I don’t believe that anyone who knows me would categorize me as a procrastinator. If anything, I’m usually the person that will turn an assignment in early or finish up a task the day before it’s due. I am typically not an I’ll-get-around-to-it-one-day type of person. However, there is one exception to this norm: getting my taxes done. I will clean the shower (something I hate doing) or run every errand imaginable before sitting down and crunching numbers. I don’t know what it is, but I begin dragging my feet every time the year changes. I consistently say I’m going to start in January, and then I blink and February is gone, and now I can’t believe that it’s already March.
There is something so dreaded about sitting down and digging through my credit card statements and paper receipts. Another promise I make every year is to do a better job of keeping track monthly so that I don’t have to hunker down and go through everything. So far, there has been very little success and this promise has remained very empty. Almost as empty as the blank Excel spreadsheet that I think I’m going to regularly update. Maybe next year? Doubtful.
For weeks, Patrick has heard me say, like a broken record, “I have to get my taxes done today.” I’ve only probably said this about ten times now. The best part of this is that it’s so unlike me. I can stay up way too late finishing something I’m working on. I will set alarms to make sure I complete something on time. I have the tendency to overwork instead of underwork on a project. Yet, this yearly review invariably gets the best of me.
I have to admit something…I’m a nerd at heart, so when I finally sit my butt down and start looking at my previous year, I actually kind of enjoy it. It’s interesting to review my credit card transactions, real estate projects, and donations. It’s important to see what areas I’m spending my money in; travel expenses are at an all-time low this year, that’s for sure. I’m not going to tally it up, but I think the wine budget may be at an all-time high. It’s helpful to see the areas I have saved money, and it’s less enjoyable, but useful, to acknowledge the areas that I’ve exceeded my spending.
Would it be easier if I kept track of my expenses monthly? There is no doubt. However, I like to remember the wedding presents I bought, or the money we allocated to house projects that turned out amazing, or the nice hotel stays that brought us joy. Yes, taxes will never be sexy or glamorous or fun (unless you’re a CPA maybe?), but they do make me reflect on the blueprint of my previous year. They do allow me to connect the dots, remember the last 365 days, and marvel at all that has happened. It’s incredible how much I forget about until I have to go back and review it all within a set one-year time frame.
Do I enjoy thinking about completing my taxes? No. Am I thrilled to spend hours and days working on them? No. Do I love tallying up Excel columns to reach a final sum? A surprising yes. It’s amazing how much happens in twelve months. Until you get a bird’s-eye view, it’s easy to have events run together, years blend into one, and occurrences disappear completely between “not too long ago” and “forever ago.”
In the end, it feels like a relief to get them done. I feel the same way accomplishing my yearly taxes like I did a long college essay or a group project. It can be grueling to have to focus and work on something not super enticing, but then you get to fist pump and bask in that sense of accomplishment when it’s finished.
Don’t worry – I’ll stick to letters instead of numbers any day of the week. Since I finally bit the bullet and wrapped up my yearly review, Patrick will now have at least nine blissful months without having to hear me discuss completing my taxes. The laundry may not be folded as quickly, grocery store runs may not be as pressing, drawers may not be as organized, and the shower may not be as clean though. Some things will always be more taxing than others, right?
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