By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. You’re sitting in class, paying attention (or not), and all of a sudden you have no idea what the teacher is saying. Or you’re doing your homework at home, and it hits you that you’re totally confused about the material. It …
8 goal-setting tips for students
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. This tutorial offers 8 goal-setting tips for students, although many of the tips are solid strategies for goal-setting in general – for anyone. Goal-setting is all the rage around the new year, but I think most of that is simply traditional …
ADHD and procrastination: 5 tips for task initiation
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Procrastination is normal, everyone does it, and it essentially serves a fundamental purpose: to avoid pain. But procrastination is also a self-destructive behavior that can lead to troubled relationships, poor academic performance, low confidence, and anxiety. ADHD and procrastination go hand-in-hand …
Homework management system: Calendar vs. assignment notebook
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. I’m frequently asked about the difference between a calendar and an assignment notebook. They are not the same. At all. While both are essential pieces of a student homework-management system, they each have a unique function. The bottom line: Neither a …
How to prioritize homework assignments: 5 steps
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Knowing how to prioritize homework is one of the keys to not feeling overwhelmed and falling behind in school. There are some basic steps to prioritizing homework, which I explain below. But first, let’s get clear on the definition of prioritization. …
How to choose school supplies for students with ADHD
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. School supplies for students with ADHD may look a little different than school supplies for neurotypical students. Neurotypical students often choose school supplies based on factors like aesthetics (does it look cool), popularity (is it actually cool) and teacher requirements (the …
Why you should be using Status Notes
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. I have been using Status Notes for years. Of course, back then I had no idea that I would make them into a thing and eventually name them Status Notes, but over time I realized I should share my strategy. The …
Master List vs. to-do list, and why you need both
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. I’m a huge fan of lists. I’m a fan not only for my own personal geekish reasons but also for reasons based on cognitive science. (In case you didn’t hear, our brains can not store endless amounts of information.) I’ve written …
How to be more productive at work: 4 practical tips you’re not likely doing
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Googleing “how to be more productive at work” yields a ton of search results like this one (New York Times) and this one (Forbes) that offer the same generic tips. Many of these productivity tips are excellent – such as avoiding …
I can’t focus: How to focus better and why you can’t
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. One of the most common frustration points my clients articulate is I can’t focus. This is usually followed up with questions about how to focus better, what focus strategies work best, and what’s the magic formula. I hear this from all types …