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. Iām a huge fan of lists. Iām a fan not only for my own personal geekish reasons but also for reasons based on cognitive science. (In case you didnāt hear, our brains can not store endless amounts of information.) Iāve written …
How to build a habit: The ultimate strategy
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. If my business name isnāt a dead giveaway, Iām 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 youāre not likely doing
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Googleing āhow to be more productive at workā 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 canāt 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 donāt 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 doesnāt 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, itās not meant to store large amounts of unconnected information. Thatās why we have lists. Lists externally store non-urgent data for future reference. Using lists can reduce stress, increase the accessibility of information, help …
