Many sole practitioner accountants think they’re overwhelmed because they have too much work.
Sometimes that’s true. I know that there are absolutely some times when an accountants’ workload is genuinely excessive and the only sensible response is to find ways to reduce it, delegate it or spread it more effectively.
But I don’t think that’s the whole story. And I say that whilst also sympathising with the additional pressure caused (for some) by the introduction of MTD, new HMRC processes and regular changes in tax rules and filing obligations.
More often though, what I see is accountants weighed down by the stress of worrying about an increasing number of unresolved decisions.
This is something that often becomes apparent when I talk with accountants (some of whom then go on to become mentoring clients or to join my online Sole Practice Club).
The main issue that prompted therm to reach out and call me may have been a lack of time, increasing stress or a feeling that they’ve somehow lost control of their practice. Yet when we start unpacking the situation, the real challenge is often a growing collection of decisions that have been deferred for weeks, months or sometimes even years.
It’s not always about the workload
The questions themselves will sound familiar.
- How do I free up more time?
- How do I get clients to behave better?
- Is it time to increase my fees?
- Should I recruit help?
- Should I sack an underperforming team member?
- What if I can’t replace them?
- Is this client relationship still worth keeping?
- Should I pursue a new opportunity or stay focused on what I already have?
No two accountants arrive with exactly the same combination of challenges. Every practice is different, and every sole practitioner faces their own set of commercial and personal considerations.
What they invariably have in common is that each unanswered question occupies mental space.
A single unresolved issue is rarely a problem. Five or six sitting in the background at the same time can become surprisingly draining. Each one demands attention, consumes energy and creates a sense of unfinished business. Eventually the combined weight of those decisions starts to slow you down.
So often I hear accountants say they had been meaning to get in touch for a while. I get it. Indeed I always feel sad when I realise that, had they done so, i could have proffered help and advice sooner.
Why accountants delay difficult decisions
It;’s not easy to admit you need help. Indeed, I’m happy to have initial conversations with accountants who may not need anything beyond one exploratory phone call. If you feel that more would help, that’s great but it’s not always the case.
Before calling me, some accountants have been doing what our training encourages. They have looked for more information. We all try to do this before making decisions. And, in so doing, we defer making those decisions.
We tell ourselves that we need greater certainty before we can decide. The trouble is that certainty rarely arrives on schedule. Instead, the decisions remain unresolved while the pressure continues to build.
Most accountants are trained to value evidence, analysis and careful judgement. Those are valuable qualities. The downside is that we can sometimes convince ourselves that one more piece of information will provide the confidence we need to act.
In reality, some decisions can only be improved, not perfected.
The decision that’s creating the most noise
Clarity rarely comes from endless analysis – hence the expression ‘Paralysis by analysis’.
The accountants I have worked with tell me that they found clarity once we have identified and then addressed the one decision that was creating the most noise.
I’ve found that beneath a long list of frustrations there is frequently a single issue demanding attention. A pricing decision that has been delayed for too long. A client relationship that no longer feels right. A strategic choice that keeps resurfacing but never quite reaches a conclusion.
Until that issue is addressed, everything else tends to feel harder than it really is.
And, so often, I hear that it was the injection of a third-party (me) who helped unpack the accountant’s thinking and bring that clarity.
Once you bring the real decision into focus, the situation often becomes more manageable. The answer may not immediately reveal itself, but you can start evaluating your options properly. The fog begins to lift because you’re no longer trying to solve ten problems at once.
Why talking it through makes such a difference
This is where many sole practitioners struggle.
When you’re carrying every responsibility in the business, it’s easy to become trapped inside your own thinking. The technical work, client demands and day-to-day pressures leave little room for objective reflection. Problems become tangled together and it becomes harder to distinguish the cause from the symptoms.
Many mentoring clients tell me they feel significantly better simply because we’ve identified the real issue that prompted them to get in touch. We don’t always find the answer immediately, but we do start addressing the underlying decision rather than endlessly discussing the consequences of avoiding it.
That shift often creates momentum.
Once one significant decision is resolved, the next becomes easier. Confidence returns. Priorities become clearer. The practice starts to feel more manageable again.
And, of course, new challenges emerge over time. That’s the nature of running a business. The difference is that you’re no longer carrying a backlog of unresolved decisions that consume your attention and energy.
A question worth asking yourself
If you’ve been feeling stuck recently, is the problem really a lack of time?
Or is there a key decision you’ve been avoiding?
If you’re honest with yourself, you may already know the answer.
The challenge is often not identifying the issue. It’s creating the space to think it through clearly and decide what to do next.
If that’s where you are right now, let me help. Sometimes the most valuable outcome isn’t a solution handed to you by somebody else. It’s the clarity that comes from properly exploring the issue, understanding your options and deciding on the next step with confidence.
