How I Work

** Book in for Inventium’s GenAI Productivity Upgrade here: https://inventium.com.au/genai-cohort/ ** Struggling to get AI to write emails that sound like you? AI expert Neo Aplin joins Amantha to share how to train tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot to act like your own email-savvy executive assistant. Inventium’s GenAI lead Neo Aplin breaks down: Why most people get poor email outputs from AI The critical context AI needs to draft great emails How to build a custom email assistant using ChatGPT projects What to include in your tone and style guide When it's actually worth using AI for email (and when it's not) Plus, Neo shares a clever workaround for using AI to answer repetitive work questions—without it needing to read your whole inbox. Whether you're dealing with a mountain of email or just want replies that actually sound like you, this episode is packed with practical advice for making AI work smarter.   My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the biggest value of AI isn’t answers, but better questions? For Morgan Brown, Vice President of Product and Growth at Dropbox, that realisation has transformed everything from family dinners to global product strategy.  In this episode, I chat with Morgan about how he uses AI as both a problem-solver and a sparring partner. Morgan leads Dropbox’s AI products, but he’s also built his own app from scratch - with no coding background - to help his six-year-old son manage type 1 diabetes.  We dive into how Morgan uses AI to eliminate grunt work, create powerful prompts, and even stress test his own ideas. This conversation will show you practical ways to turn AI into a genuine partner for your work and life.  We discuss:  The story behind CARB Scan, the AI-powered app Morgan built to help his son manage diabetes  How he uses AI to eliminate shallow work, like meeting recaps and email sorting  Why designing prompts is a superpower—and Morgan’s framework for writing great ones  The automation Morgan built to scan and summarise the entire AI/ML landscape every morning  How to use AI as a true thought partner for brainstorming, strategy, and decision-making  The risks of skipping human feedback and why real-world validation still matters  Morgan’s advice for spotting your own hidden time sinks and turning them into AI experiments  Key Quotes  “LLMs aren’t the best search engine. They’re much better as a thought partner.”   “The real leverage of AI isn’t the answers. It’s the better questions.”  Connect with Morgan Brown on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and his website https://www.morganbrown.co/  Check out Morgan’s book Hacking Growth.  Get your hands on Morgan’s AI research prompt here.  If you enjoyed this, listen to my episode with Bob Johansen - we talked about reframing AI as “augmented intelligence,” and it pairs beautifully with Morgan’s approach.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** Book in for Inventium’s GenAI Productivity Upgrade here: https://inventium.com.au/genai-cohort/ ** Most people use AI like a polite assistant: “do this, write that, draft this.” The problem? It rarely pushes back or challenges your thinking - leaving your blind spots intact. In this episode, Inventium’s AI expert Neo Aplin joins me to share how to flip the script and use AI as a creative collaborator. You’ll learn: Why AI naturally behaves like a sycophantic assistant - and how to change that How to use prompts to make AI act as a devil’s advocate Ways to test how your ideas or presentations will land with different audiences How to use AI for “jobs to be done” brainstorming and innovation Why using AI for perspective-shifting is better than not testing your ideas at all If you want AI to make you smarter (not just faster) this episode will show you how.   My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever said yes when your whole body was screaming NO!!? Those small choices add up, leaving us drained, resentful, and out of alignment with our own lives.  In part 2 of my conversation with Lael Stone - educator and author of book Own Your Story, we unpack the hidden patterns that shape our decisions, the family imprints that hold us back, and the practical shifts that help us step into our power.  If you’ve ever felt torn between what you should do and what you actually want to do, this conversation will show you how to pause, get curious, and realign.  You’ll learn:  The idea of a “full body yes” and how to use it in daily decisions Why family imprints often drive our definition of success (and how they can sabotage us) How to flip the question from “how bad could it be?” to “how good could it get?” The importance of learning to receive, not just give – and how to build rituals that honour this Why most of us listen to fix rather than listen to hear, and how to change that habit Simple ways leaders can balance listening with guiding their team The first step to emotional intelligence: asking “what’s going on for me right now?”  Key Quotes  “If it’s a maybe, it’s a no until it’s a full yes.”  “Our fundamental need as humans is to be heard, not to be fixed.”  Connect with Lael Stone on Instagram, LinkedIn and her website, and check out her latest book Own Your Story.  Listen to Part 1 with Lael Stone here.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book in for Inventium’s GenAI Productivity Upgrade here: https://inventium.com.au/genai-cohort/ Have you ever received a 10-page document that looked impressive, only to realise it was clearly spat out by AI, with no real human thought behind it? That’s what AI expert Neo Aplin calls AI slop: content that’s high on volume but low on value. In this conversation, Neo and Amantha unpack: Why AI slop is becoming increasingly common in workplaces The hidden costs of drowning teams in AI-generated documents Why creating more content is no longer a measure of good work How to shift the focus from volume to targeted value Practical strategies for making your work stand out in an AI-saturated world If you’ve ever felt buried under AI-generated fluff - or worried your own work is being lost in the noise - this episode will help you cut through the slop and get back to what really matters. My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits:Host: Amantha ImberSound Engineer: Martin ImberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your colleague doesn’t reply to your email. Days pass. Your mind spins - do they not like me, do they not want me on the project, or are they just busy? It’s these unhelpful stories that quietly drain our energy. But what if there were two simple questions that could reset your perspective in moments like these?  In this episode of How I Work, I sit down with educator and author Lael Stone, whose new book Own Your Story explores how the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we live and work.  Lael shares the two reflection questions she uses daily to interrupt spirals of self-doubt and comparison. She also coaches me through my own struggles while writing my fifth book, showing how shifting perspective can help us feel lighter, more energised, and in flow.  By the end of this chat, you’ll have a practical mental reset you can use any time - whether at work, at home, or in the middle of a 3am overthinking spiral.  We discuss:  The two questions Lael uses every day to reset perspective How to pause spirals of self-doubt with “What am I making this mean?” Why “What do I want this to look like?” opens us up to new possibilities Lael coaching me through my own writing doubts and pressures How comparison keeps us stuck and what to do instead The role of childhood imprints in shaping our beliefs about work, money, and relationships Why most of us never learned what a healthy boundary looks like - and how to create them as adults Why setting boundaries is an act of self-love  Key Quotes  “What am I making this mean? Can be a pattern interrupt question to actually stop and go, what is the story here?”  “It feels very freeing to realise I could actually change this. I could change what this means for me.”  Connect with Lael Stone on Instagram, LinkedIn and her website, and check out her latest book Own Your Story.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So many of us strive to find that ‘perfect job’, but once we get there, do we run the risk of having it become our sole focus, to the detriment of everything else in our lives? I asked my very close friend Sabina Read to join me on a deep dive discussion into work and identity to try and get to the bottom of this. Sabina is a clinical psychologist, regular contributor on 3AW and co-host of the popular podcast Human Cogs. Sabina and I discuss: Why having an occupation that aligns with our personal identity is a good thing If having a personally aligned career can lead to a lack of balance An easy way to identify if you are letting your vocation swallow your sense of self Listen to the full interview with Sabina here. Connect with Sabina via her website, Instagram, or check out her podcast Human Cogs.   My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au   Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you think AI is all about saving time and cutting corners, think again.  In this conversation with futurist Bob Johansen, we explore how AI can be used as a thinking partner - to help you generate ideas, build clarity, and make better decisions in a chaotic, unpredictable world. Bob argues that the real power of AI lies in augmented intelligence, not artificial intelligence.  Bob Johansen is a distinguished fellow with the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley. For more than 50 years, Bob has helped organisations around the world prepare for and shape the future. He has written 15 books and his latest one Navigating the Age of Chaos, is out on October 28.  He walks us through: - The key skill that will future-proof your career - How to use AI to get unstuck and think more creatively - Why clarity beats certainty in a BANI world (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible) - The leadership traits needed to thrive in the AI-first decade  Whether you’re excited about AI or sceptical, this episode will shift your mindset and give you a roadmap for working with AI, not against it.  Want to learn more about AI upskilling? Check out this episode with Neo Aplin on how to go from AI gunslinger to AI architect on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Bob’s new book Navigating the Age of Chaos: A Sense-Making Guide to a BANI World That Doesn't Make Sense is out October 28. Pre-order it here   Key quotes  “Ten years from now, almost all leaders will be augmented or you’ll be out of the game.”  “I don’t trust AI for answers. I use it to stretch my mind.”    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re rushing through the day, it’s easy to lose sight of what actually matters.  In this Quick Win episode, New York Times bestselling author Chris Guillebeau shares the reflection question he asks himself to reset and stay focused. Chris also reveals how a simple 40-minute check-in can help you course-correct in the moment, without relying on complicated productivity systems.  Chris and I talk about:  The reflection question Chris uses to decide if the day was valuable  Why he believes the ordinary moments in life matter just as much as the big milestones  The 40-minute check-in that helps him reset and make the most of his time  How Chris uses these reflections as a reset—not a rigid system  Why Chris doesn’t stick with one method forever (and that’s okay)  Key Quotes: “Every day has something, at least one thing, that is special.” “If the last 40 minutes weren’t that valuable, what do I want to do differently next?”  Listen to the full interview with Chris here. Connect with Chris on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and his website, Listen to his podcast Side Hustle School, and check out his latest book Time Anxiety.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au     Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgie Holt set herself a radical challenge: Could she completely remove herself from the operational side of her job using AI? In this conversation, Georgie shares how she used ChatGPT tools to build systems that dramatically reduced the time she spent on hiring, communications, and day-to-day decision-making. Georgie is the co-founder and CEO of Flight Story, which she co-founded with Stephen Bartlett. It’s the media company that is home to The Diary of a CEO - the second biggest podcast in the world, with over 1 billion streams and over 11 million YouTube subscribers.  Georgie walks us through her process for identifying what to automate, how she built a custom GPT to handle interviews, and why she believes this technology can be a game-changer - especially for women in leadership. You’ll learn: How Georgie saved 20–25 hours a week with AI The custom GPT she built to run candidate interviews Why she created a "writer’s room" AI model inspired by Hollywood How AI can help leaders double down on emotional intelligence The two areas Georgie now spends her reclaimed time on This is part one of a two-part conversation that explores the future of work, leadership, and how to use AI to elevate (not erase) your humanity. Follow Georgie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-holt/ Listen/watch Diary of a CEO: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO  My new book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here:https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials:LinkedInInstagram Want more tips to improve the way you work and live?Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for practical, science-backed strategies:https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  For full show notes from all episodes, visit:https://www.amantha.com/podcast Get in touch: amantha@inventium.com.au CreditsHost: Amantha ImberEpisode Producer: Sam Blacker, The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special bonus episode, Georgie Holt (co-founder of Flight Story alongside Stephen Bartlett) takes us behind-the-scenes to look at how her team is redefining media and podcasting using AI. Georgie shares the story of an internal AI competition that led to the creation of 48 new tools, saving over 62,000 hours of work and $1 million in efficiencies. She takes us inside the tools powering Diary of a CEO, including “Unicorn Hunter” and “Prewatch,” and explains how AI helps the team identify cultural moments, book high-impact guests, and tailor content to maximise engagement. You’ll learn: How Diary of a CEO finds the right guest at the right moment using AI The strategy and psychology behind a company-wide AI challenge How Diary of a CEO uses data to refine content before it even goes live The importance of community and loyalty in building media that lasts Georgie’s candid feedback for How I Work  This is Part 2 of my chat with Georgie Holt. Be sure to listen to Part 1 if you haven’t already.  Follow Georgie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-holt/ Listen/watch Diary of a CEO: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO    My new book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here:https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials:LinkedInInstagram Want more tips to improve the way you work and live?Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for practical, science-backed strategies:https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  For full show notes from all episodes, visit:https://www.amantha.com/podcast Get in touch: amantha@inventium.com.au   CreditsHost: Amantha ImberEpisode Producer: Sam Blacker, The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your inbox is overflowing and you can’t shake the guilt of unanswered emails, you’re not alone. In this Quick Win episode, New York Times bestselling author Chris Guillebeau shares his email strategy for fighting time anxiety - including why he’s totally fine with ignoring some emails (even if it ticks people off).  Chris also explains how email bankruptcy helped him reset his inbox every year, and why trying to be an “email ninja” can backfire when you’re focused on the wrong things.  Chris and I talk about:  Why “inbox guilt” is so hard to shake—and how Chris reframed it  The bold email strategy Chris uses to stay sane  Why he’s been doing email bankruptcy for the last 5–6 years  The real reason he’s okay with not replying to every email  Key Quotes:  “If I am always responsive, that means I’m not doing other things.” “I just archive everything that’s in the inbox that I haven’t responded to.”  Listen to the full interview with Chris here.   Connect with Chris on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and his website, Listen to his podcast Side Hustle School, and check out his latest book Time Anxiety.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au     Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to our ability to think critically when we start outsourcing it to AI? Professor Scott Anthony is one of the world’s leading experts on innovation and disruption and he believes the way we use AI today will shape the future of our judgment, creativity, and even our careers. Scott is a professor at the Tuck School of Business, the former managing partner at Innosight (the firm co-founded by the late Clayton Christensen) and author of several books, including his latest, Epic Disruptions. In this conversation, Scott shares how AI is transforming the way he teaches, consults, and thinks - and why he draws a firm line on where he will never let AI do the work. You’ll learn exactly how to leverage AI as a teammate without letting it hollow out your critical thinking skills, and why protecting your judgment is more important than ever. If you’ve ever wondered, Am I thinking less deeply than I used to?—this episode might just change the way you work. Check out Scott’s new book Epic Disruptions. *** My new book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials:Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au   Credits:Host: Amantha ImberEpisode Producer: Sam Blacker at the Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you stuck in autopilot, drifting through life without a sense of direction? This episode can help you get back in touch with what really matters.  In this Quick Win, I’m joined by Dr. Emily Musgrove - clinical psychologist, author of Unstuck, and resident Psych on The Imperfects podcast. We unpack the signs you’re disconnected from your values and the simple ways to reconnect with them, like the “80th birthday” exercise and a values questionnaire.  Dr. Em shares:  How values misalignment shows up in therapy and life  Why “stuckness” signals you’re out of touch with your values  The 80th birthday exercise for identifying what really matters to you  The power of questionnaires in surfacing your core values  Why values are bidirectional (hint: kindness to yourself counts too)  Key Quotes:  “The presence of avoidance often signals a values disconnection.”  “Being kind includes being kind to yourself - sometimes that means setting boundaries.”  Connect with Dr. Em on Instagram, LinkedIn and her website. Check out her new book Unstuck.  Listen to the full episode here.    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who wants to be led by someone who’s burnt out? That’s the question I asked myself in 2024 - and why I kept pushing through and pretending I was fine. Until everything nearly broke.  In part two of this interview, I’m back with psychologist and friend Sabina Read to unpack how I came out the other side of the hardest year of my professional life.  We talk about what finally pulled me out of burnout, how I rebuilt trust inside Inventium, and the ripple effects of radical transparency. I also reflect on the shadow side of long tenure, the cost of silencing my instincts, and the surprising moment I knew our culture had truly shifted.  If you’re leading a team, facing change, or quietly wondering if you’re the problem - this episode is for you.  Sabina and I discuss:  The shift that helped me rebuild confidence after burnout  Why tenure can quietly sabotage growth and innovation  How I nearly missed a 7-figure opportunity (and what changed)  The difference between radical transparency and oversharing  What helped our team go from fractured to thriving  Why metrics matter - but they’re not enough  The cost of hiding how hard things really were  Key Quotes  “Hope is not a strategy - but that’s what I was relying on.”  “If just one person doesn’t feel psychologically safe, that can do a lot of damage.”  “Radical transparency means being honest in a way that serves your team.”  Connect with Sabina via her website, Instagram, or check out her podcast Human Cogs.  My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work-life balance. We’ve all heard the phrase — but how do you actually achieve it? And more importantly, is it even possible when it feels like everything’s urgent and important?  It sounds simple: prioritise your tasks and sort them out. But the real challenge lies in knowing what truly matters. In the whirlwind of competing demands from work, family, and life, how do you decide what gets your time and attention?    In this Quick Win episode, I revisit a powerful conversation with Ariel Garten, neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Muse — to unpack her refreshingly honest approach to prioritisation in the face of constant demands.  Ariel and I discuss:  How Ariel approaches prioritisation from both a big-picture (annual/quarterly) and micro (daily) perspective  Why value-based decisions matter when you’re torn between business, family, and personal needs  The relief of having some decisions made for you, and accepting the limits of your time and capacity  How embracing imperfection and setting boundaries can actually create more meaningful opportunities  Listen to the full interview with Ariel here.    Connect with Ariel via LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (Twitter). Learn more about brain training and mindfulness with Muse and listen to her podcast Untangle.  Save 15% on the Muse headband when you shop here and use the code HOWIWORK at checkout.  My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au     Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I got leadership wrong in 2024. That’s how I started a newsletter earlier this year that scared the hell out of me to publish. In this episode, I share what happened - and the high cost of indecision, fear, and people-pleasing.  Today, I’m turning the mic on myself. I’m joined by psychologist and friend Sabina Read to unpack the personal and professional fallout of the hardest year I’ve had as a leader.   From delaying redundancies to clinging to hope, to letting fear and likability steer my decisions - I share the choices I regret, what I learned from them, and how I’m showing up differently in 2025.  Sabina and I discuss:  Why I refused to consider redundancies (and what it cost)  How fear, not strategy, drove my biggest decisions  The freeze response I didn’t realise I was stuck in  What my therapist told me that sent me into a spiral  How psychological safety broke down on my team - and what we do now to protect it  The cultural check-in we do every 6–8 weeks to catch small issues before they explode  Why listening deeply matters more than making the “right” decision  How I started letting go of the need to be liked  Key Quotes  “Hope is not a strategy. But that’s what I was relying on.”  “I had a very high need to be liked—and that was making me a really bad manager.”  “You can’t rest on your laurels with culture. It takes conscious work.”  Connect with Sabina via her website, Instagram, or check out her podcast Human Cogs.  My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanthai  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au  Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giving feedback to someone else is hard, especially when it involves constructive criticism or even outright bad news. For those who have a need to be liked, we often end up beating around the bush, hiding the feedback in praise, or avoiding the conversation entirely. Naturally, this can have some pretty poor consequences, often worse than if we had just been honest in the first place. This is something that Laura Henshaw knows all too well and has worked incredibly hard to overcome. Laura is the co-founder and CEO of the highly successful KIC App and co-host of the chart-topping KIC podcast. Laura shares: Why you’ll never succeed at getting everyone to like your decisions. The one thing you should prioritise over kindness when giving feedback. Why giving feedback as a "shit sandwich" doesn’t actually work. Listen to the full interview with Laura here. Connect with Laura on Instagram, subscribe to KIC APP and follow KIC Pod   My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au   Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BEST OF In an effort to make time for ourselves, many of us fall back on using To Do lists and time blocking. But often these strategies can end up with the same result: getting lost in chasing productivity. So how do we make time for the things that truly count? Oliver Burkeman is a New York Times bestselling author of books such as ‘Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals’ and ‘Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts’. Oliver is also a regular columnist for The Guardian. If there is anyone who truly understands the philosophy and psychology of time management and happiness, it’s Oliver. Oliver shares: The mindset you should be using when you first approach a task if you want it to be achieved easily How you can free up time by minimising time spent on worrying The strategy you should be utilising instead of a to-do list to actually create a sense of achievement Why being open to distractions can actually be beneficial Key Quotes:“Don’t start from the position that unexpected things happening must be bad.” “There is this tendency to set things up in your mind so that you can never feel like you’ve done something well enough.” Connect with Oliver via his website, or get his latest book, Meditations for Mortals, here My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au     Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: Martin Imber See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if I told you that one simple kit could make your work and travel more sustainable - without adding extra hassle?  The best eco-friendly habits are the ones that fit seamlessly into your daily routine. But when you’re hopping between shared workspaces, traveling for business, or just navigating a busy schedule, it’s easy to fall back on single-use plastics and convenience items.  In this Quick Win episode, Lottie Dalziel, sustainability advocate, author, and NSW Young Australian of the Year, shares a practical strategy to reduce waste and make more conscious choices on the go.  Lottie and I discuss:  The Single-Use Quitter Kit—what it is and how it helps you cut waste effortlessly  Simple swaps to make your workspace and travel habits more eco-friendly  Why small changes add up, especially when they inspire those around you  Listen to the full interview with Lottie here.  Connect with Lottie via her website, Instagram, Tiktok, and LinkedIn. Check out Lottie’s book 365+ Ways to Save the Planet and Your Money at the Same Time    My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/  Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)  Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)  If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe  Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.  Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au     Credits:  Host: Amantha Imber  Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.