Here's an organizing idea that's easy to remember… Casey's eTip: When in Doubt, Throw It Out When deciding what to keep and what to delete when it comes to your digital and physical-world items, recognize that doubt means that there's no strong reason to retain something. You wouldn't hesitate to…

It's human nature to assign wishful or hopeful due dates to specific tasks. These fake deadlines can get in the way, however, because you need to… Casey's eTip: See Your Real Due Dates Clearly Your to-do system only works if you can fully trust it to alert you when a…

There is a reason major religions advocate for a weekly day of rest and laborers fought (and died) for a couple days off per week--you thrive when you... Casey's eTip: Rest from Your Labor We don't need rest and relaxation simply as a way to recharge our batteries for more…

Some decisions are worth agonizing over. Others, not so much. To spend your time wisely… Casey's eTip: Make Decisions Proportionately Some decisions are mountains, others are hills and the majority are molehills. Spend your time pondering options, etc., in proportion to the size and impact of the decision in question.…

There is one common denominator that all my highest-performing clients share: they exercise regularly. Starting an exercise habit takes effort, though. You need to… Casey's eTip: Outsmart Your Brain to Exercise We are designed to conserve our energy. Exercising disrupts that natural tendency. As this Time article explains, simply knowing…

Focusing on screens (computer, phone, watch, tablet, etc.) for long periods of time can lead to eye strain, which diminishes productivity. To prevent such strain… Casey's eTip: Take Care of Your Precious Eyes The American Academy of Opthamology offers tips to keep your eyes healthy. Here are a few… *Remind…

Human beings are not built to sit staring at screens for hours on end. Our energetic batteries can get low quickly, so it helps to… Casey's eTip: Recharge with Mindfulness Mini-Breaks Taking a 2-minute mindfulness break every 60 minutes (or more often if needed) is a free, discreet, ever-available way…

Taking handwritten notes during meetings focuses your attention and engages multiple parts of your brain, improving your memory. Instead of keeping these notes or transcribing them, however, you might... Casey's eTip: Take Notes Then Let Them Go Ideally, there will be meeting minutes that briefly identify the decisions and action…

US workers receive an average of 120 emails a day (BR.org 01/2019). If your phone or laptop notifies you when they arrive, you may be getting interrupted every 4 minutes of an 8-hour day. It's time to... Casey's eTip: Turn Off Your Email Alerts "You will never forget to check…

Boundary-setting gets a bad rap, as if it's negative: just saying "no" or even building walls. Really, it's a way to… Casey's eTip: Say Yes to Yourself Boundary-setting lets us "yes" to ourselves, meaning our needs, values, goals, passions, loved ones, most important work tasks, etc. As Brene Brown puts…

Want to understand your client, connect with your boss or make your loved one feel cared for? Listen intently to what they say and then… Casey's eTip: Be Silent for 20 Seconds Listening attentively, actively and with empathy is a gift to the speaker. Such listening requires silence, too. Give…

We know that rest is good for us, but a big vacation can be stress-inducing to plan and coordinate. Fortunately, you don't have to take a long trip to reap rewards… Casey's eTip: Take Quick Vacations to Refresh As Alex Soojung-kim Pang, author of Rest: Why You Get More Done…

If your team members frequently to you for answers they should know or could find themselves, they are delegating upwards. To turn it around… Casey's eTip: Ask for Solutions Instead of Supplying Them Ask them how they would handle the situation if you were not around. If it's a good…

Delegating is hard and holding people accountable even harder. Here's one way to make both easier… Casey's eTip: Delegate with Specificity Force yourself to be specific… *Give the due date and maybe time, e.g., by EOB Wednesday (it's not demanding; it helps people prioritize) *Give a sense of the finished…

They've finally done a (not very) scientific study of a phenomena I've been observing in my clients for years. Here's what I tell them (and now you!)... Casey's eTip: Breathe While Checking Inboxes A former IT executive has coined the term "screen apnea" to describe the common phenomena of holding…

Meandering, pointless meetings waste time and so much money. To avoid this pitfall… Casey's eTip: Ask 5 Questions to Run Effective Meetings Here are the five questions to ask at the beginning of each meeting, whether it consists of two people or thirty. They form the acronym TOSCA™. Ask (and…

Multi-tasking makes your productivity decline and your mistakes increase. Research shows that doing two tasks simultaneously or switching rapidly between them can steal up to 40 percent of your productive time. The solution? Casey's eTip: Do One Thing at a Time Complete one activity before you start the next. The…

Self-care is an important component of sustainably high productivity. It begins when you… Casey's eTip: Stop and Listen to Your Needs Effective self-care occurs through small acts in the present moment throughout each day. I invite you to pause now, tune in to your body and ask yourself "What do…

Some tasks can be difficult to begin. They may evoke uncertainty, anxiety, dismay and even dread. It helps to… Casey's eTip: Set Your Timer for Five Minutes Promise yourself that you'll do what you can for five minutes and then you get to stop and call it a win. Repeat…