The Health Benefits of 'Eating, Drinking and Being Merry' During Busy Season

I'm sure the thought of "eating, drinking and being merry" during the busy season may seem unrealistic to most tax and accounting professionals, but there are numerous health benefits that may surprise you. During busy season, you can do several things to increase your physical and mental health, increase blood circulation, and reduce stress and fatigue.

Eating
It is very important to start your day with a nutritional breakfast.

Research has shown that eating a nutritional breakfast will increase your energy and ability to focus. Even if you start your day with a 7 a.m. appointment with a long-time client, it is still very important to start your day with a breakfast that is high in protein, such as eggs and peanut butter. Protein will last longer throughout the morning, working to decrease your hunger.

Eating a breakfast that is high in sugar will give you a short energy high along with a mid-morning decrease in energy and ability to focus. Mid-morning and in the afternoon, you should give yourself an instant energy boost by nibbling on a handful of almonds or cashews. Almonds and cashews are high in magnesium, which helps prevent fatigue.

Your schedule may be packed with client prep time and interaction with clients. It is still very beneficial to take time to eat a nutritional lunch to give your body fuel and your mind a short break. You should avoid snacks or beverages that are high in sugar and caffeine.

Drinking
We've all heard how important it is to drink at least eight glasses of water each day, but how many of us actually do that?

During busy and stressful times, it is even more important to make sure we drink plenty of water. In many cases, fatigue, headaches and back pain may be caused by dehydration. Water is an essential nutrient that our bodies rely on to digest and absorb vitamins and nutrients. It also detoxifies the liver and kidneys and carries waste from the body.

If you are dehydrated, your blood actually thickens and is harder for the body to circulate. This results in the brain becoming less active, making it harder to concentrate and leaving you feeling fatigued. If you feel yourself getting tired, get up and walk to the water fountain/cooler and fill your water bottle. The short break from work and the bottle of water will help re-energize you and increase your ability to concentrate and continue working.

Here are some helpful tips to help ensure you drink enough water:

• You are naturally thirsty in the morning. Help "jump start" your day by drinking a full glass of water first thing in the morning.
  
• Drink warm water if you are cold instead of coffee or tea, which have caffeine. Caffeine dehydrates your body.
  
• If you drink coffee, tea or sodas with caffeine, you will need to drink a few extra glasses of water to make up for the water that these diuretic beverages remove from your body.
  
• Make it a habit to take a few swallows of water every time you open a client file in your tax prep software. Don't wait until you are thirsty to have a drink, you are already dehydrated if you feel thirsty. Keeping a full water bottle within reach at your desk will help remind you to drink throughout the day.
  

Being Merry
We have all heard the saying "Laughter is the best medicine." Have you ever sat with friends or watched a comedy and laughed so hard you really felt refreshed?

When we laugh, our blood vessels dilate due to the release of the protective chemical nitric oxide. Laughter increases our blood circulation, eases muscle tension, reduces stress hormones and boosts our immune system. The Fisher Institute has identified the following additional benefits of laughing:

• Improved physical health
• Improved mental health
• Improved emotional health
• Improved spiritual health
• Reduced stress
• Positive effect on your attitude