Busy Season Survival for Women in Public Accounting

Busy season in public accounting can feel like your entire life gets swallowed up by work. The hours get longer, the pressure gets heavier, and even when you are technically off, your brain does not stop. You might find yourself snapping more easily, feeling emotional for no clear reason, or lying awake at night replaying work in your head. At the same time, you are still expected to show up focused, competent, and put together.

If this is you, nothing is wrong with you. This is what happens when a high pressure job stretches on without enough space to rest or recover.

Busy season is hard on your nervous system, even if you are good at your job and used to handling a lot.

Many women in public accounting notice increased anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, and guilt during busy season. Guilt for not being more patient. Guilt for not being more present. Guilt for feeling overwhelmed when everyone around you seems to be managing. The truth is that your body does not care how capable you are. It responds to stress the same way every nervous system does.

Self regulation during busy season does not need to look like long workouts, meditation routines, or anything else that feels unrealistic right now. It needs to be small enough to actually happen.

While you are at work or logged in all day, start by noticing your body. If your shoulders are tight or your jaw is clenched, gently drop them. Take a slow breath out, longer than your breath in. Put your feet flat on the floor and notice the pressure underneath them. These small moments help your body feel safer without drawing attention or taking extra time.

You can also build in brief pauses instead of full breaks. Pause before opening the next email. Take one breath before replying to a message. Look away from the screen for a few seconds between tasks. These moments matter more than we realize.

It can also help to remind yourself that this stress belongs to busy season, not to you as a person. You are not failing. You are responding normally to an intense environment.

When you get home, your nervous system needs help shifting out of work mode. Changing clothes right away, washing your hands slowly, or stepping outside for a minute can signal that the workday is ending. This matters even if you are logging back on later.

During busy season, it is important to lower the bar on purpose. Meals can be simple. Energy for social plans may be limited. Productivity outside of work may drop. This is not laziness or lack of motivation. It is your body conserving energy.

If your thoughts keep spinning at night, try writing down everything that feels unfinished or worrying. Tell yourself you will come back to it tomorrow and then close the notebook or app. This gives your brain permission to rest, even if everything is not resolved.

For parents, busy season adds another layer. Many women feel constant guilt about time, patience, and availability with their kids. Busy season parenting is not about doing everything right. It is about being steady enough.

It can help to name the season out loud with your children in simple language. Letting them know that work is especially busy right now but that it will not last forever can reduce confusion and emotional tension. Kids often sense stress even when it is not talked about.

This is also not the season for perfect routines. Short moments of connection matter more than consistency. Sitting next to your child, checking in for a few minutes, or sharing a small moment counts. If you lose your patience, repair matters more than staying calm all the time. A brief apology and reconnecting teaches safety and resilience.

Screen time may increase. Dinners may be easier. Bedtimes may shift. That is not damaging. It is realistic.

Public accounting often rewards pushing through and minimizing personal needs. Over time, this can make it easy to ignore how much you are carrying. Staying emotionally healthy during busy season does not mean eliminating stress. It means acknowledging it and getting support instead of handling it alone.

Sometimes support looks like being around people who understand without needing an explanation. Sometimes it looks like learning simple ways to help your nervous system settle. Sometimes it looks like having a space where you can exhale for a moment.

Busy Season Babes was created for the women behind the workpapers. It is a therapist led support group for women in public accounting who want support, connection, and realistic tools during busy season without pressure to perform or fix themselves.

If you are interested in current group openings or would like more information, email me directly at ReneeCalhounLMFT@gmail.com.

You do not have to get through busy season alone.

Frequently Asked Questions About Busy Season Stress and Support

Why is busy season so hard on mental health in public accounting
Busy season combines long hours, constant deadlines, high responsibility, and little recovery time. Even people who are good at their jobs can experience anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, and emotional burnout because the nervous system is under sustained stress.

Is it normal to feel overwhelmed during busy season even if I like my job
Yes. Liking your job does not protect your nervous system from stress. Feeling overwhelmed during busy season does not mean you are bad at your job or not cut out for public accounting. It means your body is responding normally to prolonged pressure.

What are simple self regulation tools I can use at work during busy season
Simple tools include slowing your exhale, dropping your shoulders, grounding your feet on the floor, pausing briefly between tasks, and reminding yourself that the stress belongs to the season and not to you. These tools are effective because they do not require extra time or privacy.

How can I shut my brain off after work during busy season
Creating a small transition ritual can help signal to your body that work is ending. Changing clothes, washing your hands slowly, stepping outside briefly, or writing down unfinished thoughts before bed can reduce mental carryover and improve rest.

How do I handle parenting guilt during busy season
Parenting guilt is common during busy season, especially for women. This season is about being steady enough, not perfect. Short moments of connection, naming the season out loud, and repairing after hard moments matter more than sticking to routines or doing everything right.

Does busy season stress affect my kids
Children can sense stress even when it is not spoken. Naming that work is especially busy right now and reassuring them that it will not last forever can help reduce confusion and emotional tension. Even brief moments of calm connection can be regulating for children.

Is it okay to lower expectations during busy season
Yes. Lowering expectations around meals, routines, social plans, and productivity outside of work is often necessary during busy season. This is not failure or laziness. It is an adaptive response to a demanding period.

When should I consider extra support during busy season
If you feel constantly overwhelmed, emotionally disconnected, irritable, or like you are just barely holding things together, support can help. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from support during busy season.

What is Busy Season Babes
Busy Season Babes is a therapist led support group for women in public accounting navigating busy season. It offers a confidential space for support, connection, and simple nervous system regulation tools designed for real life during busy season.

How do I find out if there are current openings for Busy Season Babes
To ask about current group openings or get more information, email ReneeCalhounLMFT@gmail.com directly.