'COFFEE this afternoon?' I stared at the message on my phone, letting it hang unanswered as I did a quick personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to decide whether I could afford to set aside time for a decades-old friend in between meetings. While this level of mental gymnastics might seem like an overreaction, hear me out: it is Magic March, the last (and busiest) full month before the annual tax deadline.

Tax season is usually the period between January 1 and April 15 when taxpayers and their accountants prepare financial reports for the previous year. For many CPAs, especially those in the public practice, tax season is the pièce de resistance of their professional year. It is considered the most stressful time for accountants, many of whom are required to work long hours, meet tight deadlines and incur daily rest deficits. Not a good thing for people notoriously known to have one of the highest stress levels in any profession.