How I Work

Taking on a long-term project can be incredibly daunting, and writing Time Wise was no different! Thankfully, I had Izzy Yates by my side every step of the way to make sure my book would not only cross the finish line, but do so in better shape than I could’ve ever expected. Izzy’s the Head of the Penguin Publishing Lab at Penguin Random House Australia & New Zealand, assessing and overseeing a tonne of books every year, including mine. She breaks down what makes a great book proposal stand out, and shares the process she has to go through to shepherd a project from that initial proposal all the way through to its arrival on the shelves. Connect with Izzy on Linkedin***Get your hands on a copy of Time Wise.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 amantha@inventium.com.auCREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re anything like me, networking feels like a necessary evil at best, and an overwhelming nightmare more often than not! But it doesn’t have to be that way. In an extract from my new book, Time Wise, I share a simple trick I learned from Marissa King that’s helped me return to in-person events with a newfound confidence - even when I don’t know a single other person when I arrive. Marissa’s a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Yale School of Management and has spent fifteen years researching social networks, but she’s the first to admit she doesn’t love networking herself - so her tips are not only expert advice: they’re field-tested! Connect with Marissa on TwitterYou can find the full interview here: Bigger is better, and other misconceptions about networks with Marissa King***Order my new book Time Wise.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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final installment of this listeners’ choice series, we go back to one of the toughest challenges facing knowledge workers today: saying no. In the internet era, there’s an infinite number of opportunities, information, activities and events we could get involved with, which is great… But there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and when you say “yes” to anything, you’re also saying “no” to something else. So how do you decide what to say “no” to, and just as crucially, how do you say “no” when it’s really hard? Whether you’re a people-pleaser or you just want to do a bit of everything, turning down an opportunity - even when you know you should - can be really tough. How I Work listener Bianca was struggling with exactly this problem until she listened to bestselling author, psychologist and Wharton professor Katy Milkman describe her approach to saying no. Katy doesn’t do it alone - she’s gathered a group of trusted peers who know what she wants from her life and her career, and they’re always on hand to offer Katy advice when she’s not sure if she should say yes or no.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***Pre-order my new book Time Wise: www.amantha.comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.auCREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m calling it: the to-do list is the most misunderstood concept in our working lives, and in productivity in general. Of course, they’re super important - in fact, they’re so central to our work today that even if you don’t physically or digitally write one down, you’ve still got some version of a to-do list knocking around your noggin.So what do we all get wrong about them? Well, most of us are pretty good at knowing what we need to do, but if that was the whole game, no one would need a show like How I Work, and I wouldn’t need to interview the world’s leading thinkers…How I Work listener Trudi unlocked the power of a good to-do list after listening to bestselling author and New Yorker contributor Cal Newport break down his daily and weekly planning process. Cal’s a verified productivity machine, so when he starts talking about how time boxing is at the core of his incredible performance, we’d all better listen up!Connect with Cal on his websiteYou can find the full interview here: Cal Newport on why you need to change your workflow, not your habits, when it comes to boosting productivity***Pre-order my new book Time Wise: www.amantha.comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If you love your work, you’ll never work a day in your life.” A nice sentiment, but unfortunately, completely false. My source? Me! As someone who loves my work, I can tell you that I’m not skipping through the office with a cheesy grin on my face all day, every day. So how do you learn to enjoy more of what you do? Whether you’re in a job you love but you have to endure some pretty tedious admin, or you’re working in a place you don’t really gel with, there’s gotta be a way to lean in and learn to love it more, right? Right! How I Work listener Michael has seen immense improvement in his day-to-day mood thanks to the advice of athlete, engineer and author Turia Pitt, who knows a thing or two about making the best of a bad situation. After being caught in a grassfire during an ultra-marathon, Turia almost died, and spent a gruelling two years in recovery. But along the way, she learned the incredible power of a deceptively simple reframe in her thinking: instead of saying “I have to do this”, she started saying “I GET to do this.” Connect with Turia on LinkedIn or subscribe to her musings hereYou can find the full interview here: Turia Pitt’s Next tuesday rule, hacks for dramatically improving self-talk, and how to be useful when someone is going through a rough time***Pre-order my new book Time Wise: www.amantha.comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.auCREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sending an email to a colleague? You’re telling them a story. Talking to your boss during your performance review? You’re crafting a narrative? Pitching to a prospective client? Yep, you’re spinning a yarn. Whenever you communicate with someone else, you’re telling a story. And given how often we need to communicate with others to do modern knowledge work, we’d all better learn how to be more engaging and effective storytellers. For How I Work listener Dee, there’s no better teacher for that than Dr Norman Swan, the celebrated journalist, author, and host of Coronacast.Find out why we all need to be better storytellers, and how we can get there.  Connect with Norman on Twitter or LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: More naps, less coffee: Norman Swan’s tips for the good life***Pre-order my new book Time Wise: www.amantha.comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building your own productivity practice can feel like a mammoth effort - so if you’re also trying to do it for your whole family, you need all the help you can get! Thankfully for How I Work listener Tracey, parenting expert Dr. Justin Coulson has just the trick, and it’s broken up into four rules to follow every single day. =Whether you’re working on making sure you and your little ones are getting the right nutrition in before the day kicks off, or you’re just trying to get everyone out of bed on time, Justin’s “Making Mornings Magic” framework will help the whole family get out the door on time, well-fed, and ready to attack the day. Connect with Justin on LinkedIn or at the Happy Families websiteCheck out Justin’s New York Times article about his Making Mornings Magic processYou can find the full interview here: Making mornings magic with parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson***Pre-order my new book Time Wise: www.amantha.comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The perfect day starts with the perfect morning routine, right? Or is that too late? How I Work listener Jason was struggling to juggle his workload as he transitioned from primary to secondary school teaching. A new system, new spaces, and constant COVID-induced interruptions to the status quo were making it all but impossible to always be in the right place at the right time. That is, until he heard that Laura Mae Martin, Google’s Executive Productivity Advisor, doesn’t make a plan of attack every morning. Instead, she plans the night before. Jason says this deceptively simple adjustment to his routine has been a lifesaver, especially when last minute classroom changes inevitably crop up!Connect with Laura on LinkedInYou can find the full interview here: Google’s Exectuive Productivity Advisor, Laura Mae Martin, on how she dramatically reduced the amount of time she spends in her inbox***Pre-order Amantha's new book Time Wise at amantha,comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have a cheerleader? Someone who’ll congratulate on the little wins, who’ll remind you that you’re doing well, encourage you to keep going? I hope so!And even if you do… I’ll bet it’s still sometimes not quite enough. After all, we’re usually our own toughest critics, and even the completely legitimate kind words of the people closest to us can’t overpower that little voice in the back of our minds: the one that says “you’re not doing enough.” How I Work listener Melissa knows this voice all too well, but after listening to author Oliver Burkeman’s advice to keep a “done list”, she realised the only voice that might be able to balance out the inner critic was her own inner cheerleader.Connect with Oliver on TwitterYou can find the full interview here: Get your priorities straight with Oliver Burkeman***Pre-order Amantha's new book Time Wise at amantha,comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.auCREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re into productivity, you’ve probably tried to become a “morning person”. Maybe you’ve tried it a couple of times. You set your alarm for 5am and go to sleep dreaming of pre-dawn yoga sessions and meditation, followed by some journaling and a bit of deep work before the office even opens. And maybe it worked! But maybe it didn’t - no matter how many times you tried. If you’ve tried waking up early over and over again, and felt like a zombie over and over again, you might actually be a square peg, trying to squeeze through a circular hole.Whether you’re struggling to wake up all morning, or failing to power through a mid-afternoon stretch of mentally demanding work, the problem might be the same: you might be working against your chronotype. How I Work listener Kristy certainly was, until she listened to Dan Pink’s advice about learning your unique circadian rhythm, and tailoring your schedule accordingly. Connect with Dan on Instagram or TwitterYou can find the full interview here: Dan Pink on coming up with great titles for projects, how he structures his working days, and why he doesn’t believe in willpower***Pre-order Amantha's new book Time Wise at amantha,comConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.