This holiday season, I encourage you to examine your list of things you "have to do" because you've always done them. It might be time to… Casey's eTip: End Your Obligation Streak Singer/songwriter Aimee Mann wrote: "And so, for the sake of momentum, I'm condemning the future to death so…

Are you someone who goes from one task-management method to another, trying to find what works for you only to discover that the constant change leaves you with no method at all? You're not alone! My recommendation is to… Casey's eTip: Stick to a System, Even an Imperfect One No…

I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln, who presided over very challenging times in our nation's history, issued nine proclamations calling for days of thanksgiving during his tenure (the October 1863 one set the timing for our national holiday--

Daniel Markovitz makes a compelling case in a Harvard Business Review article for ditching to-do lists (although there are ways of managing such lists that address his concerns). Instead, he suggests you… Casey's eTip: Keep All Your To-Do's on Your Calendar Putting tasks on the calendar ensures there is time…

We live with our brain our whole lives but we probably never received an instruction manual about how it works when we were children. Fortunately, it's not too late to… Casey's eTip: Learn How Your Brain Works When you understand the neuroscience of how your brain functions, you increase your…

Our ability to direct our own attention influences both our productivity and our quality of life. We are more productive when we focus on what matters. We are happier when we focus on gratitude. These are just a couple examples. Still, it's important to realize that our attention naturally wanders.…

This eTip stems from my experience this past week, making avoidable mistakes and encountering others doing the same. I'm reminded that it's useful to… Casey's eTip: Presume the Best in Others It's easy to take one data point from someone, especially someone new, and form an opinion of that person,…

As we communicate more and more with people we've never met, especially via writing only, it's easy to forget their humanity. We can see them as obstacles to or levers for our goal achievement. To combat this effect… Casey's eTip: Picture the Person You're Contacting Imagine this human with a…

A client recently reminded me of Blinkist, the book-summarizing app that I posted about as an eTip in 2015. Eight years later, it's the top in the field. But there are also other options if you want to assimilate the latest and/or greatest business, productivity and personal growth books. Casey's…

Does your life history, especially your childhood/school days, suggest that you have ADHD, dyslexia or developmental coordination disorder (DCD)? Do you believe that you are currently experiencing depression, anxiety or OCD? If you wonder, you might… Casey's eTip: Get a Diagnostic Assessment If you suspect that you have a brain-based…

Timing matters when it comes to speaking up for ourselves about an injustice or boundary-crossing at work or elsewhere. Speak too soon and a tsunami of emotions can damage our relationships with others. Wait too long and the energy and urgency dissipate so we don't say what we need to…

Years of working with clients has shown me the surprisingly large impact of resentment and blame on people's performance. It's the not-so-silent productivity killer. Here's one way to stop the drain on your time and energy... Casey's eTip: Own Your Emotions Owning your emotions begins with understanding them. When we…

In the age of automation and digital communication, face-to-face meetings still matter. Even one encounter where both parties can see each other as human eases future digital exchanges, as old research* shows. Casey's eTip: Connect Face-to-Face, Especially in the Beginning Observing how people move, carry themselves and make eye contact…

"This is the real secret of life--to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play." These are the words of writer/philosopher Alan Watts, urging you to... Casey's eTip: Engage Fully to Be Function Optimally When…

Summer heat and AC overuse can result in storms that knock out your power. To stay productive, be prepared. Casey's eTip: Empower Yourself to Handle Power Outages This Wirecutter article offers a useful list of suggested tools that can keep your equipment safe and functioning. It also helps to create…

Some research found that willpower was finite, wearing out by the end of the time. Later studies revealed that believing willpower runs out led to people giving up compared to those who thought willpower was unlimited, who endured. The moral? Casey's eTip: Believe It and It Will Be True Our…

Do you like taking handwritten notes but need the information in the notes to be digitized and accessible to others? Then… Casey's eTip: Consider Using a Digital Notepad These handy devices are like high-tech etch-a-sketches: They are slim, light and highly portable. You save what you've written to the cloud.…

Some people dread returning from vacation so much that they don't take time off. But it's worth it (and not only because a study of 13,000 heart patients slashed their risk of death from heart disease by 29% and from any cause by 17%)… Casey's eTip: Take Time Off and…