How I Work

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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam Riordan

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam Riordan

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode producer: Liam Riordan

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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 Linkedin

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

Connect with me on the socials:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam Riordan

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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 storage

Steelcase office chairs

Phillips Hue

IKEA office chairs

Cult

Hay lights

In Good Company

Noguchi lights  

Connect with Lucy on Twitter or Linkedin, at her website or on Instagram

Connect with me on the socials:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode producers: Jenna Koda and Liam Riordan

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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=HIWshownotes

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode Producer: Jenna Koda

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See 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:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's show is brought to you by Nespresso Professional.

In previous episodes of How I Work, we’ve talked about the value of “micro-breaks” for maintaining energy over a long day at the office. Nespresso’s Jean-Marc Dragoli takes this to a new level, stealing away for a “coffee moment” seven to ten times a day!

He teaches you how a cup of coffee can facilitate anything from quiet reflection to a sense of connection with farmers on the other side of the globe. He also gives you the low-down on caffeine content and decaf, as well as suggestions for brewing your own cup at home. 

Jean-Marc is also a serial language learner, speaking at least “five and a half” languages in his estimation. He shares his secrets for learning and maintaining multiple languages, and why it’s a critical skill if you want to connect with a new culture.  

Connect with Jean-Marc Dragoli on Twitter or LinkedIn

Check out the Nespresso Professional range: https://www.nespresso.com/pro/au/en/

Connect with me on the socials:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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=HIWshownotes

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode Producer: Jenna Koda

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

***BEST OF HOW I WORK***

Does business really need to be so serious?

Stanford Business School humour lecturer Naomi Bagdonas believes there’s always room for humour, even when you’re trying to accomplish very serious things. 

She’s found utilising humour can boost innovation, foster creativity, and bolster resilience through hard times. 

Naomi says bringing levity into your day-to-day exchanges can diffuse tension and help your colleagues understand you on a deeper level. 

She shares tips from her book Humor, Seriously, written with Jennifer Aaker, on how to incorporate humour into presentations and meetings, how to write a joke, and tips for bringing comedy into your emails. 

Naomi teaches humour as part of a purpose and leadership course at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She also coaches top executives in the art of comedy. 

Assess your own personal humour style: https://quiz.humorseriously.com/

Get your copy of Humor, Seriously: https://www.humorseriously.com/

Sign up for the 21 day Humour Bootcamp: https://bootcamp.humorseriously.com/

Connect with me on the socials:

Linkedin

Twitter

Instagram 

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 [email protected]

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Production Support from Deadset Studios

Episode Producer: Jenna Koda

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.