How I Work

Every year, Holly Wainwright promises herself she won’t burn out again - and every year, she does. 

When she told me that, I laughed - not because it’s funny, but because I’ve been there too. Last year, I hit my own wall of exhaustion so hard it became the inspiration for my next book. 

In this bonus episode, I sit down with Holly Wainwright - bestselling author and co-host of Mamamia Out Loud - for an honest conversation about burnout, energy, and why breaking the “do-crash-repeat” cycle is harder than it sounds. 

We talk about the promises we make to ourselves, the boundaries we fail to keep, and how to start protecting the parts of life that matter most - our health, focus, and family. 

Holly and I discuss: 

• The patterns that keep Holly stuck in the burnout cycle 

• Why she chose “nup” as her word of the year - and how that’s going 

• The privilege and guilt tied up in saying no 

• How she’s restructuring her week to protect creative focus and family time 

• The surprising rewards that keep her motivated (including worm farms) 

• The “Yes-But” strategy that sets boundaries without guilt 

• My “Never Again” list and how it helps me avoid burnout triggers 

• Why rebuilding energy is a constant recalibration, not a one-time fix 

• Taylor Swift’s reminder to treat your energy like a luxury item 

Key Quotes 

“Almost every year I say I’m not going to get myself to that place again - and then I do.”  

“Rebuilding your energy isn’t a one-off fix. It’s a constant recalibration.”  

Connect with Holly on Instagram and LinkedIn, listen to Mamamia Out Loud and Mid, and check out her latest book He Would Never here. 

Listen to Part 1 of this interview 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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long tenure sounds like a good thing - until it starts holding your business back. Here’s what I learned when I stopped treating it as a badge of honour.

In this Quick Win, I’m joined again by clinical psychologist Sabina Read to unpack the hidden downside of long staff tenure. I share how high tenure at Inventium was quietly stalling innovation, what finally shifted my thinking, and why I now see shorter tenure as a healthy sign of growth. 

Sabina and I discuss: 

• The hidden shadow side of long tenure 

• Why fresh thinking often gets ignored by legacy voices 

• How old experiences can kill new ideas before they start 

• Why newer team members often bring better solutions 

• A mindset shift that helped me reframe turnover 

Key Quote 
“If it’s happening at Inventium, where we talk about innovation every day, it can happen anywhere.” 

Listen to the full episode 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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most companies think connection is built in the office. Atlassian discovered the opposite. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Avani Prabhakar, Chief People Officer at Atlassian. Avani takes us inside Atlassian’s Team Anywhere model, which has redefined how 13,000 people across the globe work together. 

We unpack what really drives connection, how to structure your workday to avoid Zoom fatigue, and why Atlassian ditched PowerPoint altogether. If you’ve ever wondered what the future of work actually looks like in practice, this is a rare behind-the-scenes look. 

Avani and I discuss: 

• The difference between “remote first” and “distributed first” work 

• Why connection doesn’t come from sporadic office attendance 

• Atlassian’s framework for intentional togetherness (ITG) 

• How to design your workday to balance meetings, deep work, and collaboration 

• Why Atlassian banned PowerPoint and moved to a written-first culture 

• How asynchronous communication transformed decision-making 

• The role of AI agents in HR and how non-technical teams built their own tools 

• The four stages of becoming a strategic AI user 
• Avani’s predictions for the future of work: asynchronous by default, AI collaboration, and focusing on how we work rather than where 

Key Quotes 

“Connection wasn’t built by sporadic office attendance. Real connection happens when you intentionally bring people together with a purpose.” 

“The future of work won’t be about where we work. It will be about how we work.”  

Connect with Avani on LinkedIn. 

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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You could be trying your hardest to build psychological safety - and still be getting it wrong. Here’s why just one person feeling unsafe can quietly unravel your entire team.  

In this Quick Win episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist Sabina Read to unpack one of the biggest leadership mistakes I made last year: misunderstanding how psychological safety really works. We talk about how uneven safety erodes trust, and I share the exact tool my team now uses to make sure we catch culture issues early - before they snowball. 

Sabina and I discuss: 

• Why psychological safety must be universal, not just widespread 

• The ripple effect of one team member feeling unsafe 

• How safety gaps shift conversations into private whispers 

• The ritual we now use to track team health every 6–8 weeks 

• Why we focus on what’s working - not just what’s broken 

Key Quote 
“If just one person doesn’t feel psychologically safe, that can do a lot of damage to the whole level of trust within the team.” 

Listen to the full episode 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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you say the wrong thing online - or at work - and suddenly feel the world closing in? Clare Stephens knows this all too well. After publishing an article that completely missed the mark, she was hit with a wave of outrage that forced her to rethink how she apologised, how she listened, and how she led. 

In this episode, I sit down with Clare Stephens, writer, podcaster, and former editor-in-chief at Mamamia. We talk about the lessons she’s learnt from being on the receiving end of online criticism, what makes an apology actually land, and how leaders can foster a culture where mistakes don’t spell disaster. Clare also shares how she walked away from what she thought was her dream role to pursue a more creative and values-aligned path. 

By the end of our conversation, you’ll have a new lens on handling criticism, leading with empathy, and making decisions that keep you true to yourself. 

Clare and I discuss: 

• Why Clare avoids the term “cancel culture” and what she sees instead 

• The psychological toll of public shaming and internet outrage 

• How constructive feedback – not angry comments – changed her perspective 

• The key difference between apologising online and at work 

• Why leaders fear saying the wrong thing, and how to navigate this 

• Clare’s decision-making hack for choosing what to say yes and no to 

• How comparison with her twin sister shaped her career – and what motherhood taught her about self-worth 

Key Quotes 

• “The less you do, the quicker the fire ends.” 

• “Sometimes saying yes is just procrastination.”  

Connect with Clare Stephens on Instagram, LinkedIn and pre-order her latest book The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done 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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When life gets hectic, relationships are often the first thing to slip. But what if a simple habit could keep you connected - even during your busiest seasons? 

In this Quick Win episode, I’m joined by New York Times bestselling author Sahil Bloom to unpack what it really means to be socially wealthy. Sahil shares the tiny practice he uses to maintain strong relationships, even when life gets overwhelming - and why it’s been a game-changer for his friendships and marriage. 

Sahil and I discuss: 

• Why relationships are the strongest predictor of a happy life 

• The mistake most people make when it comes to social wealth 

• Sahil’s rule for staying in touch: when you think something nice, say it 

• How he uses iPhone memories to spark tiny moments of connection 

• The “life dinner” ritual that keeps his marriage strong 

Key Quote 
“When you think something nice about someone, let them know right then.” 

Listen to the full interview with Sahil here.

Connect with Sahil Bloom on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and his website. Check out his latest book The Five Types of Wealth. 

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 [email protected] 

Credits: 
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**Record a question for Amantha’s next Ask Me Anything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/howiwork ** 

It’s harder than ever to cut through in the workplace – whether you’re job hunting, leading a team, or simply trying to keep up with AI. In this AMA episode, I answer your questions on how to thrive in today’s world of work. 

In this episode, I share: 

• How to differentiate yourself in a crowded job market where AI is levelling CVs and cover letters. 

• What really makes a high performing team today – from psychological safety to energy management. 

• How to define and develop critical thinking skills in the age of AI. 

• My best tips for stepping into leadership for the first time – from running one-on-ones to avoiding the trap of giving too much advice. 

Amantha Recommends 

• Loom: My favourite quick video tool for making job applications stand out and for capturing thinking in real time. 

• Tella: A polished way to create video proposals or audition tasks 

• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier: A simple, practical guide to shifting from advice-giving to coaching with better questions. Grab a copy here. 

• Glad We Met by Steven Rogelberg: Hands down the best book I’ve read on running effective one-on-ones. Get it here. 

Have a question you want me to answer in the next AMA episode? Reach out via email ([email protected]) or socials – I’d love to hear from you! 

For more on this, check out my AI slop episode - where I unpack why flooding the world with AI-generated content isn’t the same as creating something meaningful. (Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts) 

And if the critical thinking bit struck a chord, my chat with futurist Bob Johansen is a great follow-up. He shares how to see AI as augmented intelligence - you plus AI, not you versus AI. Tune in 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 [email protected] 

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** Book in for Inventium’s GenAI Productivity Upgrade here: https://inventium.com.au/genai-cohort/ **

AI isn’t just for work. From helping you plan meals to keeping your kids entertained, it can be a powerful tool for everyday life.

In this episode, Inventium’s AI expert Neo Aplin joins Amantha to share 25 practical ways to use AI at home, including:

• Smart shopping with fridge photos and food lists
• Recipe ideas based on what’s already in your pantry
• Batch meal prep and planning
• Laundry and cleaning hacks for tricky stains
• Personalised fitness advice
• Fun activities for kids, from Dr. Seuss–style poems to colouring pages
• Plant identification and care tips
• Holiday planning and packing lists

If you’ve ever wondered how AI can make your life outside of work simpler (and a little more fun) this episode has you covered.

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 [email protected] 

Credits: 

Host: Amantha Imber 

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

**Record a question for Amantha’s next Ask Me Anything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/howiwork ** 

What do you do when procrastination takes over? How can AI actually change your workflows? And what are the best systems to manage tasks? 

In this AMA episode, I answer listener questions on procrastination, the Right to Disconnect laws, process bottlenecks, and how I use AI tools in my everyday work. These are the challenges so many of us wrestle with - and I share my practical strategies, missteps, and experiments. 

In this episode, I share: 

• How I break down overwhelming tasks (including writing my fifth book) and strategies I use to beat procrastination. 

• Why the Right to Disconnect laws may not fit modern, flexible workplaces - and what managers need to rethink. 

• Where to start when fixing a bottleneck in your processes, and how AI can help. 

• My system for keeping notes, tasks, and reminders organised. 

• The GPTs, prompt libraries, and tools I rely on daily - from proposal writing to creating Instagram reels. 

Amantha recommends: 

• Notion: My digital command centre for projects, tasks, and notes  

• Granola: My go-to meeting notes app that combines live transcripts with my human notes to capture every detail 

• Tella: A simple tool I use for recording and sharing video proposals to add a personal touch 

• Zapier & n8n: Automation powerhouses that streamline repetitive tasks and free up hours every week 

• Jeff Su: A productivity YouTuber whose Notion course transformed how I set up and run my system 

Have a question you want me to answer in the next AMA episode? Reach out via email ([email protected]) or socials – I’d love to hear from you! 

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 [email protected] 

Credits:  

Host: Amantha Imber  

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

** 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 [email protected] 

Credits: 

Host: Amantha Imber 

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.