Blog
Explore topics relating to perfectionism, gentle productivity, and building on strengths so you can move forward in your higher education career without throwing your quality of life out the window!
Having more fun in life
Having more fun in life has not been one of my priorities and throughout my teens and adulthood I've poured my energy into working and accomplishing. I've reaped benefits from this "work hard" behaviour (or habit?): approval, acceptance, and accolades. But I don't...
Stay in productive mode by tracking your time
Do you ever think something is going to take you "___ " hours and it takes you 3 times longer? Even when you've done a similar project many times before and, in theory, "should" know how long it takes you? If so, tracking your time can help you stay in productive...
5 ways to set boundaries at work and temper your perfectionism
Do you struggle to set boundaries at work (and then uphold them!) because you are an ambitious perfectionist who is: uber responsible (you don't want to displease) focussed on high quality (you have elevated standards) avoiding failure (you're experiencing imposter...
Do you feel like you never have enough time?
Do you feel like you have never enough time? You know, the day ends and your to-do list is longer than it was in the morning? Or, you go to bed thinking about all the things you didn't get done? Maybe you're even running through your to-do list when you intended to be...
Treat your self well: Have things to look forward to
There is an abundance of advice on how to treat your self well through sound nutrition, adequate movement (exercise), sleep, and healthy relationships. But, what about self-care through fun or other pleasures? If you’re all about getting work done and meeting your...
Why is it so hard to rest?
I envy people who relax often and easily. For me and other ambitious perfectionists, it's surprisingly hard to rest. I'm "working on it"--which, ironically, isn't my preferred approach. Working on resting seems like an oxymoron! Yet, it captures where I'm at and who...
Use weekly goal evaluation for keeping on track with your goals
Keeping on track with your career goals isn't always easy. But a weekly evaluation practice can definitely help and is a terrific tool. The process is simple, takes about 20 minutes per week, and doesn't require any special apps or skills. All you need is an interest...
Activity for goal setting: my weekly process
I didn't use to set weekly goals. I used to only create annual goals, early in the year, and then didn't engage in any kind of activity for goal setting after that. Eventually, I added monthly goal setting to my practice and that was helpful. Even after the addition...
Reach your goals faster
Reach your goals with ease We set goals because we want to reach them--they represent something important to us. And, whether we articulate a timeframe or not, we usually have one in mind. That goes for anything ranging from securing a more senior position at work to...
Pessimism can be good for your career (thank you worried mind!)
When you've got a big work project or task coming up, do you feel like you waste time worrying? And then get irritated with yourself for worrying and thinking of the worse? (because for Pete's sake, you'd really like to be more calm, cool, and confident given your...
To be productive at work, you need to rest
If being productive at work fills you with satisfaction, we share something in common! When I think about productivity (which is often), my mind normally directs me to processes (e.g., time blocking, prioritizing), apps for lists and project management, and techniques...
Gaining weight, gaining health
This post about gaining weight has nothing to do with careers but I felt called to write it and share it here, even though it is quite personal. Stretch pants ignorance Like most people who have been working from home 100%, I've spent much of COVID dressed in stretch...