Have you heard of the Hybrid Paradox?  Since the pandemic, a huge portion of knowledge workers have moved to some form of hybrid working arrangement, whether it’s working from home one day a week, or almost all the time. And there’s been a tonne of benefits: setting our own schedules, working to our bodies’ natural rhythms, greater control of our environment… But do you ever just really, really miss seeing your team every day? That’s the Hybrid Paradox.  And at my consultancy, Inventium, we’re loving our remote-first arrangement, but we’ve still been feeling the sting of the Hybrid Paradox. So, naturally, our team of organisational psychologists decided to run some experiments.  Inventium’s Head of New Product Development, Charlotte Rush, breaks down the five experiments we ran in 2022, and teaches you how to implement in your own organisation.  Connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn or at Inventium’s website If you want to learn more about building an awesome remote culture, check out Inventium’s virtual masterclass *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have some bad news: no matter what you’re working on, you’re going to procrastinate at some point. Even if it’s a passion project, nobody can work without breaks forever. So… why not build procrastination into the process right from the start?  Singer, songwriter and actor Eddie Perfect has been writing for more than two decades now, and over the years he’s discovered the wisdom behind an odd little tip from one musical theatre’s true titans.  Stephen Sondheim advised writers to always work on lyrics with a soft lead pencil so they’d be forced to get up every once in a while to sharpen it. This natural cadence of focused work and short breaks has helped Eddie avoid writer’s block for pretty much his entire career.  Eddie also shares how taking the right breaks at the right time have helped him collaborate with himself: between composing music and writing lyrics, Eddie often thinks of himself as two different writers who each need their own space, and without regular breaks, neither writer is very effective.  Connect with Eddie on Instagram or find his performer page on the 9 to 5 The Musical website You can find the full interview here: Eddie Perfect breaks down his songwriting process   *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if your insecurity was actually your superpower?  While confidence is critical in almost any career, it can be a secret killer for journalists. Nick McKenzie is Australia’s most decorated journalist, and he’s adamant that his natural insecurities are a big part of his success. When so much of his reputation and his competence relies on constant fact-checking and corroboration, there’s no such thing as being too nervous.  Nick breaks down his strategies for avoiding confirmation bias, which include choosing collaborators with whom he can have “friendly fights''. He also shares his methods for coping with stress - and when he says stress, he means defamation lawsuits and death threats! Connect with Nick on Twitter, or at his website.  *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why doesn’t psychologist and magician Richard Wiseman perform magic tricks for his friends?  Richard says the ‘social contract’ he has with his live audiences is different to the one he has with his friends. A healthy dose of deception is integral to magic, but doesn’t go down so well in a friendship. Thinking this way, considering which ‘social contract’ still applies when Richard’s performing, though. While he’s happy to trick audiences (it’s what they’re paying for!) he also knows the difference between an unsolvable puzzle and a moment of true magic.  Richard teaches you how to think like your audience, and how thinking this way helps you provide value in your presentations or performances. Connect with Richard on Twitter and at his website  You can find the full interview here: “Quirkology” Professor Richard Wiseman on using magic to up your public speaking game *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If there’s anything I don’t miss about my school days, it’s homework - and I’ll bet you feel the same. So when my new favourite book on storytelling told me I needed to do “homework for life,” I wasn’t exactly pumped. That is, until author Matthew Dicks explained the benefits.  Matthew’s the bestselling author of a slew of novels and non-fiction books, he’s written a rock opera, multiple musicals and even a handful of comic books. So when I read his new book in the hopes of upping my own storytelling skills, I knew his homework for life was working for someone! Matthew breaks down the structures, tools and techniques that help him write not just at a prolific pace, but with outstanding quality, too. He explains why being able to tell stories is important for everyone, and teaches you how to get started if you haven’t put pen to paper before.  Connect with Matthew on Twitter, Instagram or at his website. Pick up a copy of Storyworthy, or check out Matthew’s newest course to improve your writing. *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re tackling a huge project - something that’ll take you multiple months, if not years. Maybe you’re writing a book, learning a new skill, or trying to build a workout routine. How often should you work on it?  Common sense might suggest you take it easy, space out your sessions, make sure you don’t get burned out. But what if the opposite is true?  Exercising every single day sounds like playing the game of fitness on the hardest mode, but health and fitness expert Sam Wood says the ‘every single day’ approach is actually easier, for a couple of reasons.  Connect with Sam on Instagram or at the 28 by Sam Wood website  You can find the full interview here: Fitness expert Sam Wood on evening routines, the “every day” rule, and his hours of power *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When marketing expert and author Ann Handley says everyone should improve their writing skills, she doesn’t mean we should all be turning our email exchanges into florid prose or epic tomes - while better writing absolutely makes for better emails, Ann’s real goal when working on her writing is actually to improve her thinking.  After her college professor told her that being a better writer would make her more successful in any field, she put her head down and committed to learning her craft. Along the way, she realised that the act of writing itself isn’t necessarily what makes someone more likely to be successful; instead, it’s the constant practice in distilling one’s thoughts into understandable, useful communication with other people. When you can do that, you can really do anything! Ann shares the tech tools that make the biggest impact on her writing and writing routines, and highlights the most common flaws she sees in new writers’ work. Connect with Ann on Twitter or Instagram or sign up to her newsletter *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Four Pillars Gin, they have a mantra: they’re ‘makers, not marketers’. Ironically, they have some of the best marketing in the world!  But it’s all about function, according to Co-Founder and Brand Director Matt Jones. If being ‘makers’ is such a big part of the Four Pillars appeal, customers need to get as close to that making process as they can. That’s what aesthetics is all about.  Whether you hire people with a great eye for design, or you seek out the best creative partners, you can only go wrong if you assume your aesthetics don’t matter.  Connect with Matt on Twitter or the excellent Four Pillars website You can find the full interview here: Four Pillars Gin Co-Founder Matt Jones wants you to obsess over aesthetics *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** If you know anything about magic, you know a true magician never reveals his secrets. While psychologist and author Richard Wiseman might not share the secrets behind his favourite magic tricks, he’s more than happy to share how magic has made him a better thinker, a better psychologist, and a better public speaker.  Richard also shares how focusing more intently on listening has led to some of his most successful outings as an author, and describes his unconventional - and frightening - method for pitching experiments.  Richard’s also the creator of the beloved YouTube channel, Quirkology, where he demonstrates short experiments and explains unusual facets of psychology. He shares how the channel came about, and why he works across so many platforms.  Connect with Richard on Twitter and at his website  *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugh van Cuylenburg hangs up the phone - he’s been speaking to his (very) pregnant wife, who’s struggling at home without him. He’s exhausted too, after days and days of back-to-back presentations. Oh, and the AC’s not working.  Needless to say, Hugh’s not feeling his best going into this presentation. But a couple of minutes into his speech, he spots a boy in the middle of the audience, and something clicks.  Hugh doesn’t know why this particular kid stood out, or if he even really stood out, but something shifted nonetheless. Hugh remembered that even if this one kid - out of hundreds - was the only one to gain something important from that presentation, that’s a win. A growing audience is great, but it can sometimes make you forget the individuals who need what you’re doing…  Connect with Hugh on the Resilience Project’s website or listen to The Imperfects podcast You can find the full interview here: Hugh van Cuylenburg demonstrates how a string purpose fuels strong actions *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** It’s the greatest productivity debate of our time: how do we achieve work-life balance? Or maybe the real debate should be: is work-life balance even possible?  Eric Barker, the author of Barking Up the Wrong Tree and now Plays Well With Others, doesn’t think work-life balance is truly achievable. At least, not if you want the best possible results in a given field. The problem, he says, is that most of live an unbalanced life by accident.  Because of the internet and the rapidly increasing pace of everything from the news cycle to the way we socialise, we’re all doing too much of something, and not enough of something else. It’s overwhelming, and we’re constantly playing catchup.  Eric’s solution is to abandon balance, but to do it on purpose. Decide what you want to be really, really good at it, and accept that you won’t be world-class in your other pursuits.  Eric also shares why he sets a five-hour timer at the start of every work day, how he deals with contradictions in his own writing, and how he developed his sense of humour. Connect with Eric on Twitter or Linkedin Pick up a copy of Plays Well With Others *** Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlassian’s Dom Price is just like anyone else - some days, he just doesn’t want to get out of bed. The difference is: he stays in bed.  After decades of working at breakneck speed, Dom’s learning to listen to the signals his body sends him, and it’s working wonders.  But what about when it’s something beyond a bad day? What about when he’s feeling truly burnt out?  Dom’s theory is that part of what causes burnout is ‘information obesity’, and one of the best ways to overcome it is with action. Dom believes the world can be a “Do-ocracy”, and that means picking one thing to do now, and seeing how it goes.   Connect with Dom on Twitter or LinkedIn You can find the full interview here: Atlassian’s Dom Price wants you to up your communication by designing a “working agreement” *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** For productivity geeks like us, the professional writer can become a bit of a mystic figure. When we fantasise about finally perfecting our morning routines, finally clearing out enough time for a fruitful Deep Work session, setting up the ideal workstation - we’re often thinking about a writer. There’s something idyllic about the idea of being a writer: it’s just you, your thoughts, and the blank page. It’s the platonic ideal of knowledge work! But… it’s not that simple. Take Brian Koppelman, for example. Inarguably one of the most prolific and successful screenwriters working today, you’d think Brian spends most of his life holed up in a cabin in the woods, clacking away on a typewriter, free from any and all distractions. But Brian lives in New York City, the busiest, most distracting place on the planet. Oh, and he’s not just a screenwriter. He’s also a director, producer, and showrunner. Brian’s “average” day looks a lot less like that of a reclusive artist, and much more like that of a busy CEO. So, how does he still manage to produce so much incredible work? Brian shares how meditation, morning pages and music help him focus, and recalls the most powerful lessons he learned on the set of his very first film. Connect with Brian on Twitter *** Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram   If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]    CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much is a million-dollar investment worth?  If that feels like a trick question, maybe you haven’t come across ‘bad money’ the way Dr Catriona Wallace has. When she was the CEO of Flamingo AI, Catriona received a million-dollar investment offer, but there was a catch: the investors would only hand over the cash if Cat promised to stop wearing a nose ring in public.  She said no.  Why? Why would you turn down so much money for something seemingly so small? Well, in Cat’s eyes, the money from people so concerned with her physical appearance might not be the kind of money she’s after… Connect with Catriona on Twitter or LinkedIn You can find the full interview here: Dr Catriona Wallace’s million-dollar nose ring and what it taught her about running a business *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** David Siegel’s in his third CEO role, and if all his years of experience as a leader have taught him anything, it’s that most people take too long to make a decision. The clearest example: company strategy. When David joined Meetup, he drafted the new company strategy as quickly as possible. At first, that sounds like a pretty irresponsible treatment of such a huge part of the business… but David’s underlying reasoning reveals why we should all speed up a little bit! David teaches you to make better, faster decisions, and to uncover the blind spots in your own decision-making process. Connect with David on Twitter or LinkedIn, and grab a copy of Decide & Conquer *** Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram   If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A good presentation can almost feel like alchemy; it requires deep and fascinating subject matter, delivered with confidence and style, and it needs to impart some kind of message. That’s a lot of boxes to check! But therein lies the key: parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson sees just how much audiences need to get out of a keynote, so he puts just as much in.  Justin breaks down how evidence, stories and messages work together to create impactful presentations.  Connect with Justin at the Happy Families website or listen to his podcast You can find the full interview here: Make mornings magic with parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** There’s a moment in the 2013 comedy movie We’re the Millers that points to how pervasive - and misguided - the “no regrets” life motto has become. A character proudly displays a tattoo that reads, “no rAgrets”, and even more proudly proclaims that he really doesn’t have any regrets. Not even one letter.  Bestselling author Dan Pink highlights this scene as a great metaphor for society’s almost comical underappreciation of regret. Dan is an advocate for the transformative power of looking back on your past actions, processes and routines in order to learn from them, and do better next time.  He discusses what’s changed about his working habits since his last appearance on the show, why he was drawn to the concept of regret in the first place, and how compassion changed his whole approach to learning from past mistakes.    Connect with Dan on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn Pick up a copy of The Power of Regret *** Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How would you feel if we were in the middle of a conversation and I suddenly started talking to someone else from across the room?  Well, that’s exactly what we’re doing whenever we let our phones or laptops drag us down the multi-tasking rabbit hole.  Leadership experts Frances Frei and Anne Morriss are hyper-vigilant of their device usage. This makes sense for two people who are devoted to productivity, but that’s not the end of the story. Frances and Anne are also devoted to connections. They write constantly about the importance of trust and empathy, and neither of those things can flourish if we (or the people we’re talking to) are distracted.  Frances and Anne share how they manage their technology for both productivity and empathy, and how they work around the day-to-day logistics of not being connected all the time.  Connect with Frances and Anne on LinkedIn You can find the full interview here: Trust, leadership and taking a break from technology with Frances Frei and Anne Morriss *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2022** If your job title is “Executive Productivity Advisor for Google,” you probably need a pretty refined definition of productivity, right? And Laura Mae Martin certainly does. But she says it’s equally important that every individual has their own, unique definition of productivity. It’s all too easy to fall into “busy language”, she says. Back-to-back meetings and a three-page to-do-list might make you feel productive, but if you’re not making time for your most important work (and for rest), you might just be running in circles. So how do we see through the guise of busy-ness and get the real work done? For Laura, and the suite of Google execs she coaches, everything starts with the calendar. Whether you’re in too many meetings or spending too much time in your inbox, poor calendar hygiene is probably the root cause. Laura teaches you how to implement “zero-based calendaring”, calendaring for focus, calendaring for connection, and much more. Connect with Laura on her YouTube channel or at the Google Keywords blog *** Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram   If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whatever happened to that huge, game-changing project you started working on last year? Or the idea you had a couple of months ago?  If you’ve got an ever-lengthening list of unfinished and abandoned pursuits, it’s probably because you’re not prioritising the correct ‘time horizons’, as Atlassian’s Dom Price calls them. The first horizon is the short-term: answering emails, making sales calls, delivering final products - anything that gives you a sense of immediate gratification.  And while wins in this first horizon are crucial, they’re also a bit of a trap. After all, when immediate gratification’s available, it’s hard to resist. But if anything truly special’s going to happen, it’s going to take the disciplined pursuit of longer-term goals.  Dom also highlights why simply setting long-term goals isn’t enough, and details his system for nurturing these seeds over multiple months, or even years.  Connect with Dom on Twitter or LinkedIn You can find the full interview here: Atlassian’s Dom Price wants you to up your communication by designing a “working agreement” *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa Doyle is a picture of professionalism. She’s adamant that even when she had young children, and felt like she hadn’t slept for weeks on end, she never had good cause to complain about her 4am call times as a news presenter. After all, she’d dreamed of being on the news since she was a little girl, and now it was a reality. Plus, she was working with a fiercely focused purpose. Melissa shares how this purpose-drive philosophy helped her through tougher moments in her presenting career, like her award-winning reporting on the Lindt cafe siege. And she highlights some of the astounding stories of courage and resilience that make up her latest book, 15 Seconds of Brave. Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn or Twitter *** My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.   Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin Twitter Instagram    If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co   Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at [email protected]   CREDITS Produced by Inventium Host: Amantha Imber Production Support from Deadset Studios Episode Producer: Liam Riordan Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Picture this: you’ve just finished an incredibly important presentation. It was dense with crucial information… And you absolutely nailed it. At the end, one of your colleagues wants to give you some feedback. You thrive on constructive criticism, and welcome the chance to learn. But all he says is: your outfit is too distracting. Your dress is so sparkly it made it difficult to concentrate. How do you react? Most of us would blow a gasket - to hear something so overtly sexist and inappropriate would send almost anyone into a fit of rage, or even despair.But not Dr Catriona Wallace. When this happened to her (yes, this actually happened!), she’d spent enough time navigating male-dominated businesses and boardrooms to know that outrage wasn’t the answer. It might’ve been reasonable, but it wouldn’t have been productive. Instead, Cat chose empathy. She put herself in that colleague’s shoes, and understood that even though what he’d said was absurd, he clearly didn’t mean to insult her. By meeting him where he was instead of where she wanted him to be, she was able to help him understand the contents of her presentation without diminishing herself, or descending into an all-out shouting match. Cat shares how this moment, and others just like it, turned her into the empathetic leader she is today.Connect with Catriona on Twitter or LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Dr Catriona Wallace’s million-dollar nose ring and what it taught her about running a business***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does success really mean? And more importantly, what does it mean to you? These are big questions, questions that author and executive coach Nigel Marsh says we can’t ignore. In fact, he believes that we can’t reliably achieve anything meaningful if we don’t first answer these questions. Nigel’s mantra is “clarity, alignment, momentum”, and he seeks each in that order. Without clarity and alignment, he says, momentum isn’t just useless - it can actually be destructive. After all, being ever more efficient, if you haven't worked out what you want to be and how you want to live, might just lead you to do even more of the wrong thing, even more efficiently.Nigel shares how he and his coaching clients seek clarity, as well as the lessons he’s learned since writing his first book more than two decades ago. Connect with Nigel at his website and pick up a copy of Smart, Stupid and Sixty***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to productivity, you are your own worst enemy. Nobody knows how to trick you into procrastinating or cutting corners quite like you do. You know all of your own strengths, weaknesses and thought patterns. But if you know yourself better than anyone else does, that also means you are your own best resource for productivity tools, hacks, tips and tactics. Writer Eric Barker knows how important specificity is, especially when it comes to productivity. So while he loves poring over productivity books, courses, videos and articles, he knows that ultimately, it’s all down to him. Enter the “Book of Me.” Eric wants you to write your own productivity “bible”, specific to your needs and habits. If you know you don’t work well when you’re hungry, put it in the book. If you know you’re easily distracted by your phone, put it in the book. Eric details exactly how he approaches his own “Book of Me”, and how you can write your own. Connect with Eric on Twitter or LinkedInPick up a copy of Plays Well With OthersYou can find the full interview here: Eric Barker on his Five-Hour Rule and deliberate work-life imbalance***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not long ago, Australian theatre star Elise McCann was struggling. Like everyone else in the entertainment industry, her work ground to a screeching halt early in the pandemic, and she turned to mindfulness and meditation for help. But unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy. Elise’s good friend and fellow actor Lucy Durack was struggling, too. In fact, she felt like she couldn’t even get meditation right: she was listening to guided meditations while changing her baby’s nappies in an effort to fit the practice into her day-to-day. Disenfranchised, the pair relied on one another for pep talks during lockdowns, and realised: they couldn’t be the only ones feeling like meditation wasn’t meant for them. So, they decided to share their pep talks with the world, and Hey Lemonade was born. But in order to take their new well-being app to market, they needed help - and how do two seasoned actors prepare for a meeting with one of Australia’s biggest names in business? By writing a script, naturally!Elise shares how she scripted her entire pitch meeting for Hey Lemonade, and breaks down the time management system that allows her to perform, produce and run a company all at once. Connect with Elise on LinkedIn, Instagram or on the Hey Lemonade website ***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Wiseman’s love of magic has improved his work as a psychologist in some unexpected ways. Of course, it’s helpful when he’s conducting experiments or research into the psychology of magic and illusions; but the lessons magic teaches about performance and holding an audience’s attention have been just as valuable. For one thing, Richard never gives away “the answer” too early. If you open your presentation with your findings or big ideas, you have nowhere else to go. Richard instead teases the answer, builds suspense, and constructs a story around it - so his audience has to lean in and pay close attention to make sure they don’t miss anything. Richard also shares a simple mental re-frame for when he’s feeling uninspired or unexcited at the prospect of yet another presentation…Connect with Richard on Twitter and at his websiteYou can find the full interview here: “Quirkology” Professor Richard Wiseman on using magic to up your public speaking game***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Creation of any kind is so complex - even when we do it ourselves, we sometimes wonder how it even happened. So if creation is so tricky, where do we even start with re-creation? For comedy legend Wil Anderson, the re-creation process is almost the more important one. After all, he only needs to write a show from scratch once, but he needs to recreate that show every single time he steps onto stage. Wil shares how his processes have evolved since his career began 25 years ago, and breaks down why it’s so critical to be able to perform at your best, even when you’re not feeling your best.Connect with Wil on Instagram or listen to his podcasts here***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between goals and dreams? For O2E Brands founder and CEO Brian Scudamore, there isn’t one. After entering the hyper-competitive world of entrepreneurship, Brian was disillusioned - he couldn’t help but compare himself to his new peers, who had bigger, more successful businesses. Struggling to stay motivated or excited about the future, Brian turned to his imagination.Debating whether or not to just pack it in and give up, Brian started painting a picture - he wrote feverishly, detailing everything he could possibly hope for his companies (and his life) to become… And the possibilities excited him. They also scared him a little… But according to Brian, that’s how you know you’re on the right track. Connect with Brian on Twitter and LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Anything you can imagine: how O2E Brands CEO Brian Scudamore turns visions into reality***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is your life too complicated? Sure, work’s always a bit hectic and keeping family life running smoothly is as challenging as ever - but have you noticed that even the ‘good’ stuff can get a bit overwhelming sometimes? Was picking a movie to watch after work on a Friday night always this difficult? Was your closet always so stuffed with items you can’t even remember buying? This is part of what Leo Babauta calls the cycle of expanding and narrowing our focus. When we develop new interests or hobbies, or start a new job, we tend to expand - but if we don’t then narrow things down, by removing clutter or saying ‘no’ more often, life can become a bit too unwieldy. Leo shares how he thinks about narrowing and expanding in his own life, and breaks down his journaling rituals and the writing techniques he’s borrowed from software developers.Connect with Leo on Twitter or at the Zen Habits website***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to improve the quality of your thinking? Well, then you need to improve the quality of your writing…Need proof? Look no further than Frances Frei, an author, TED speaker and Professor of Technology and Informations Management at Harvard Business School. Clearly an excellent thinker - but it doesn’t happen by accident. Frances believes writing is the key to unlocking and improving our thinking, and she takes it seriously. She writes draft after draft after draft, continuously shedding flabby thinking until her presentations are lean, mean thought machines.And she didn’t get here alone: all those drafts, and especially the ones written well after Frances thinks she’s done, are mandated by her wife and fellow leadership expert, Anne Morriss. Frances credits much of her success to Anne’s attention to detail and dogged persistence - not just as a co-writer, but as an in-house mentor. Frances and Anne share the most valuable career advice they’ve ever received, including the advice they’ve received from one another.  Connect with Frances and Anne on LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Trust, leadership and taking a break from technology with Frances Frei and Anne Morriss***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Wilson’s work gives new meaning to the word ‘holistic’. She’s widely known for founding the I Quit Sugar movement, but is also an author, podcaster, keynote speaker, philanthropist and climate change advisor. And somehow - every job’s connected. One of the threads linking everything Sarah does is anxiety. Whether it’s nixing sugar from her diet to promote better mental health, or advocating for more walking, Sarah’s constantly exploring methods for living (and thriving) with anxiety. She shares how the right philosophy turns anxiety into a superpower, and her go-to, day-to-day hacks and habits for managing her mental health. Sarah also explains why making the new way ‘more charming’ is the key to affecting real change.Connect with Sarah on Twitter or LinkedIn ***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you need to reset? Whether you’re starting at a new company, starting a new position, or just starting a new season in your work-life, an effective reset is the key to hitting the ground running at a new, more efficient pace. For the execs at Google, this is absolutely critical - that’s why they listen to Laura Mae Martin, Google’s Executive Productivity Advisor. Step one: don’t just do what you did last time!When it’s time to reset her calendar, Laura employs a “zero-based” approach, one that’s common in budgeting, but should be more common in calendaring. Instead of just repeating what she did last year, last season or last week, Laura starts from scratch - from zero - and assesses each new opportunity, task and meeting with fresh eyes. Instead of saying, “this is how we’ve done it”, Laura wants you to ask, “is this what I need to do this time?”Connect with Laura on YouTube or the Google Keyword blogYou can find the full interview here: Productivity expert Laura Mae Martin helps you “spring clean” your work habits before returning to the office***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve got big ideas… Big dreams for your company… Maybe even for the world! But how do you keep those big dreams and ideas alive on a day-to-day basis? Daniel Flynn knows a thing or two about keeping big ideas alive. He founded thankyou with hopes of ending poverty, and they’re still making moves on this front, more than a decade on. And Daniel says the key is to make time and space for big-picture thinking, even when it feels like your workload wants you to do otherwise. Daniel sets aside one day a week for what he calls “blue-sky thinking”, and he protects it like nothing else. No emails, no texts, no slack messages; nothing but his imagination. He also shares what he’s learned from his most influential mentors over the years, and how thankyou adapted its famously social work culture after the company went fully remote. Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn or the thankyou website***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do your Mondays look like? Or more importantly, what do they feel like? You might be demolishing your to-do list and running meeting after meeting, but do you feel energised? Do you feel enthusiastic about what you’re doing? If you don’t, it probably doesn’t matter how many items get ticked off your list, because you’re going to run out of steam before you get the meaningful work done. So, what’s the solution? Anthony Zaccaria’s Mondays are sacred - he’s wary of “busy work”, and sets aside Monday mornings for deep work, knowing that it could well be his only opportunity before the week kicks into high gear for everyone else. And when it comes time to focus, Anthony’s simple rituals ensure he can drop into a flow state at a moment’s notice. Connect with Anthony on Twitter or LinktreeYou can find the full interview here: Linktree co-founder Anthony Zaccaria on unicorn status, managing growth and conscious parenting***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You think you’ve got a procrastination problem? TIm Urban, the man behind the sensationally popular blog Wait But Why reckons he might have you covered. He’s so well-acquainted with procrastination, in fact, that he gave a TED talk on the topic… And finalised it at the last minute. However, for a self-proclaimed master procrastinator, Tim sure gets a lot done. And thankfully, among the many, many articles he’s written are some antidotes for the serial procrastinator. Tim shares his process for researching and understanding big, complex ideas, and turning them into digestible, entertaining reading.Connect with Tim on Twitter or his website, Wait But Why***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all have that ONE friend - that friend who somehow manages to get into the gym every morning, crush her workday, hang out with her family, and read the kinds of books you’ve had on your “to-read” list for years. All without breaking a sweat. How do they do it? Well, that’s exactly the question author, economist and Wharton professor Katy Milkman wants you to ask. Research shows that when we tackle the same projects or goals alongside a friend or colleague, we’re more likely to succeed. And if you’re working towards the same thing, it probably pays to share what’s working with one another, right? Katy believes in the “copy and paste” method not just because of research, but also because she does it herself, and the results speak for themselves. After all, when you regularly work with Grit author Angela Duckworth, there’s plenty of great ideas to copy and paste!Connect with Katy on Twitter or LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Fresh starts, commitment devices and collaboration - changing for the better with Katy Milkman***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine trying to hold the attention of a child for a full, uninterrupted hour. Now imagine trying to hold the attention of a whole theatre full of them!If it seems impossible, comedy duo Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly (AKA The Listies) have proven the opposite. And they’ve managed to do it while keeping adults equally entertained. Rich and Matt share their process for bringing a full show to life, from inception to performance, as well as their philosophy for making art for kids.They also recount the most valuable lessons they learned in their previous gigs in surrealist theatre, and give their top tips for maintaining a healthy and productive partnership as co-creators, co-performers, and co-owners of a business. Connect with The Listies at their website or on YouTube***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you talk about big issues, on the internet, without getting cancelled? In our modern information age, most of our most heated and important debates happen online, whether it’s through blogs, comment sections, YouTube videos or podcasts. While this unprecedented level of access to almost anyone’s opinions might’ve sounded like a dream to the tech-heads of yesteryear… Well, you probably know it’s not quite the dream we thought it might be. Sadly, all that access has a downside. Whether it’s plain old trolls or well-meaning critics, you’re going to have a lot of digital watchdogs once you start publishing your ideas online. And Mamamia Out Loud co-hosts Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright and Jessie Stephens are no strangers to this kind of scrutiny. So what have they done to avoid being cancelled in the era of the “cancel culture”?  Mia shares her nuclear approach, while Holly and Jessie give tips for anyone who can’t quite step away from the noise.Connect with Mia, Holly and Jessie on InstagramYou can find the full interview here: Mamamia Out Loud co-hosts Mia, Holly and Jessie on prep routines, reading lists and respectful disagreement***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people who can hire EA’s or personal assistants struggle with the decision - especially if you’ve never had one before, it can feel like a luxury more than a necessity. That is, until you take the plunge, and see how much more you can get done with the right assistant on your team!But what if you’re not in a position to hire someone? Well, it turns out you don’t have to miss out on the productivity boost - you just need to learn the lesser-known features of your digital calendar, and make the tool work for you, rather than against you. Thankfully, Patrick Lightbody knows a thing or two about calendars. After running not one but two startups, Patrick developed a calendaring system to make sure nothing fell through the cracks - and he was especially committed to carving out more time for his health, his wellbeing, and his family. And now he’s sharing his system with you, through Reclaim, software that turns your calendar into a virtual assistant. Patrick shares how you can use Reclaim to up your calendar game, and he shares which existing Google Calendar features can help you get started. Connect with Patrick in the support chat at Reclaim.ai***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much deep work do you get done on the average work day? And I mean DEEP work - completely focused, distraction-free work… An hour? Two?Author Eric Barker does five. Yep, five - every single day. But how does he know for sure? Eric uses a simple countdown timer every day to track his most important work: the kind of work that doesn’t allow for a quick email check or a scroll through Instagram.When he gets up to go to the bathroom, he pauses the timer. When he needs to check email, he pauses the timer. And when he just needs a break, he pauses the timer.It might sound a bit pedantic at first, but Eric knows all too well just how easily we can trick ourselves out of hard work, and he doesn’t want to take any chances. And while it might sound intense, it’s not just a productivity tip: it’s also a means of preventing burnout. When the timer hits zero, Eric knows he’s done five good hours of focused work, and knows it’s time to relax and unwind.Connect with Eric on Twitter or LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Eric Barker on his Five-Hour Rule and deliberate work-life imbalance***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stability might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the priorities of a working actor. But for Ada Nicodemou, she’s sought out and found exactly that in Home & Away. As a mother, the stereotypically chaotic and categorically unstable life of an actor has never been the right fit for Ada. Thankfully, though, her now two-decade tenure on Home & Away has provided her with a sense of security and routine almost impossible to find elsewhere in the industry.So what does that routine actually consist of? How does an actor prepare when she sometimes has to shoot sixteen scenes in one day? How does she make time to look after herself, to exercise and to eat well? And how does the school pick-up work when you’ve just cried your eyes out in front of all your colleagues for the fifth time in as many days? Connect with Ada on Instagram***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’ve heard it a million times by now: you need to start meditating. Maybe you’ve tried, like I have, but it just won’t stick. Maybe you can’t sit still for longer than five minutes, or maybe the whole thing feels a bit too woo-woo. If the latter is true, “Morning Pages” might sound like more of the same. But listening to Brian Koppelman break down his morning rituals, “woo-woo” definitely doesn’t come to mind. After beginning his career in the music industry before becoming an enormously successful screenwriter, director, producer and now show-runner, Brian’s nailed the delicate art of balancing hard-nosed professionalism and open-minded artistic creation. How? Well, like anything, it starts with his mornings. Brian’s an absolute devotee of Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages,” which he believes clears the “detritus” of the mind that can hold an artist back. And I say he’s a devotee, because he follows Cameron’s rules to the T. Except for one thing: meditation comes first. Connect with Brian on TwitterYou can find the full interview here: Learning on the job - how Brian Koppelman turned his first movie into a DIY film school***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Picture this: you’ve been invited to pop icon Bjork’s Big Day Out afterparty. You rock up to her trailer and dance music’s pumping. You step inside and everyone’s having a grand old time, including Bjork herself, who’s posted up behind a set of turntables, grooving to the music. You figure you should congratulate her on a great set, but when you get closer, you notice… She’s got black gaff tape across her mouth?It’s a bit weird, sure, but according to one of Australia’s most successful music exports, Eddie Perfect, it’s also genius. When Eddie heard this story from his manager, he knew Bjork was onto something. The discipline required to properly care for and rest your voice is what separates the amateurs from the professionals in the world of performance, and Eddie’s a more seasoned professional than almost anyone else. He shares the industry’s most effective tips for caring for the instrument inside you, including a surprisingly simple trick for recovering quickly after you’ve completely lost your voice. Eddie also details the chaotic but incredibly efficient “29-Hour Read” process responsible for many of Broadway’s most beloved shows, as well as his own process for placing and writing songs for the stage. Connect with Eddie on Instagram or find his performer page on the 9 to 5 The Musical website***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the first question you ask yourself or your team when you need to make a big decision? Do you double-check your processes, weigh out the pros and cons? Meetup CEO David Siegel wants you to ask one question before any others when it comes to important decisions: ask yourself, ‘is this a trapdoor decision?’Trapdoor decisions are irreversible - once you’ve made the call, it can’t be unmade. Scary stuff! But David believes trapdoor decisions are far, far less common than most of us realise. He also believes most of us vastly overestimate how irreversible certain decisions are, while massively underestimating how reversible they actually are. Usually, he says, anything can be pivoted, altered, undone or redone… It might just require a bit of time. So how does David then make those decisions? Well, first - he delegates. David explains how getting your hiring process right will end up eliminating 98% of your decision-making down the line. Connect with David on Twitter or LinkedIn, or grab a copy of Decide & ConquerYou can find the full interview here: Meetup CEO David Siegel teaches you to make better, faster, more purposeful decisions***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know what it’s like when you move house – you’re tripping over boxes for weeks, eating takeout on the floor while you wait for that new dining table to arrive, and lamenting that the rest of the world – including work – doesn’t take a pause while you get your life in order. We’ve all been there, but have you ever used that moment of chaos as the trigger to start writing a book?It sounds insane – and as someone who’s been working on a new book for some time now, I feel certified to call it that – but for economist and Wharton professor Katy Milkman, it made perfect sense.Katy’s learned to take advantage of “fresh starts,” which can be anything from New Year’s Day to a relocation – or even just any old Monday.She breaks down the most effective ways to change your behaviour for the better, whether that’s to break bad habits or form new ones. And it’s all backed by science.Connect with Katy on Twitter or Linkedin CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You value your time pretty highly, right? That’s part of why you listen to How I Work - you’re trying to get the most out of what precious time you have, whether it’s a matter of getting more done when you’re in the office, or freeing yourself from distraction when you’re with your family. So you’d hope others value your time just as much - and therefore, you need to show others how much you value their time, especially if you’re hoping to use some of it. This is the underlying principle in all of Janice Lintz’s cold reachouts: whether she’s writing a letter to the queen or trying to sort out her phone bill, Janice knows people want to protect their time. Janice Lintz is a hearing loss consultant and accessibility advocate, so when she wants to speak with someone, it’s pretty damn important. But she recognises that if she’s going to ask for someone else’s time, she needs to demonstrate that it’s worth her time, too. Enter the rule of fours. When the late, legendary activist Vernon Jordan finally answered Janice’s phone call on the fourth attempt, he told her he only answered because she called so many times!Janice shares why this rule of four is so powerful, and explains how to apply the methodology to other parts of your work. Connect with Janice on Twitter or LinkedIn You can find the full interview here: Janice Lintz teaches you how to be heard by people who don’t want to listen***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exercising every single day sounds like playing the game of fitness on the hardest mode, doesn’t it? It sounds like the kind of regime only the ultra-disciplined, shredded-to-the-teeth among us can ever truly achieve. But… what if it was actually the easier option? Sam Wood, founder of Australia’s number-one home fitness program, 28, exercises every day. But it’s not because he’s some kind of workout robot - it’s because it’s the simple approach: it’s the decision that eliminates a thousand decisions. If your routine is to move every day, there’s no room for the endless internal battles that come up when you’re free to shuffle your rest days around. As a business owner, podcast host, husband, and father to young kids, Sam knows all to well just how hard it can be to fit exercise into a busy schedule, but he also knows a healthy body is key to a healthy mind, a healthy soul, and a healthy level of productivity!Connect with Sam on Instagram or at the 28 by Sam Wood website***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here. Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you’re pitching to your close-knit project team over Zoom, presenting as a keynote speaker to a packed conference hall, or writing an entire book, great stories are at the heart of any effective communication. And no modern non-fiction author spins a better yarn than Dan Pink, the man behind bestsellers like When: The Scientific Secrets of Timing and more recently, The Power of Regret. The psychology of regret and its many incarnations might sound like dense reading, but Dan proves it doesn’t have to be. Some of the first-person case studies in The Power of Regret are as affecting and thought-provoking as any great fiction tale, which makes the underlying science much, much easier to remember and understand. And therein lies one of the keys to Dan’s fantastic storytelling: sometimes, you’re not the one who should be telling the story! In preparation for his latest book, Dan ran a number of huge surveys and interviewed countless people to better understand the impact certain moments had on their lives. This made it far easier for Dan to test the strength of the stories he wanted to include in his book - if he found his interviewees fascinating, he figured his readers would too. Dan also shares his biggest grievance with the non-fiction market, and how he avoids it in his own work. Connect with Dan on Twitter or at his websiteYou can find the full interview here: Dan Pink on how the “no regrets” life philosophy misses the point***My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.Connect with me on the socials:LinkedinTwitterInstagram  If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.coVisit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at [email protected] CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.