Cassie Mogilner Holmes, a distinguished professor of marketing and behavioral decision-making at UCLA Anderson School of Management, holds the Bud Knapp Marketing Professorship. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Cassie attended La Jolla Country Day School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology cum laude from Columbia University and completed her Ph.D. in Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business under the mentorship of Jennifer Aaker. Her academic journey continued at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, progressing from assistant to associate professor with tenure, before joining UCLA Anderson in 2016.
As a part-time lecturer at UCLA Anderson, I have the privilege of calling Cassie a colleague. Cassie’s research, which focuses on the interplay between time and happiness, has made significant contributions to understanding how focusing on time rather than money can enhance personal satisfaction. This work has been widely recognized, earning her spots on prestigious lists such as Poets & Quants’ Best 40 Business Professors Under 40. She has also authored the Wall Street Journal bestselling book “Happier Hour,” which draws from her research and teaching experiences to offer strategies for managing time and increasing happiness. Cassie continues to influence both scholarly and public domains through her work on time management and happiness. In this edition of My Best Advice, Cassie shares her essential insights for leading a fulfilling and balanced life.
Editor’s note: This is the nineteenth in a series of guest posts where people from all walks of life share their best advice in times like these. A big thanks to the leaders who volunteered to share their life experiences. Reflection on the past is a deeply personal exercise. The willingness to share it with the world, especially in the written form, is a commendable act of vulnerability. For this alone, they have my deepest gratitude.
My Best Advice
Cassie’s best advice comes from her WSJ bestseller Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most:
Identify the purpose in your work: why you do the work that you do. Knowing your purpose is critical because it helps you focus on the tasks that are key to meeting your objectives, and it also increases your enjoyment and motivation in doing these tasks.
