Customer Reviews

People should be required to do two things: Work in customer service - and take this time management class.

MaryEllen's Brain-based Time Management class opened up a new way of thinking about behaviors and the possibility that these can be changed/modified to better meet the desires and expectations we have for ourselves! The elasticity of our brains to use new tools, concepts, and strategies to support new habits and learning is extraordinary. Mary Ellen shared valuable resources to help us in our exploration of our "brain personalities" and I'm excited to get started using new tools and knowledge to better support my brain's executive functioning!

Mary makes these trainings interesting and individualized. She first evaluates the class on their particular needs by asking each individual what their everyday looks like and what they would like to gain from the training. Not only in their work field but personal life as well! You're not going to be disappointed, or bored and will leave with a better understanding of what you can do as an individual to assist yourself in getting your time organized to better your own self sufficiency and care. I've taken this training 2 years ago when I first started my position as a county case manager and implemented the skills she gave me. I just took it again for a refresher as I recently was promoted to supervisor, which proved to require a much different approach to my known organization skills. I knew I'd benefit from taking this training again. In the middle of the training, it dawned on me that from what I learned from her 2 years ago has brought me so much success in my work life. I realized in the refresher coarse that I implemented the advice from the first training I took 2 years ago, of having a hard notebook to write down tasks with tabs and checklists and considered myself very organized. I let her know that once I finally used all of the pages of my notebook in the 2 years of case management, it was a grand closure to a new notebook as I was promoted the same day I used the last page. I am excited to use my new notebook for my new position and hope to feel the same satisfaction as I did with my last planner. I will continue to take her courses periodically to refresh myself on the amazing advice she gives. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn from her!! If you're hesitant about taking her class, don't be. You won't regret it and will find success in the skills you've learned from her yourself!!

A great course! Mary Ellen has a welcoming and engaging virtual presence. I really liked having a workbook to actively use as concepts were explained. It was validating to know that my need to exercise and move BEFORE I embark on big tasks was actually very beneficial to me. It was also helpful to learn new tools to help keep me focused and motivated to complete those same tasks. I must get a whiteboard notebook and a digital timer!! Thank you, it was wonderful!

Mary thank you so much for your time, and knowledge. Your class is by far the best I’ve taken through the COCC and County professional development series. I’ve been taking these classes since they started (10 years ago?) and try to do at least one class each session. I was very impressed with the class and tricks that I learned. I can apply it to all aspects of my life – work, family, and my personal life. I only have one problem, that I can’t make other people in my life take the course.

Best Virtual Class with great useful information. Instructor was very easy to follow and understand. Great class great instructor.

I had no idea that everything that I thought was "wrong" with my brain could be "fixed!" The tools that Mary Ellen taught us are fairly simple and can be implemented easily. I cannot wait to finally get organized, both physically and mentally. Great class. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to work smarter and not harder!

City of Beaverton, Oregon just scored big with this class. Mary Ellen knows the content inside and out and demonstrates how to tap into the brain to get organized and get things done. Well done!

CLEARS stands for California Law Enforcement Association of Records Supervisors. We are the Superior Chapter which include 21 counties in the northern part of our State (up to the Oregon Border). Mary Ellen's training on Brain-based Time Management was taught by Zoom. The participating counties were Placer, Sacramento, Nevada along with Rocklin PD and Truckee PD. Mary Ellen was very knowledgeable and kept the class interested in her techniques and suggestions for Time Managements with her strategies and tools. Some class participants said they have put her tools to use. Also, some said they will put her strategies to use in their work and personal lives. Everyone thought the training was great! We would recommend this training for all aspects of work. Everyone took something valuable away with them.

Thank you Ms Baker for providing reasoning in each area of your time planning class. I need the big picture to understand a projects purpose to plan and understanding the whys and ways to approach the master and task lists. The visual aids used in your presentation to show products and how you use them make it easier to put together our own project lists and keep track of the project tasks. I found your lesson easy listening, insightful and interactive making it one of the best virtual trainings I have attended. Looking forward to more, thank you.

We covered a lot learning about the different aspects of the brain in relation to organization, how to figure out where we need a kick in the pants to go in the right direction, and what strategies that kick in the pants might entail. Thank you. I've already put what I've learned into action and it is making a huge difference.

This class was so helpful and provided me with tools and strategies for my time management skills. I learned so much about the brain and how it works when it comes to the subject.

I found this course on target for supporting my brain while having the strange experience of getting things done with a sense of spaciousness. My activities don't feel forced or rushed...just completed.

I consider myself to be of a scattered mind. If I grasp onto something, it's a mild success so it’s not easy for me to transition into better habits. Since I've taken the time management class, I realized I can do long term goals through visual means. Setting my goals and and then making my progress visible keeps me motivated! It might not be considered a huge success to most, but to me it's a step in the many years of my poor self-management. It's enough to let me know I am capable of improving in other areas regarding time management.

Great! Learned a lot about how the brain and memory works and how to make mine work better. Great information.

I took your time management class last week. First, I want to say how pleasantly surprised I was with how interesting and informative your class was. I truly learned a great deal and it helped reinforce some things I already knew about myself and my planning/time management skills. Second, I would like to say that from your class and from those 10 skills we discussed, I learned that my only weakness was finishing tasks. Since then, I have been really focusing on finishing tasks before starting a new one. This mainly pertains to my hobbies as I’ve never prioritized them before. This week alone, I’ve finished 3 tasks; one of which I’ve been working on for 1.5 years!!! So thank you. I wanted to send you a message and just say how thankful I am you taught us this class and how I haven’t stopped thinking about it in the last week and how it’s really positively impacted my life since that morning.

I felt the class was well worth my time, LOL. Lots of good information presented in a way to keep me interested, engaged and not feeling overwhelmed. So many good things to take away from the class to put into practice both professionally and personally. Mary Ellen was a delight.

I thoroughly enjoyed the class. Relevant content and well presented. The workbook was also useful which I intend to reference in the future. Thank you!

Completed the 3 hour workshop and the content was well organized, relevant and easy to consume. Mary was entertaining and knowledgeable. Recommend this to all busy professionals!

One of the most useful courses I've taken - practical, helpful, I am beginning to apply these techniques and I feel it will enhance the way I work. I would like to take the longer Mindfulness individual class. THANK YOU!

Mary Ellen Baker provided realistic, useful strategies combined with education in executive function to empower those in the class to improve our efficiency AND calm/mindfulness. I have tried classes like this before, and this is by far the biggest "bang for the buck."

Melissa, thank you for a very interesting workshop! The first third really pushed my buttons, whew, but by the end, I was seeing the light. I was feeling bewildered at first, but by the end I was feeling a bit of confidence and baby-stepping into success! I wrote a four page list today of things that have to get done. I crossed many of them off and got that dopamine hit, lol. I am going to do my best to incorporate what I learned as best I can.

Melissa, I loved your class yesterday. Thank you for an eye opening experience. This morning I set goals and did not get distracted. So far, an improvement of my usual behavior. I will read all the printed notes you have given me and continue to apply these new skills. I’m so glad I took the class. It was great! I’m also practicing creating a home for every thing in my house. Things look better. I’m trying to make way for action.

This course took me to the next evolutionary stage! I was struggling with doing anything that took more than three steps, which means pretty much anything more complicated than frying an egg. I had a thousand different time management books, calendars, phone apps, and bits of unsolicited advice (thanks Mom), but none of them was suited to my executive functioning, or lack thereof. Mary Ellen showed me how to master time, and tailored everything to me, including incorporating things that were already working for me, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Now I can actually set and achieve meaningful goals, and I don't feel like a total failure at life. At the end of the course, I was even arriving on time! Level up Player One!

I had a hard time motivating myself for work because of the many branches of my job, I often felt overwhelmed with it all, some days feeling like I just couldn't work. After even the first meeting with Mary Ellen, she taught me simple tools in a way I could understand it, and now I'm much more excited about going to work because I'm more organized in a way that best suits my style. I even use these tools at home for personal projects and feel like I have a lot more free time to do the things that fill my cup. I can't thank you enough Mary Ellen, you are truly a time saver and made this a wonderful experience. Thank you!

Your class is life-changing. Ever since I took your class I practice being present in the moment and using checklists. When I don’t use checklists I wake up and am distracted in conversations by my to-do list. Changing that behavior allows me to sleep! I also understand so much more about how I relate to my spouse. Thank you!!! I appreciate you!

Thank you, Melissa, for a great class. It is exactly what I need....tomorrow I will go and buy the thirty folders. And I assure you I will be calling for help if I get stuck. My plan is to have it ready and running by next Sunday. You have given me a great gift and I am so very grateful. Learning new strategies to make life more meaningful made for a remarkable day!!

Mary Ellen was amazing! She helped me and my coworkers with our time management through different classes and gave us useful and sustainable techniques to stay more organized. Following the classes, she returned to my office on numerous occasions to help me create a jobs binder for my position. It was a challenge to figure out how to pass on a usable how-to guide for the next person who will take my role, but Mary Ellen was patient, dedicated, and put a lot of thought and hard work into the project we worked on.

Mary Ellen was awesome in coordinating a one-on-one training with me, customized to my unique and varied position. I juggle a lot of balls and with Mary Ellen's help I have a way to stay organized and free up my mind to be able to enjoy what I'm doing without worrying about dropping one of those balls. Thank you for your great ideas and generosity of spirit!

I loved this class! I received a system that encompasses my personal goals and my work goals. There were many useful tools and approaches. I'm looking forward to the planning class now. The system was well thought out and the class was well prepared. And fun! Enormously supportive of our busy, many-tiered lives.

I found the process for time management useful and easy to follow. I filed everything for the first time in many years, and I've stuck with it since January (it's now April). So glad I did it. The project management part I haven't used that much yet, so not as sure about it.

I loved the instructor, the class, material, the way the information was communicated. I left the class feeling energized, motivated, and positive with several takeaways.

I got a lot out of the class, both for work and home. Mary Ellen clearly explained the class structure so we knew what to expect of the 3 hours class. She explained the complicated topic of brain science in an understandable way, utilized the many styles of learning, visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Included many relatable examples, and offered many different practical and useful tools to try out to help manage your time. I think everyone came away with something they could try!

Melissa, Thank you again for your time and energy - I got a lot out of our class and have started parts of my system already.

Melissa, I loved your class and your message. My husband and I are enjoying putting the concepts to work. My adult daughters, who took the class with us, loved your teaching — especially you.

Today was fantastic!! You did such a great job presenting the material. Looking forward to adding these practices in my daily routine.

Melissa, your classes are great and you are such a fantastic teacher. I loved your class and have been really conscious of how I am organizing things, it was so interesting and a good challenge. Plus parts of it were so affirming.

I'm 64 years old and wish I had gone to Mary Ellen''s time management class when I was an adolescent. Now I have tools and the skills to easily plan my days, months & a year all in one place. I am now much more realistic about how much I can accomplish in a given period of time. In our fast paced society, I'm out of the rat race, and yet more productive.

I really enjoyed the class and purchased my 2019 Day Planner yesterday with an eye toward getting more organized...baby steps. 😊

We had the pleasure of having Mary Ellen present the first part of the Time Management Training to our Workforce Recruitment and Training team. This came at a great time for us as recruitments & projects are starting to pick up. I personally found her science evidence-based approach on how our brain works and how it relates to time management fascinating! My colleagues & myself were engaged throughout the whole session! We were able to go back to work with realistic & effective tools to help better plan & manage our workload. We are already looking forward to the second phase of the time management series next month!

Really loved how this course gave me tangible skills in managing my time effectively! I started meditating right after taking this course and really improved my mental state in getting to focus...who knew the brain was so powerful in time management and focusing. I also now must have an analog clock wherever I go : )

My 13 year old child was diagnosed with ADHD and a friend recommended this course to help with organization skills. The entire family had to attend together which benefited all of us. The experience was well worth the time and financial commitment. We went to help my son but in the end, we all gained skills. My daughter who is naturally organized became even more so and her grades improved. I think this course helped her refine her natural skills. I learned how I was making poor time management decisions that hurt the whole family. My son improved his skills and was not embarrassed or resentful. Mary Ellen is very respectful and patient. I would highly recommend her and her class.

I’ve had trouble managing my time since time immemorial. I’ve taken several time management courses in the past and tried my own methods, all with limited success. Seventy percent of my job involves writing so I’m forever on deadline. I almost always meet my deadlines but it’s often right down to the wire. After taking this course, I feel like I’m finally getting a better handle on time management. I’m a visual learner so the visual tools helped me grasp the concepts and learn the techniques. Mary Ellen is an excellent teacher. Stop procrastinating and start being punctual.

A valuable and important class for all. Mary Ellen showed us how to successfully implement steps for completing projects/tasks. She is succinct, thoughtful and easy to understand. This class was life changing.

When Mary Ellen described the course and the possible benefits to me, my first thought was: “I’ve got to get this in front of my whole family! We all need this so much”. My kids were just starting into high school and there were significant struggles for them as students to be able to organize all the assignments and projects into a manageable place. I’ll be honest, it was a a lot of effort to get everyone to seven sessions through the summer, but the payoff was huge! They went back to school with new tools, new attitudes of confidence, and a whole different perspective on the tasks assigned to them. Several teachers even took them aside and asked what they’d done to change so drastically. What a reward! A resounding success! Thank you Mary Ellen for following your passion and helping us in such a profound way.

Mary Ellen Baker created a customized time management training for my non-profit sales and support team. She worked diligently for many months by meeting with myself and my managers to create a training that would teach my team the skills they needed. The training she created was perfect! For adult-learners she built in many exercises to keep them challenged and engaged. Though the training was in late 2017, many of my team members are still utilizing the techniques she taught us. I think my team is more efficient and organized overall since taking her training.

I’ve struggled my whole life with distraction and procrastination, especially in work situations with challenging, unclear projects and tasks. I spent a couple of afternoons with Mary Ellen figuring out what was getting in my way . . . and what I could do about it. I’ve since implemented several of the tools that I learned from her and things are much improved! And she was fun to work with. Highly recommended for anyone with similar challenges.

I loved this class. I came away feeling so powerful and inspired. Mary, your suggestions are working already!

Mary Ellen has made my life so much more productive! She also taught me valuable time management techniques on how to allocate my business schedule effectively, and now I have much less stress and worry. I wish I’d seen her years ago.

Mary Ellen is a masterful and gifted educator, whose empowering and spirited teaching style imbues her classes with a contagious enthusiasm for the revolutionary new ideas, information, and approaches to planning, scheduling, and all other aspects of time management offered as the world-class toolkits of her courses. Her mastery of time management education is firmly and broadly rooted in her uncommon grasp of neuroscience and brain physiology, human psychology, motivation, and behavior. The end result for students is a fascinating, engaging, and even thrilling journey which bestows each of us with newfound scheduling tools, practices, skills, awareness, and faith: no matter how dysfunctional our past relationship with time, anyone can learn to master her or his life from a time management perspective, true breakthroughs which open the doors to astounding levels of freedom, empowerment, mastery, inner peace, and self-esteem. I recommend Mary Ellen’s time management courses to anyone who currently feels time-challenged in any way. The resources, guidance, and encouragement she provides are well worth every penny spent. You will not be disappointed.