My 2024 Word(s) of The Year

For many years, I’ve had a tradition of choosing a word of the year. Rather than setting resolutions, the word of the year gives me an overall focus, personally and professionally. I like to use it as a guiding principle for tough decisions and situations.  When I’m not sure how to move forward, I can […]

Sick Days Are a Generational Issue

Do you use all of your sick days? If you’re a people leader, do you positively acknowledge when your employees do? This is a generational issue. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal addressed the so-called “problem” of younger employees using up all of their sick days. According to the article, employees between ages […]

Small Wellbeing Steps Make a Big Difference

“Leap, and the net will appear” is a quotation I definitely pasted in a journal or on a vision board at some point in my early twenties. The amazing thing is that it’s true. During the early months of the pandemic, I started speaking and writing more publicly about the fact that I struggle with […]

5 Tips to Become a More Confident Writer

They say the best book to write is the one you wish you had and couldn’t find — and that’s exactly why I wrote Getting From College to Career, which was first published back in 2007.    I really struggled to start my career in my 20s, and I wrote the book to help make […]

A Perfectionist’s Advice for Overcoming Decision Fatigue

I was recently at the nail salon, and I had to pick a color for my manicure. There must have been at least 400 options, so I narrowed it down by asking for a light pink — and there were still more than 50 shades to choose from. I am embarrassed to tell you how […]

My Top 7 Productivity Hacks for Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. We have a lot to deal with and often very little time to do it. While every individual and business is different, I wanted to share some of my best habits, strategies and short-cuts in case they might help you, too. Here are seven of my favorite productivity hacks for […]

3 Practical Tips for Overcoming Productivity FOMO during the Coronavirus Downturn

When it comes to working from home, I’ve noticed that the number one enemy of productivity is social media. I hear this from college interns. I hear it from direct managers. I’m not immune either – you should see me scroll through Twitter during the Oscars season. Americans spend an average of 2.35 hours every […]

I Lived for My To-Do List, But Here’s Why I Ditched It

Is there anything more satisfying than checking things off of a to-do list? I didn’t used to think so. But I recently decided to kill my to-do list obsession—and here’s why you might want to ditch yours, too. A Love Affair with Lists I’m not sure anyone loves a to-do list more than I do. […]

The Importance of Saying ‘No’ at Work

Nope, this post isn’t about my “word of the year.” (If you haven’t read about the word I chose for 2017, get the scoop here!) Instead, it’s about another word I believe everyone should employ to be more productive – and quite likely more sane. That’s the word “no.” You could barely turn on the […]

#Goal: To-Do List Zero

Some productivity zealots are obsessed with “inbox zero,” but you might also be looking to conquer “to-do list zero.” Whether you’re a to-do list app aficionado, a “write it down so you can cross it off” type, you’ve jumped down the “bullet journal” rabbit hole, or you’re super Type-A like me and buy graph paper […]