Displacement activity doesn't have to be taxing....

Yes, it's THAT time of year again and I really can't put off doing it any longer.  I have a self-imposed deadline of end of June (or  the end of the half year, whichever comes first) to get the annual business accounts done and submit my tax return.


*sigh*


It always LOOMS over me like a big black looming thing, so naturally, instead of just gritting my teeth and getting on with it, I insist on finding ever more inventive methods of avoiding it.... supreme displacement activity on a higher plane.


I'd decided that I was really, REALLY going to make a start on it this week and since it's already Wednesday (how did that happen?) and I have a whole cartload of other things to do this week too, I planned to set aside a few hours today to get all the paperwork organised, which is the first loathed step.


Now, in my defence, this past year I have actually been very good about filing business paperwork.  I have 12 large envelopes, one for each month of the tax year 1011-1012, all stuffed to bursting with receipts, invoices, payment details, bank statements, credit card statements, paypal statements, petty cash slips..... the whole enchilada.


However, I have to admit, my filing does leave something to be desired, so I have to go through all the envelopes to check that I haven't inadvertently filed a statement for Oct 2011 in the March 2012 envelope etc etc etc etc etc......


This process, if I put my mind to it, shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours tops.  And it paves the way to taking a clear run at doing the whole year's accounts, for which I have an easy-peasy spreadsheet programme to help me.


However, I have a complete inability to sit down and do it without a certain amount of faffing about first.


Exhibit A - I cleaned all my casting equipment from yesterday. This was entirely unnecessary as I'm going to be doing more casting later today.


Exhibit B - Tidied a cupboard in the workroom which didn't actually need tidying


Exhibit C - Thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, even to the extent of scouring the outside of an ancient roasting pan for a full 20 minutes.


I won't go on...... I'm sure you get the gist.


In the event, sorting through and organising the paperwork took less than an hour, so I feel rather foolish now at being such a wuss about it.  Of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg, as I advance, Titanic-like, towards the act of actually getting all those numbers to behave themselves and line up properly, with no talking at the back.


It has to be done... there's nowhere to hide and it's never usually as bad as I anticipate, once I get started.  


I'm sure it will all be fine...... *famous last words*