How I Work

You need to be in the office at nine, and if you want to be performing at your best, you’ll need to get in a quick workout and a nutritious breakfast. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for trying to pull an outfit together, so you’ll also need to sort that out the night before.  Oh, and you need to make sure your kids have eaten a healthy breakfast, put their school uniforms on, brushed their teeth, packed their bags, and not started an all-out war with one another before getting in the car for drop-off. Thankfully, parenting expert and bestselling author Dr Justin Coulson has a formula to help you do all of that, while also teaching your kids life skills and taking some of the workload off your own shoulders. Sounds too good to be true? Well, the system is called Make Mornings Magic. Justin lays out his four rules for keeping the morning chaos at bay, and how his routine has improved his relationship with his own kids. Connect with Justin on his website.Check out the Happy Families podcast. 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 CREDITS Produced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radek Sali’s working in a cinema - his first job out of school - when he realises that encouraging his team to up-sell popcorn and make more choc-tops might be more valuable than what he’s learning at university. It’s then that Radek decides to treat his career like that of a professional athlete: he accepts that it will be a long, tiring journey full of sacrifice, but worth it for a life of passion and excitement. It’s safe to say Radek made the right call - since then, he’s been a leading figure in the Australian health and wellness market, working in various capacities with Swisse, Hydralyte and myDNA among many, many more. Radek shoulders a wide variety of responsibilities, and employs a wide variety of techniques to stay on top of his game. He shares how meditation, DNA tests, workplace culture assessments and altruism work together to make him happier, healthier and more productive. Connect with Radek 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.

I was a competitive kid, and some classroom rivalries pushed me to better grades than I might have achieved otherwise. However, I was also a perfectionist, and any “A”s that came without a “+” beside them started to feel less like an almost-perfect achievement and more like a glaring signal that I’d missed the mark. I hated failing, and when you combine that with believing anything less than the top spot is a loss, you have a recipe for disaster. I hid my failures, refusing to talk about them, terrified that if people knew I wasn’t perfect, they wouldn’t like me anymore. Not only is this a good way to spend a lot of time being angry with yourself, but it turns out it makes the feeling of failing even worse. On the other hand, being open and honest about your failures actually makes us more resilient and improves self-belief. So in 2020, I wrote my first Failure Resume as an experiment. And now, I’m revisiting it and sharing it with you.  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.

Yes, even Liane Moriarty, author of smash-hit novels like Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers is prone to “doom-scrolling” from time to time. Liane was the first Australian writer to ever debut a novel at #1 on the New York Times’ bestsellers list. The HBO adaptation of Big Little Lies, starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, was nominated for an astonishing 21 Emmys and won eight. And yet, just like the rest of us, she still struggles with distractions, negative self-talk, and finding time to work while raising a family. She shares how tracking her word count keeps her motivated while working on a novel, the importance of looking back on past successes to keep negative thoughts at bay, and why she always writes “The End” when finishing a book, even when she knows it won’t make it into the published version. She also outlines her writing process - from premise to characters to rewriting - and what she’s learned about interviews from Nicole Kidman. Connect with Liane on her website and grab a copy of Apples Never Fall. 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 producer: Liam RiordanSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working can be hard work… obviously. But that doesn’t mean it should only be hard work. Studies show we laugh and smile less as we enter our 20s - which is when most of us enter the full-time workforce.  Given how much of our lives we spend at work, we all want to make it a bit more fun. But the good news for the boss is - laughing more often at work makes us better at our jobs! So the question is: how do we become funnier?  Naomi Bagdonas teaches humour at Stanford University (yes, that’s a real job) and shares some concrete, actionable tips for being funny, and for making humour a habit.  Connect with Naomi on Twitter or Linkedin You can find the full interview here: How to bring more comedy into your next stand-up meeting, with Naomi Bagdonas 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 amantha@inventium.com.au  CREDITS Produced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 LinkedinGrab your copy of No One Listens to Your Dad's Show. 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.

Working from home used to sound like the dream, didn’t it? If you work from home, you’re always at home! But I think we’re all starting to realise the flip-side of the WFH movement - if you work from home, you’re also always at work. And for most people, the move to working from home has been quite sudden, and you likely don’t have the space for a designated office. A lot of us are working from our dining room tables, but according to Lucy Feagins, editor of The Design Files, that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the beauty of your workspace. Lucy walks you through how she sets up her own space at home, and teaches you the importance of having a set-up and pack-down ritual if you’re working from a shared living space. She also shares her favourite tools and trinkets to make her home office enjoyable to work in, and reflective of her personality - which is especially important in the age of Zoom!Follow these links to find all the things Lucy recommends in our chat:Muji storageSteelcase office chairsPhillips HueIKEA office chairsCultHay lightsIn Good CompanyNoguchi lights   Connect with Lucy on Twitter or Linkedin, at her website or on Instagram 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.

As the Phantom of the Opera, Josh Piterman’s story is already pre-written for him. But as an actor and a person, Josh writes that narrative himself. Josh shares how repeating the same esoteric ritual before every show helps him enter a flow state. For him, focusing on being present ensures that every performance feels like a brand new show. He also breaks down how journaling and teaching meditation make him a more generous and grateful person, and how working with a world-famous mindset coach has changed his life. Connect with Josh on Twitter or at 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.co/?SUS=HIWshownotesVisit 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 Producer: Jenna KodaSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you have to do today?  A long, detailed report? A whole slew of meetings? Make dinner, do laundry, somehow squeeze in a workout? I feel you! Between work, family, friendships and looking after our health, there’s a lot we feel like we have to do. But therein lies the problem…  Thinking that we have to do something automatically makes it feel like a burden. Your self-talk is really powerful, but thankfully, it works both ways.  Turia Pitt, the bestselling author, two-time Ironman and survivor of a devastating near-death experience teaches you how one simple phrase can help you reframe those to-dos into “get-to-do”s.  Connect with Turia on Twitter or Linkedin You 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 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 amantha@inventium.com.au  CREDITS Produced by InventiumHost: Amantha ImberProduction Support from Deadset StudiosSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jean-Marc Dragoli, Nespresso's Oceania general manager, is not just a coffee aficionado but also a passionate language learner. He reveals how taking micro-breaks for coffee can enhance productivity and connection, even with farmers worldwide. Dive into his daily coffee rituals, the intricacies of caffeine content, and tips for brewing the perfect cup at home. Plus, he shares invaluable insights on mastering multiple languages through cultural immersion and daily practice, proving that connecting with culture extends beyond just coffee.