completes the entire course.  You can do the same for your accounting practice, and within weeks will be able market yourself as the “Profit, Growth, and Accounting Expert.”  Imagine how appealing that will be for prospective clients who are interested in increasing their profitability and ensuring the growth of their small business.

The Profit and Growth Expert Tutorial

If you would like to learn more about becoming a Profit and Growth Expert, order our informational DVD “Start Today.”  When you do, you will learn how to do the following:

• Make over $80,000 per year working from home!
• Secure more clients than you can handle
• Charge your clients so you can afford to take that next vacation, and they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you!
• Get started for next to nothing and make BIG BUCKS within weeks!

Change the course of your practice.  Take action now to become a Profit and Growth Expert.  For less than $10 you can order your own copy of “Start Today” or you can watch the video online today for free!

Some people are under the impression that leaders are bossy, manipulating, and uninterested in the ideas and opinions of their subordinates.  While there may be countless supervisors who do indeed fit this description, that does not make them good leaders.  As a small business owner who may manage a staff of employees or is looking to hire employees sometime in the future, you should know what makes a leader truly effective.  Here are seven characteristics you should consider developing:

1. Visionary

Theodore M. Hesburgh, retired president of the University of Notre Dame, once said, “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.”  Leaders envision what can, but hasn’t yet, been achieved.  They have a clear picture of where they want their business to go and how it can get there.  Unwilling to settle for the status quo, leaders are striving for improvement, progress, and continued and amplified success.  More than that, good leaders can share this vision with their staff and communicate it in a way that makes it clear, reasonable, and most importantly, inspirational.

2. Ethical

Trust is earned, and unless a leader practices good ethics and has integrity, it will be difficult for a staff to trust him/her.  Honest, hard-working, reliable, equitable, and respectful are all characteristics of an ethical leader.

3. Enthusiastic

Enthusiasm is contagious and when you’re passionate about what you do, generally your employees will feel that enthusiasm and begin to reflect it in their own work.  As you interact with staff you must share your passion, enthusiasm, and excitement for your business.

4. Confident

It’s hard to follow a leader if he/she does not appear confident.  You must not only feel confident in your managerial approach, but you must also exude confidence.  However, confidence doesn’t equate to blind arrogance.  It does, however, communicate a cool assurance that you have the resources and know-how to get from point A to B.  Only when you have confidence will employees be willing to follow you there.

5. Motivational

If you possess vision, enthusiasm and confidence, motivating your staff will probably come easily. Leaders must be conscious of every communication they share with employees and ensure that they are positive and inspiring.

6. Open-minded

No one likes a smarty pants.  You must be willing to listen to your employees and the feedback they have to offer.  You might be surprised at the good ideas they have regarding your business and its profitability.  Be willing to listen to what they have to say and explore the possibility of their ideas.

7. Personable

Good leaders are approachable and easy to communicate with.  You should practice an open-door policy in relation to your employees and those things they would like to discuss with you.  Being kind and considerate to them will promote good feelings in the workplace.

While you may not feel like a leader right now, you can become one that employees would be proud to follow.  Evaluate your current leadership style and see how you might implement two or more of the above traits.  And give yourself the time to learn and improve.  You may be surprised at the natural leadership instinct within you.

If you would like to grow your business to sustain more employees, you should consider enrolling in the Universal Practice Builder Program.  This course will teach you how to market your unique skills and attract qualified clients, all while increasing your bottom line and improving your marketing strategies.  To learn more, visit our website and listen to testimonials of our very own graduates, sharing what they found most valuable in this program.

7 Procrastination Busting Techniques

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.- William James

Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible. - George Claude Lorimer

The best way to get something done is to begin.-Anonymous

Last week you took a quiz to determine if you are a chronic procrastinator. But whether or not your procrastination issues are severe, everyone can benefit from a few procrastination busting techniques. In this installment of our two-part series, we provide you with 7 tips on overcoming procrastination:

1. End each day by planning the next.

You will be better prepared, mentally and physically, to tackle difficult tasks head-on when you schedule time to do them. At the end of each workday, review the schedule for the next day so you set aside time to perform those functions you’ve been postponing. Often you can overcome procrastination by giving yourself the time to do those things you’ve been avoiding.

2. Tackle the most formidable task first.

Those tasks you put off are generally the most distasteful. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor if you tackle those tasks first. You know what they say: swallow a toad in the morning and you will encounter nothing more disgusting the rest of the day. When you complete these tasks first thing, you’ll find yourself recharged and ready to tackle the remainder of your day with ease.

3. Change your vocabulary.

Sometimes a change in perspective will come easily when accompanied by a change in vocabulary. When looking at those tasks you tend to procrastinate you probably feel as if you have to do them.” Change “have to” to “want to” and see if that lightens the load a bit. Also certain projects can appear overwhelming. Rather than tell yourself you must “finish” such projects, tell yourself you will get a good “start” on the project. This may motivate you to tackle it a piece at time.

4. Break large projects into manageable tasks.

Those overwhelming projects are best handled bit by bit. Break those large projects into smaller tasks that can be handled on a daily basis. Schedule these smaller tasks into your day so that you’re able to better inch towards project completion.

5. Practice the Ten-Minute Rule.

For whatever reasons, we are unmotivated by certain tasks. Practice the ten-minute rule with these tasks by dedicating just ten-minutes to them. Often you’ll find that once you get moving, you’re motivated enough to continue long after the ten minutes have ended. And if you’re not, at least you did something that contributed to the completion of that task, and it’s probably more than you would have thought could be accomplished in just 600 seconds.

6. Reward yourself for completed tasks.

When working on especially dreadful tasks, give yourself a small reward for completing the task by a given time. Whether you take a short walk, surf the internet, or read a page from an engaging book, rewarding yourself in small doses may help you work a little harder on those tasks you tend to procrastinate.

7. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Sometimes we procrastinate certain things because we’re afraid we will fail, we don’t have the skill set, or are uncertain where to begin. In situations like these it is best if you feel the fear and move forward. Generally you’ll find that your fears were unfounded and that you were equal to the challenge.

Allow UAC to Help You Do It Anyway

Whether you want to start your own accounting practice, earn a little money on the side as a bookkeeper, or use the training to advance your career, the flexibility of the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program as well as its modest price will help you accomplish your dreams.

You will learn small-business accounting and have the opportunity to earn professional certification that will show clients you have the expertise to manage their books. In addition, we teach you how to market your new skills effectively in order to secure the clientele that will make your practice successful.

Perhaps you fear that you do not have the necessary background to learn accounting, are too old to get started, or are not ready to take the risk. The PB Program is designed for individuals just like you! Some of our graduates did not know a debit from a credit when they started our program while others had years of accounting experience behind them. All found the program to be valuable and worth the time and money spent to complete the Professional Bookkeeper Program.

Increase Your Earning Potential and Enroll Today!

When you enroll in both the Professional Bookkeeper Program and the Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks, you increase your earning potential significantly. You can offer Quickbooks set-up, help and consultation services for $65-$95 per hour. Not only that, but you’ll learn a valuable software program that will enable you to do the following:

• Quickly pay your bills so you never incur late penalties.
• Be reminded when bills are due.
• Write checks with one single click!
• Quickly and effortlessly create invoices so you get paid sooner.
• Track customers and vendors so you can easily look them up in one place.
• Keep on top of incoming and outgoing payments.
• Access easy-to-read financial reports NOW!

Enroll in these two programs today and be on your way to a brighter and more lucrative future. Stop procrastinating! Enroll now!

While now is probably not the most stressful time of year for you, we’re guessing that business will pick up in the fall and, come the holidays, you’ll be overwhelmed and inundated with stress. And instead of scrambling to survive the stressful time, it’s best if you already have a few stress-busting strategies with which you can meet this anxiety-ridden season head-on.

Here are ten tips to file away for later:

1. Recognize stress

Before you can adequately manage your stress, you must first learn to recognize how your body responds to stress. Only then will you be able to take the necessary steps to reduce or maybe eliminate the anxiety that accompanies it.

2. Practice relaxation techniques

When you practice relaxation techniques can help reduce stress. Consider practicing deep breathing, meditating, listening to soothing music, or using imaging techniques to visualize a more relaxed response.

3. Get enough sleep

Often we become so overwhelmed with stress that we neglect our health, and sickness only causes more stress in the end. One way to prevent illness is by getting enough sleep. This also enables you to be mentally prepared for all the work that awaits you in the morning; lack of sleep only makes you less efficient.

4. Set priorities

Generally stress is the result of being overwhelmed. When you have lots of work to be done in little time, the best way to manage projects is by prioritizing them. Then you at least have a plan of attack; you know what needs to be tackled and when.

5. Let the small stuff slide

Now that you’ve prioritized your projects you can determine what you can and should let go. When dealing with stress overload, you need to be able to focus on what matters and put the rest on hold.

6. Think positive

Often you can think away your stress. When you change your thought patterns and continually repeat positive affirmations, like “I have plenty of time to fulfill all my work obligations” or “I am feeling calm and relaxed,” you increase your capacity to manage difficult situations.

7. Sweat it away

Exercise is one of the best stress relievers. You may feel you can’t afford the time required to actually get your heart rate going, but you’ll find that taking the time buys you more energy and endurance in the end.

8. Minimize work-environment stress

A messy or tense work environment often invites more stress into your life. When you minimize workplace stressors, you will be better equipped to handle the stressors that truly matter. So take the extra time to clean your office, reorganize your space, or create a more soothing environment.

9. Do not self-medicate

When you feel overwhelmed it can be tempting to reduce stress by drinking alcohol or finding an anxiety-reducing medication that you think will help. Unless prescribed by a doctor, these methods will only increase your chances of encountering more stressors later.

10. Build a support network

Often the best help for stress is being surrounded by a network that understands your struggles and can offer you emotional support. You can find this network with professional peers or even your family.

The better equipped you are to deal with stress, the less anxiety you will feel when you encounter stressful times or situations.

Visit Universal Accounting Center (UAC)

If you were wondering what, exactly, UAC offers, visit our website and take an electronic tour. You’ll learn more about our programs, our products, and other services we offer. Don’t wait to find out how UAC could change your professional future. Take a tour today!

Discover How Cracking a Book May Increase Your Bank Account

Steven Covey’s seventh habit for highly successful people is better known as “sharpening the saw” and refers to a number of ways in which you can renew yourself to become a better professional. In Japan they call this “kaizen,” a term that refers to the constant improvement of oneself.

Even the most dedicated accountant can get a little burned out working day in and day out for their practice. In order to rejuvenate and rededicate yourself, you must look for ways to sharpen the saw. In Steven Covey’s example, he explains that the long-term use of a saw, let’s say nine to five every weekday, can dull the edges, making it more difficult to be productive. In order to sharpen the saw you must sit back and take out your whetstone, attending to your craft without necessarily performing your craft.

The Value of Reading

Reading is a great way to sharpen the saw. It exposes you to countless new ideas and enables you to become a better, more thoughtful professional. In fact, the more books you read the sharper your saw becomes and the better you perform your accounting functions. And not only that, but the better business owner you’ll be.

In one job I held employees were required to spend 30 minutes a day reading the latest news on our discipline in order to be informed of current and even cutting-edge techniques. Not only did it keep me abreast of current events, but it helped me learn new approaches that I could incorporate into my day-to-day work activities. I became more efficient and more informed as I performed my duties. It also enabled me to sound intelligent when talking to peers about my profession.

We suggest that you try to do the same. Schedule 20 to 30 minutes a day, during which you will search books and magazines that will enable you to become a better financial professional. Perform searches on Amazon, ask colleagues and peers for recommendations, and research the literature getting the most buzz. The more you read the longer your reading list will become. Don’t get discouraged; just start at the top and work your way down.

Our Recommendation

The best books for you may be those focusing on running a successful small business of your own. Not only will it help you better manage your practice, but it will also help you consult your clients in doing the same.

Allen Bostrom, president and CEO of Universal Accounting Center has written a book designed to help any and every small business become more profitable, and it’s called In the Black: Nine Principles to Make Your Business More Profitable.

Allen’s father, Alf, made a living turning small businesses around. In fact, he was called the Turnaround King. For a small percentage of a business’s future profits, Alf would their business around, often yanking them from the brink of bankruptcy. In doing so, Alf learned many key principles about ensuring a business’s success. He passed those on to his son, Allen, who also has extensive experience helping small businesses thrive. Using his father’s principles and those he developed himself, Allen wrote In the Black.

In the Black presents 9 practical principles that you can begin applying to your practice, or your clients’ businesses, immediately. It’s a quick read that will enable you to see how, exactly, you can increase a business’s profitability. And as an accountant, you can use this information to enhance your practice, becoming your clients’ Profit Expert.

If you would like to enhance your business, and your bank account, by reading books that will sharpen your saw, start here. Order In the Black today and have 9 principles, at-the-ready, that you can use to enhance your accounting practice. This small investment will make a big impact on your future.