Mar 263 minOrganizing Digital ContentIt’s coming up on that time again – end of the month digital organization! Don’t get the wrong idea. Just because our data doesn’t take...
Jan 193 minNew Computer? Yay! Setting it up? Ugh.For many of us, our computer is the most important work tool we’ve got. To keep up with technological progress, research shows you should...
Jan 43 minVacation's over! How to get settled back in fast2021 is coming to an end, and so is my time in Hawaii. I was gone for 35 days completing my annual military duty. My family came along...
Aug 16, 20213 minThinking Deeply about Performance MetricsAs a general rule, I like to overdeliver. And I get very stressed with the idea that the people I work for are unhappy with what I'm...
Aug 9, 20213 minThe Art of AdvisingI've been lucky to have great mentors and advisors both as a student and later as a professional. But I also worked very hard to...
Jul 19, 20214 minKeeping Track of your Work: Events, Briefings, Workshops, Etc Edition Last week, my boss asked me to write a few paragraphs about my work's impact. This exercise made me realize that I'm bad at keeping track...
Jul 5, 20214 minHow to Pack for Travel (including tips for the family)I've always loved to travel. Starting in high school, I would save up all my babysitting money, and the moment I had enough, I was on a...
Jun 21, 20212 minCreate an Event GuideEvents are exciting! People want to hear what you have to say. That's fun. I'm constantly telling my family members that other people...
Jun 7, 20215 minBeing Purposeful about AppointmentsIf you have a job that requires you to meet with people, then you know how much it can suck up your time. It isn't just the time you...
May 31, 20214 min The Key to Happiness? Outsourcing and DelegatingI was chatting with my friend the other day about a contest I was thinking of applying to. In general, my position is to apply for...
May 22, 20212 minThe Beauty of Catch-All DaysAt the end of every week, I put together a list of the things I’m going to do the following week. I’ve got a nice system that lets me...
May 11, 20214 minFirst-Prize in Keeping Track of AwardsLast week I took my kids to a carnival, where they rode rides and played silly games to win even sillier prizes. My two-year-old...
Mar 2, 20212 minGetting to NoIt is hard to say no to people. You worry they won't like you. Or that you are missing out on a good opportunity. That it will negatively...
Feb 23, 20214 minWhen to Balk and at Giving a TalkOK, balk may be a bit strong, but it conveys a basic point: you can't say yes to every speaking opportunity that comes your way. If...
Jan 18, 20213 minTravel Admin: Dealing with Cell PhonesI spend a lot of time overseas for work, sometimes 4-5 months a year elsewhere, sometimes longer. Traveling is awesome, but also creates...
Jan 18, 20212 minGetting serious about tax deductionsThere is perhaps no admin task more loathed than preparing your taxes. Even Albert Einstein, a genius, thought "the hardest thing in the...
Dec 17, 20203 minSharing Work News through a NewsletterOver the years, I've tried different ways of promoting my work to those in my field. I used to send a mass email maybe 2-3 times a year...
Nov 23, 20203 minRecommendations on Recommendation LettersWriting recommendation letters is one of the big administrative jobs of anyone in the knowledge sector – whether you work at a...
Nov 22, 20203 minUsing RAs Part III: Publicizing Your WorkYou spent a lot of time to research and write something. You’ve gone through the tedious and long publication process. And now you can...
Nov 3, 20202 minUsing RAs Part II: Op-eds!Thanks to online publications, there are endless opportunities for think-tankers and academics to share their research and viewpoints on...
Nov 2, 20203 minUsing RAs Part I: Presentations!After over a decade of working as other people’s research assistant, I finally got my own when I started teaching at Georgetown. Research...
Nov 1, 20204 minNetworking in a Remote WorldCOVID sucks. Unfortunately, it looks like we will have to deal with continuing our lives remotely for the foreseeable future. To stay...
Oct 21, 20205 minHow to rock that internshipYou are an intern. And you want to impress your boss. I have been there. Over a decade of my life, I was there. Here's the bottom line –...
Sep 30, 20205 minMiserable doing admin? Some tipsWhen I was preparing to have our second son, it was a stressful time. The pregnancy was unexpected, and I found myself with immense work...