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Below, you’ll find my latest blog posts to help you do brilliant work without sacrificing your personal life – less effort, more impact!
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Have you ever had an ice bath?I took the plunge on a recent family holiday to Thailand.This is something I thought I’d never do. I thought people who did it were mad. Even though I’d heard the benefits of improved circulation and sleep, reduced inflammation and...
Have you heard of dokusho no aki (“autumn reading”)? If you grew up in Japan, you may remember this from your school days.This Japanese concept is said to come from a Chinese poem written in the Tang dynasty that Natsume Soseki referenced in his novel Sanshiro in...
My stomach tightened. In our online meeting, Team Sasuga! had just encouraged me to go laptopless for 11 days! 😱 And then I realized that this was a GREAT opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and learn something new. At least I would have my notebook and phone…...
Wow, I just published edition 444 of my newsletter, Sasuga! Tips For You. That represents a LOT of tips since I started the newsletter in 2015! Apparently, the number 444 represents “clarity and decisiveness.” And after going in circles thinking about the best topic...
Perhaps the worst and best advice I’ve received so far in my 3-decade career in Japan.WORST ADVICE: Underpromise and overdeliverI received this advice from a senior colleague in my early days at McKinsey Japan. “Brilliant!” I thought.What a great way to delight my...
Do you sometimes find networking events tiring or a bit intimidating? What if you could have a positive impact without expending a lot of energy? The other day, I attended an event. But I’d just recovered from being ill, so I didn’t feel like bouncing around the room...
Five years ago, my business was going extremely well based on decades of experience as a bilingual British woman in corporate Japan, a solid professional reputation, and GREAT client relationships. But one area that I’d neglected was my look. More than one person...
What do you do when you get sick as a business professional? Even if you work for a company that provides paid leave, you may find it difficult to let go and trust that everything will be okay without you - especially if you’re in a manager or expert position! Last...
“I get so nervous giving presentations.” Many clients tell me this when we start working together. And my response is usually, “Good. That means you’re a normal human being.” Why it's normal to be nervous As human beings, from primitive times, we needed to be part of...
Are you riding the email rollercoaster? If you’re like many business professionals, constantly checking and responding to emails, do you realize your brain is on a hormonal rollercoaster, with ups and downs of dopamine and cortisol? Dopamine, often called the "reward"...
I’m back in Tokyo after visiting Europe, including a 5-day Paris vacation with my daughter. In the old days, the overdoing, perfectionist, people pleasing me would work ridiculously hard until the last minute to cram in as much as possible before a vacation. Then I...
“Do you use the same calendar for work, personal, and volunteer activities?” This was one of the questions in a workshop for women in business on Creating Space in our Rooms, Devices, Calendars, and Minds. My answer was “Yes.” I have one calendar, which I also share...