While other finance professionals are easing themselves gently back into work after the festive break, stopping for frequent tea breaks with left-over mince pies, there’s no chance of a soft start to the new year for accountants.
The January 31 deadline for tax returns is looming and the race is on to chase down essential information from clients.
Will you beat the clock and have every return filed before midnight on the last day of the month?
Well, if you’re one of the experienced accountants who turn to s1jobs to find the next move in their career, you’ll already be resigned to rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it.
And, if you’re young and recently qualified, you should have the enthusiasm to see you through when the going gets tough.
In either case, we’ve put together a helpful guide to concentration boosters and energy fixes that will help you last the pace.
Caffeine
The caffeine in coffee, tea and energy drinks stimulates the brain and improves concentration so used wisely it can give you a boost. But too much caffeine can cause heart palpitations and disrupt your sleep patterns so use it in moderation only.
Exercise
Here’s the thing. Staring at a screen will get the job done, but a whole lot less quickly than if you took a walk around the block or headed to the gym for an hour. Exercise builds neurons in the brain and strengthens connections between them, improving concentration and helping you focus. Improved muscle strength will also leave you feeling alert for longer.
Fresh air
Cooped up with colleagues in an office all day you’re surrounded by germs. Getting outside will blow these away and re-oxygenate your lungs, giving you a boost of energy.
Food
Nuts, dark chocolate, whole-grain toast, fresh fruit are all great for you. Blueberries, avocados and green tea are also good. What won’t help are crisps and biscuits or late-night pizzas. Put down that delivery menu!
Sleep
You have to stop some time and when you do it’s important you get the most restful sleep. Turn off your phone and tablet to prevent their light-emitting screens from confusing your brain into thinking it’s daytime, sprinkle lavender essential oil on your pillow and spend a few minutes emptying your mind (reading a trashy thriller can sometimes have the same effect). Aaaaand sleeeeep.
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