The hidden tax you can legally avoid.
Most business owners hate paying tax. But there’s one tax you’re probably paying right now that you could avoid completely.
It’s not on any HMRC form. You won’t find it in your accountant’s year-end pack and it doesn’t come with a neat three-letter acronym.
It’s the hidden tax of indecision.
Every time you hesitate to call that prospect, pause on hiring the right person, or delay investing in a system that would make life easier… you’re paying it.
And the bill isn’t small.
- Missed opportunities. That client you didn’t call? Someone else did.
- Lost momentum. Your team was fired up, until you parked the idea for “later.” Now the buzz is gone.
- Lower morale. Nothing winds up staff more than dithering leadership. (They won’t say it to your face, but you can hear the eye-rolls.)
- Delays in growth. While you’re weighing up every possible angle, the market’s already moved on.
The best bit? HMRC actually wants you to avoid this tax. Seriously. Because the more you avoid it, the more profit you make – and the more Corporation Tax you get to pay them. (They’ll be popping the champagne while you feel smug about finally getting out of your own way.)
So how do you avoid it?
The trick isn’t to set a deadline on every decision (you’d never sleep). Instead:
- Prioritise. Focus on the 20% of decisions that create 80% of your results. (That’s the 80/20 rule: a small number of actions drive the bulk of outcomes.)
- Put deadlines on the key calls. The bigger the impact, the sooner you need to decide.
- Get comfortable with “good enough.” Most decisions don’t need 100% of the information. 80% is usually plenty.
The truth is, indecision feels safe. But in business, delay is almost always more expensive than making the wrong call and correcting later.
You can’t dodge HMRC forever. But you can dodge the hidden tax of indecision – and ironically, HMRC will thank you for it.
Here’s a handy 1-page guide for you to stick on your wall as a reminder! Faster-Decisions
