How to be a ‘Completionist’ (Not a Perfectionist)

Have you ever said to yourself, “I won’t start writing that essay until I can get it absolutely perfect?” or “I won’t start that project until my desk and room are spotless”. Welcome to the world (and trap) of perfectionism. I come from a family of perfectionists. So I have first-hand real world experience of […]

Writing essays made easy: How to slay your inner perfectionist and make an absolute mess

I used to agonize over writing essays. Writing every sentence was like sticking a pencil in my eyeball. It was a painful process. But over time something has shifted. I now really enjoy writing. How could this be? From pencil in the eye pain to enjoyment? Well, I gave myself permission to write rubbish. I […]

Avoiding the Stationery Trap: Insights from a Recovering Stationery Addict

In recent years, the humble notepad, pencil case and pen have experienced an extreme makeover. I recently worked with a teenager girl who used a bright pink pen with a big diamond on top to take notes. This pen even had its very own feather bower. Another student had a pencil case covered with a […]

Saying more with less: A simple way to boost essay marks

Have you ever found yourself looking up a thesaurus in an attempt to find a more complex or sophisticated word to use in an essay so you looked more intelligent? I’ll admit, I’ve done it. But it turns out, I’m not alone. 110 Stanford students were asked if they had ever looked up a thesaurus […]