How I Work

Life Admin. That phrase probably makes you nervous - I know it does for me. It makes me think about all the stuff I have to keep on top of: I need to remember to pay my car rego, to RSVP to that parent-teacher conference, and to book my next doctor’s appointment. But when you think about all the things you have to get done at the office in 2022, you’re probably pretty confident, right? There’s heaps to do, but you’re a professional! You have systems and processes in place to make sure you don’t forget anything important, to make sure you’re consistently progressing towards your goals for the year. So why don’t we take the same approach when it comes to our goals and responsibilities and home? Well, Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts, the authors of Life Admin Hacks, do exactly that! Mia and Dinah mobilise their years of experience in senior strategy, commercial, digital and customer experience to tackle life admins with the skills they’ve picked up in their professional careers. They teach you everything from how to decide whether something goes on a to-do list or not, to why you should be sending audio messages instead of emails and texts.  Connect with Mia and Dinah on their website and pick up a copy of their book, Life Admin Hacks***Sign up for the Time Wise Challenge. 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 ImberEpisode Producers: Jenna Koda and Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberCover Photographer: Sister Scout StudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re a bit of a productivity buff, you probably have some clever hacks for reducing time spent reading or sending emails. Maybe you use Superhuman, like I do, or maybe you’re a big proponent of Inbox Zero. Either way, you’re probably not looking for, say, a How I Work episode that suggests you spend more time on email! But this is different… The goal of true productivity, after all, is to get more meaningful work done in less time. So, what if using some work tools at home could enable you to make more intelligent decisions in less time? That’s exactly what Emily Oster, her partner, and sometimes even her kids do when they send each other emails. Expectations are usually clearer in writing than in spoken conversation, you can choose exactly when you want to respond to or think about a particular issue, and of course - the dinner table is out of the question when it comes to certain conversations about the kids!Learn how an economist uses what she’s learned at work to make life easier and more productive at home. Connect with Emily on Twitter or Instagram. And pick up her latest book, The Family Firm.You can find the full interview here: Economist Emily Oster on how to make better decisions at work and in life***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.

Sometimes you have to put yourself on the line to test your assumptions. How better to know if something will work for you than to do it yourself? Michael Mosley takes this one step further than your average person, though… Like when he willingly infested his body with worms. Seriously. TV producer, presenter, journalist, author and former doctor Michael Mosley has done all manner of weird and wonderful self-experiments in the name of science - mainly so you don’t have to!He gives his top tips for improving your health and fitness, and in the process debunks some of the most pernicious myths about our bodies. He also gives you a framework for understanding the research and recommendations that are already out there so you can make the right decision for your own circumstances and needs.Michael covers everything from coffee to weight loss in this all-encompassing health discussion. Connect with Michael on Twitter, Instagram and on his website. ***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 ImberEpisode Producers: Jenna Koda and Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You and I are finite beings, my friend. That’s a pretty abstract concept until you think about just how much stuff we need to get done every day. Oliver Burkeman, a journalist and author, says the amount of things we could potentially do every day is, by definition, infinite. And a finite being with an infinitely long to-do list is not a happy being. This causes most of us to start our days feeling like we’re in “productivity debt”, and our to-do list is our ticket back to zero, back to a clean balance sheet. But according to Oliver, this is really a ticket to misery. Instead, he wants you to reframe, and start your day at zero. You don’t have to be productive or get certain things done to justify your existence. Everything you manage to get done on any given day, really, is a bonus! Oliver shares how keeping a “Done List” has helped him turn this mental reframe into an everyday reality, and I recommend my favourite calendar tool as an extra tool.Connect with Oliver on Twitter and on his website. And pick up a copy of his book, Four Thousand Weeks You can find the full interview here: Get your priorities straight with Oliver Burkeman***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.

You’ve tried it all. You’ve joined the 5AM club, done the morning HIIT workouts, tried the pomodoro technique, downloaded Headspace and worked at a standing desk. But… you haven’t quite figured it out yet. Lisa Leong, host of the hit ABC radio show, This Working Life, says that’s the point. Every day is “lab day”, and the experimenting should never end. Lisa’s job is to examine… well, jobs. She’s on a mission to understand the modern working world and how we can all make our working lives more effective and fulfilling. Sometimes this means changing little things, like what time we get to the office or which morning routines give us the most energy. Sometimes it’s the big things, like figuring out how to advance your career, or even knowing when it’s time to change industries. Lisa teaches you how to determine your own values and apply them to work, and explains why the term “work-life balance” needs to be replaced with something a bit more meaningful.  Connect with Lisa on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn Grab a copy of This Working Life 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 amantha@inventium.com.auCREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberEpisode Producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s 3:30 in the afternoon and you’re pumping Red Bulls. You’ve just had a long, very cerebral meeting, and now you’ve gotta back it up with some pretty intellectually demanding writing work. But you’re exhausted. Holly Ransom, Fulbright Scholar and author of The Leading Edge, wants you to find a different way to perk up when you’re running low on energy. The Red Bulls, the half-litre cups of coffee and the sugary snacks might feel like they’re working, but they’re really just numbing the signals your body is trying to send you. So how do you manage your energy naturally? The first step is to perform an energy audit - you need a realistic understanding of when you’re at your peak each day, and when you’re not: because nobody can operate at full bore all day, every day. Knowing when she’s at her best each day has changed the way Holly plans her work days, and even her weeks. She shares how she audits her energy, the ways she perks up when she’s feeling drained, and how she “switches off” at the end of the work week so she can fully rest and recharge over the weekend. Connect with Holly on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedinYou can find the full interview here: The maths of mentoring: Holly Ransom on the equation of getting help by giving it ***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.

**BEST OF 2021**Before you click ‘add’ on another vaguely familiar face on LinkedIn - not so fast! But the larger your social or professional network, the larger your influence, right?Organisational psychologist Marissa King says… not always.A professor of organisational behaviour at the Yale School of Management, Marissa has studied social networks, social influence and team dynamics for the past fifteen years. She’s developed a deep understanding of how they evolve and why it’s so important to make sure your existing contacts feel the love before you rack up new ones.She also shares her routine for reinvigorating her network and how to reconnect with people you might not have spoken to for years.Read Marissa’s latest book, Social Chemistry: Decoding the Patterns of Human ConnectionConnect with Marissa on Twitter, Linkedin or through her website. 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 ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2021**What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? A great piece of advice can be life changing. It can set you on a whole new trajectory, land you a new job, or even prompt you to make a big career change.Group Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil, and self-described overachiever Alison Watkins shares how to make sure the advice you receive is right for you. Global leader in innovation Scott D Anthony wants you to flirt with possible career moves through advice and curiosity. Organisational psychologist Adam Grant outlines the benefits of scheduling a regular life check-up for yourself.Wendy Stops, non-executive director on the board of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, shares the best piece of advice she’s ever been given. While good advice is helpful, it’s also worth noting that there is plenty of bad advice going around. For Kendra Banks, Managing Director of SEEK, this came in the form of parenting and career advice. Listen to the full interviews:Alison WatkinsScott D AnthonyAdam GrantWendy StopsKendra Banks 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 ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2021**It’s 4:27AM. That’s right. Not 4:25, not 4:30, but exactly 4:27. When you’re a veteran breakfast radio host like Christian O’Connell, you calculate your latest possible wakeup time to the second. Once he’s out the door, it’s a 20 to 30-minute commute, but it’s one he really enjoys. It’s the only time in a pretty hectic workday he has completely to himself. After that, it’s 15 minutes of solitude and total silence in the studio so Christian can focus on the one word that’s going to guide this morning’s show - it could be “gratitude”, it could be “openness”, or it could just be “funny.”Christian has a huge range of tools, tactics and routines in place to make the most of his work days, and they’re based on years of experience, hard work… and hard times. He shares how he’s built those routines, and how he uses other tools like breath work and therapy to overcome his darkest hours.Connect with Christian on Twitter or Linkedin 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 ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosEpisode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**BEST OF 2021**Are you looking for ways to save time?There are plenty of tools out there to help streamline your work processes, but how do you know which ones work best?Find out what websites are causing you too many minutes of distraction, and learn how to batch check your emails rather than becoming a slave to the inbox. Website time tracker Rooster, time calculator Erik Rood, and email client Tempo are the three tools that help me get more out of my week. I’ll explain how I use them and how you can incorporate them into your work week.Tame your email addiction and get your web browsing working for you. Links to tools:RoosterErik RoodYour TempoSuperhumanConnect 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 amantha@inventium.com.au  CREDITSProduced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.