Learn and Work Smarter

Katie Azevedo

Whether you're a student or a working professional, the Learn and Work Smarter Podcast delivers the clarity, strategies, and encouragement you need to stay focused, organized, and on top of your tasks.

Hosted by Katie Azevedo, M.Ed.—a private executive function coach with 20 years of teaching experience and a deep background in ADHD and cognitive science—this show is your practical guide to building the real-life skills that school and work demand but rarely teach.

Episodes cover a range of topics, including time management, productivity, studying smarter, focus strategies, task initiation, and executive function habits. Each topic is approached through a lens of neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and deep compassion.

You’ll learn systems that are teachable, sustainable, and immediately actionable.

No fluff. No hype. Just real strategies for getting things done, reducing stress, and showing up as the most capable version of yourself.

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29 episodes
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Avg 27 min
English

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#130
June 11 · 37 min
130. How to Ask for Help in College – with Psychologist Dr. Susan VanScoyoc
Send me a message!🤓 College can make students feel all kinds of ways: thrilled at the freedom, excited at the possibilities, and overwhelmed with the independence that's suddenly expected of them. In my conversation with board-certified psychologist Dr. Susan VanScoyoc, we talk about how to ask for help when college gets hard — and why most students (and their parents) are getting this wrong. Dr. VanScoyoc is the founder of Campus Confidant, where she helps families navigate the emotional and practical challenges of the college years. Her core message: college is a bridge, not a launch. What You'll Learn: The 4 myths that stop college students from asking for help Why "I should be able to handle this" is the most dangerous thing a student can think The 3 types of support you can ask for (and which one is the easiest place to start) What a "bandwidth checker" is — and why every student needs one What parents can watch for when their student goes quiet Tips for parents: how to offer support without jumping straight to solutions 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/130) Submit a question to the show Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube About Dr. VanScoyoc Sign up for her pretty awesome newsletter Connect with her on Instagram (@CampusConfident) Dr. Susan VanScoyoc is a psychologist, parenting coach, and founder of Campus Confident, where she helps families of college students navigate the emotional and practical changes that come with this life transition. With over 25 years of experience working with families, along with her own college parenting experiences, she focuses on practical ways to manage stress, communicate effectively, and use support systems well during the college years. She teaches that college is a bridge, not a launch, and gives families clear, realistic ways to stay connected as students grow into independence. Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#129
June 4 · 37 min
129. Homework Management Tips + Starting Over as an Adult (Q&A)
Send me a message!🤓 In this Q&A episode of the Learn and Work Smarter podcast, I answer two questions submitted by listeners of the show. Question One: A high school student asks for tips for actually doing the work he has tracked in his homework management system. Question Two: A young woman asks for advice about moving into adulthood when she was under-resourced as a child. What You'll Learn: Why tracking your tasks and managing your tasks are two completely different things The role of clarity in task initiation (yes, it's a thing) How to reverse-engineer a big project using only your assignment notebook Why your school portal is a teacher tool, not a student tool How to map your week so you can see exactly how much time you actually have What it means to be under-resourced as a kid — and what to do about it The one question to ask yourself every single night when life feels like a lot 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/128) Submit a question to the show Episode 126: 5 Secret Skills of Adulting Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
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#128
May 28 · 33 min
128. ADHD and the Hidden Shame of Falling Off Track – And How to Start Again
Send me a message!🤓 People with ADHD know this situation all too well: they start a project with enthusiasm, then lose motivation and stop halfway through, and then struggle to ever restart because of the shame and embarrassment they feel about abandoning their work. Stopping projects halfway through is hard enough. But then not knowing how to get back on track and drowning in shame is a whole other experience. That’s what we’re covering in this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter podcast. We talk about why people with ADHD start strong but fade fast, and what to do about it. What You'll Learn: Why people with ADHD tend to start new projects with high motivation The role of dopamine in task initiation and task completion How to hack your dopamine to keep going when you want to quit The surprising connection between ADHD and shame The one question you need to ask yourself when you fall off the bandwagon A whole boatload of strategies to help you restart what you abandoned – without shame 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/128) Submit a question to the show Episode 72: How to Finish What You Start Episode 93: The 10-Minute Habit that Makes Every Day Less Stressful (Status Notes) Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) Google Calendar Tutorial for Students ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#127
May 21 · 18 min
127. 5 Invisible Forces That Make You Always Feel Behind
Send me a message!🤓 You know that feeling when you’re super busy, you have a million things to do … but you still feel behind and like you got nothing done at the end of the day? It’s not your imagination. In this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter podcast, I reveal the 5 secret (and oh so sneaky!) invisible forces that destroy productivity and keep you running on a to-do-list treadmill to nowhere. What You'll Learn: How most people approach productivity (and get it wrong) The sneaky thing you do all day that takes WAY more time than you think it does How your brain is lying to you about what it can do How planning optimism (sure! I can do that!) is a productivity predator Exactly how to tame these 5 invisible forces and take back your day 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/127) Submit a question to the show Episode 03: The Admin Block Strategy Episode 95: Time Estimation Strategies Episode 68: The Time Management Trap Nobody Talks About Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) Google Calendar Tutorial for Students ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#126
May 14 · 32 min
126. Top 5 Secret Skills of Adulting (At Any Age)
Send me a message!🤓 “Adulting” has nothing to do with age. Instead, it has to do with the ability to operate independently and function in a way that supports your goals. In this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter podcast, I reveal the top 5 secret skills of adulting that, when they’re mastered, make everything else about school and work (and life) so much easier and less dramatic. This episode is for all ages … even if you’re already a 100-year-old adult 😉 What You'll Learn: 5 secret adulting skills that will make your entire life easier and less dramatic The number one secret adulting skill that makes all the other ones possible What to do if you suspect you could use a boost in any of the adulting skills The negative impact that lacking these skills can have on your life, even in ways you’d never suspect 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/126) Submit a question to the show Episode 07: How to Learn Things Episode 05: How to Build a Task Management System Episode 25: 5 Time Management Mistakes You’re Making Episode 38: How to Be Resourceful Episode 46: How to Be Professional Episode 48: Task Management Tips Episode 68: The Time Management Trap Nobody Talks About Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#125
May 7 · 32 min
125. Making Your Commute Productive and Leading When You're Unmotivated (Q&A)
Send me a message!🤓 In this monthly Q&A episode, I answer two questions submitted by listeners of the show. Question 1: How can I make my commute to and from work more productive? Question 2: How can I be an effective leader when I’m burned out and unmotivated? What You'll Learn: A unique commute strategy that can clear your head, increase your clarity, and improve your productivity A counterintuitive way to use your drive time to get ahead on work or school without touching your phone Why curating your commute playlist isn't just "listening to music" — and how to do it with intention The real reason your team loses motivation (hint: it has nothing to do with your own motivation level) What effective leadership requires on low-motivation days — and what’s not a factor at all (most people mix up these two) 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/125) Submit a question to the show Episode 4: What to Do When You're Overwhelmed Episode 110: How to Think Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#124
April 30 · 28 min
124. How to Meet Tight Deadlines (Without Losing Your Mind)
Send me a message!🤓 Deadlines don't care how overwhelmed you feel. Tight deadlines? Those require a completely different approach — more urgency, more intensity, and a clear plan for execution. In this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter Podcast, I break down six strategies for meeting tight deadlines without losing your mind. Part one covers three pre-work strategies that take maybe 10 minutes total. Part two covers three execution strategies to actually get the dang thing done. What You'll Learn: Why clarity on your deliverable is the most critical first step — and what happens when you skip it How to make time visible (time is math, not a feeling) and schedule work into real, specific slots The three options when the math doesn't math and you don't have enough time to meet your deadline Why setup and starting are one combined step, and what that looks like in practice How to work in contained chunks with specificity so you're not wasting precious minutes deciding what to do 5 micro strategies for locking in 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/124) Episode 80: How to Do a Work Sprint Pomodoro Technique Alternatives (video) Free weekly planner (FREE DOWNLOAD) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript
#123
April 23 · 33 min
123. 5 Steps for Applying for Scholarships – with Expert Dave Peterson
Send me a message!🤓 ⭐Get the Scholarship Summer Camp + Note-Taking Power System Bundle right here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/katie (you get my whole note-taking course for free!) It’s a common misunderstanding that scholarships are only for graduating students headed right to college. In fact, students of all ages can and should apply for scholarship money as soon as possible. In this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter Podcast, I talk with Dave Peterson of Scholarship GPS. Dave is a scholarship expert who shares with us his awesome 5-step process for simplifying the scholarship application process and getting students the money they deserve. Plus, Dave and I team up to offer students the coolest bundle ever: enroll in his Scholarship Summer Camp (6-week program starting in June) and get my Note-Taking Power System for free! Grab that here. (https://www.scholarshipgps.com/katie) What You'll Learn: Why summer is actually the best time to apply for scholarships (and it's not just for seniors) The 5-step process that makes applying for scholarships (and winning them!) easier than you can imagine What happens to scholarship money if your kid wins before they're ready for college The #1 reason most scholarship applications get rejected before anyone even reads the essay Why a strong GPA is not a requirement for winning — and what matters more 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/123) Episode 75: How to Pay for College with Scholarships - with Dave Peterson ⭐Get the Scholarship Summer Camp + Note-Taking Power System Bundle right here: https://www.scholarshipgps.com/katie (you get my whole note-taking course for free!) Dave’s free list of scholarship websites: Download for free ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
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#122
April 16 · 27 min
122. The Biggest Lie We Tell Struggling Students: Why Studying MORE Isn't the Answer
Send me a message!🤓 ⭐FREE Parent Training: How to Help Your Teen Handle School Like a Pro Most struggling students are in the situation they’re in because no one ever taught them how to actually DO school. We expect them to learn, but nobody ever teaches them HOW. Therefore, the "just study more" might be the most well-meaning, unhelpful advice we keep giving them. In this episode of the Learn and Work Smarter podcast, I break down exactly why the study harder message misses the mark, what's actually going on for students who are working hard and still not seeing results, and what the real solution looks like. What You'll Learn: Why more effort applied to the wrong approach doesn't produce better results — and what it produces instead The real reason high-achieving high schoolers often completely fall apart their first semester of college (it's not what you think) Why the scaffolds schools provide (study guides, teacher slides, pre-made flashcards) can work against students in the long run What most students are actually doing when they think they're studying, and why it doesn't work The house-building metaphor that reframes everything about how we talk to struggling students The six specific, teachable skills that make up the real foundation of academic success The one question parents should ask before ever telling their student to try harder 🔗 Resources Mentioned: ⭐SchoolHabits University (SchoolHabitsUniversity.com) ⭐Note-Taking Power System (NoteTakingSystem.com) ⭐Assignment Management Power System (AssignmentManagementSystem.com) Episode website (https://www.learnandworksmarter.com/podcast/122) ❤️ Connect: Instagram Facebook Pinterest Subscribe on YouTube Got your own burning question you'd like me to answer on a future episode? AWESOME! You can submit your questions via the form on my homepage right here. Please follow the show and leave a review if what you hear is helpful. Doing so helps me more than you'll ever know. Thank you!! LET'S CONNECT Sign up for my (pretty darn good) newsletter that I very craftily named ReportCard. For hundreds of tutorials featuring tips on studying, productivity, organization, learning, time management and more, head to my blog: SchoolHabits.com.
- Transcript

Showing 21–29 of 29 episodes