By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. If my business name isn’t a dead giveaway, I’m into habits. Habits are the repetitive actions and thoughts that essentially guide how we live our lives. We have school habits, work habits, health habits, and thinking habits (hello, anxieties!). We also …
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 …
12 summer reading tips for middle school and high school students
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Required summer reading often involves the same challenging books as school-year reading, but without all the teacher support and guidance along the way. For this reason, some middle and high school students who succeed with school-year reading will struggle to independently …
How to get your child to read when they don’t want to: 3 tips for parents
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Not every child (or adult!) likes to read. Does that bum me out? Yep. But similarly, not everyone likes to swim or cook or watch scary movies. The challenge for many parents is when a child doesn’t want to read when …
7 things students should do before school gets out: How to shut down a school year for the summer
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. When the last bell rings before summer vacation, most students slam their devices closed and chuck their backpacks in a closet until September. I get it. I did that too. But there are some simple things that students should do before …
ADHD and motivation: 2 keys to increasing motivation with ADHD
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Adults and children with ADHD have fascinating strengths, including creativity curiosity and empathy. But people with ADHD also have a slew of challenges that can make daily life seem nearly impossible to manage. These challenges primarily involve the executive functions, which …
10 lists every student should have
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. While the human brain is unfathomably amazing, it’s not meant to store large amounts of unconnected information. That’s why we have lists. Lists externally store non-urgent data for future reference. Using lists can reduce stress, increase the accessibility of information, help …
Tips for open-book exams
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Open-book exams have a complicated reputation, as there are pros and cons to this type of test: Pro: You have to memorize less information. Con: Open-book exams offer a false sense of security, fooling you into thinking the answers will just …
22 best study tips for exams: High school and college edition
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. The best study tips for exams differ slightly from study tips for regular tests. Certainly, the list below contains many strategies that will help you prepare for that one high school or college chemistry test, but most of the study tips …