The Lost Keys: Unlocking the Art of Problem-Solving

Unlock the Mindset to Solve Any Problem, Big or Small

Ever lost your keys, retraced your steps, and somehow still couldn't find them—only to realize they were right in front of you the whole time? Or spent hours stuck on a frustrating problem at work, only to discover you were looking in the wrong place all along?

Problem-solving isn't just about finding answers—it's about learning how to think.

In The Lost Keys to Thinking Like a Problem-Solver, software engineer and logical thinker Lay Manns shares a practical, engaging, and sometimes humorous guide to breaking down challenges, thinking clearly, and finding solutions in any field—whether you're debugging software, troubleshooting a stubborn process, or just trying to fix your WiFi.

Inside, You'll Learn How To:

• 🔑 Approach problems systematically instead of guessing your way through them
• 🔑 Break complex challenges into smaller, solvable pieces
• 🔑 Avoid cognitive biases and faulty assumptions that lead to wasted time
• 🔑 Apply boundary decision-making—expanding ideas to their extremes to clarify the best path forward
• 🔑 Use structured techniques for debugging, crisis management, and decision-making
• 🔑 Balance logic and creativity to solve problems in both technical and everyday situations

Packed with relatable stories, real-world case studies, and problem-solving techniques used by top engineers, this book will help you shift your mindset, improve your analytical skills, and turn frustration into curiosity.

🔑 The key to solving problems isn't knowing all the answers—it's knowing how to think.

Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, The Lost Keys to Thinking Like a Problem-Solver will equip you with the tools and mindset to tackle any challenge with confidence and clarity.

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Reboot Your Career for the AI Generation

Stop worrying that you're "too late" for tech. Leverage AI—and the problem-solving mindset—to pivot with confidence.

Are you staring at headlines about ChatGPT, Copilot, and "jobs of the future" and wondering where you fit in? Reboot Your Career for the AI Generation is your no-fluff handbook for turning curiosity into marketable skill—without a computer-science degree or 80-hour grind.

Written by QA-engineer-turned-author Marc Reynolds and the AI persona L.A. Manns, this second volume in The L.A. Manns Series: Where Common Sense Meets Clever Thinking shows you how to harness today's smartest tools while sharpening the one advantage machines can't replicate: clear thinking.

Inside, You'll Discover How To:

• Understand the new digital playground. Discover how AI copilots, low-code platforms, and smart search are flattening the learning curve.
• Apply proven problem-solving frameworks. Break complex challenges into winnable experiments—then let AI handle the heavy lifting.
• Design your first portfolio projects. Build a personal website, automate a workflow, or analyse data—step-by-step prompts included.
• Map real-world career paths. Product manager, QA analyst, AI reviewer, data storyteller—see how non-coders are thriving alongside smart machines.
• Create a roadmap that sticks. Craft a T-shaped skill plan and use AI to stay current without burning out.

Packed with reflection exercises, starter prompts, and guest insights from HR leader Natalie Doherty, Reboot Your Career for the AI Generation replaces overwhelm with clarity—and shows you exactly what to do next.

Ready for your next step? Turn the page, open your favourite AI assistant, and start rebooting today.

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How to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Practical systems to get more done—without burning out.

You don't need another 5 a.m. routine or a colour-coded calendar to feel "productive." You need a few simple, repeatable systems that protect your energy, focus your effort, and keep life moving—even when work gets messy. From The L.A. Manns Series: Where Common Sense Meets Clever Thinking, this book shows you how to trade constant hustle for steady progress that actually lasts.

Inside, you'll learn how to:

• Cut busywork fast with "automate or eliminate" checklists and small wins that compound.
• Protect deep-work time using 45–90 minute focus sprints and simple boundary scripts that stick.
• Match tasks to your energy so hard work happens when you're at your best—and the rest doesn't derail you.
• Use AI as a helpful assistant (not a crutch) to draft, summarise, and organise while you stay in control.
• Turn goals into systems with weekly reviews, lightweight habits, and "minimum lovable" versions that ship.
• Recover quickly with 10-minute resets for context overload, decision fatigue, and creeping burnout.

Built for real life, not perfect days. Drawing on clear frameworks, relatable stories, and field-tested prompts, you'll learn to break problems into doable steps, prioritise what actually moves the needle, and maintain momentum through setbacks—at work and at home.

Perfect for: Ambitious professionals who want results without 60-hour weeks, career changers and lifelong learners juggling upskilling with real jobs, and managers and makers who need focus and flexibility.

If you liked The Lost Keys to Thinking Like a Problem-Solver or you're exploring Reboot Your Career for the AI Generation, this volume is your day-to-day playbook—common-sense steps, clever tools, and calm, repeatable routines that help you do your best work and still have a life.

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