I have a degree in public relations and journalism. After I graduated, I fell into working for the BBC. Then, after two years, I went to work in reality TV. After a horrendous eight months at the reality TV job, I left.

I’ve recently moved to Canada with my husband who has a job here. I qualified as a dentist in Australia 15 years ago but have never loved it as a career, in fact, at times I was so stressed out with it I became depressed. In the end, I found a niche of dentistry that suited me but doesn’t exist where I live now.

When I was 28 I made what may be the worst decision in my life: Returning to school in a field unrelated to my previous degree and work history. When I first went to school I earned a BBA with an economics major. I then worked at a bank, but decided to return to school to study what I always wanted to: animation.

With all the technology today and many people and devices competing for my time, and providing a distraction, can you give me some specific time management tips to help me succeed at my job?

I am, or was, a senior level executive (senior vice-president level and officer of the company) in the automotive parts manufacturing industry. While I am certainly aware that there has been a contraction and sea change in this industry, I never see jobs at this level either posted or advertised.

I graduated in 2002 with a bachelor of commerce degree from Dalhousie University. My marks were average at best. I majored in marketing because that was the only thing I could really do given my bad accounting and finance marks.