This Working Life

Pick something you enjoy doing and you can 'leisure craft' it! We learn about the benefits of this technique as a way of improving your personal wellbeing, and your performance at work. 

Plus we'll give you some practical tips on how to 'leisure-craft' in Try This.

Guest: 

Alex Hamrick, Assistant Professor of Management, Robins School of Business, University of Richmond 

This episode was first broadcast on 2nd May 2025

If you have a tendency to take on too much, you might want to look at the boundaries you have with your co-workers and your boss.  

It seems hard, but setting boundaries could improve your life, and your work as well. Boundaries expert Nedra Glover Tawwab teaches you how. 

Guest:

Nedra Glover Tawwab, therapist and author of New York Times best seller, Set Boundaries, Find Peace 

This episode was first broadcast on 21st March

In helping young people prepare for a life of work, asking them what they want to do for a job, or what they’re good at may limit their options. 

Learn a different way of thinking about careers that focuses on challenges, rather than job titles. 

Guests:

JP Michel, organisational psychologist and author, The World Needs You: A New Mindset for Career Exploration

Kate McBeath, who works with career advisors in schools in Australia and New Zealand

This episode was first broadcast on 7th March 

Have you been bamboozled by the language colleagues use at work? What’s the best way to describe yourself on LinkedIn? 

Charles and James from Wankernomics want to help you use more buzzwords, so you can move into upper management. 

James Schloeffel, Chief Disruptor and Strategy Optimisation Evangelist, Wankernomics

Charles Firth, Customer Engagement Jedi, Wankernomics

Should you lie on the couch or go hiking with friends? Discover what to do before, during and after a holiday to get the most out of it.

Experts share the best ways to fully recover from work stress and offer practical tips to make that post-holiday glow last longer.

Guests: 

Stacey Parker, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, University of Queensland   

Ty Ferguson, Research Fellow in the Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) research centre at the University of South Australia 

Greg Stark, Director, Better Being

For a copy of the recovery resources mentioned in this story, email us at [email protected]

Almost half of Australian workers are impacted by some kind of post-employment restraint. 

The government plans to ban non-compete clauses for middle and lower paid workers. But how do you strike the balance between an employee’s right to move jobs and a business’ right to protect their commercial interests? 

Guests:

Paula McDonald, Professor of Work and Organisation, QUT Centre for Decent Work and Industry 

Charles Cameron, CEO Recruitment Consulting and Staffing Association of Australia and New Zealand (RCSA) 

If your career progression has stalled it may be because you lack emotional intelligence and the ability to regulate your behaviour in the workplace. 

A Harvard Business School expert says the key to great leadership is understanding yourself so you can manage others, and she’s helped thousands of people do it.  

Guest:

Margaret C Andrews, managing director The MYLO Center,  author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others 

For a copy of Margaret’s Six questions for Self Understanding Worksheet, email us at [email protected]

What are the best ways to learn at work, and how can you make that new information stick?

Understand the science of learning and how online courses and workshops can be designed to optimise motivation and opportunities to practise.

Guests: 

Michelle Ockers, Founder and Chief Learning Strategist, Learning Uncut 

Ryan Jesson, cognitive scientist, School of Psychology, University of Queensland 

New research has uncovered early warning signs of burnout that could help you get on top of it, before it goes too far. Learn strategies to identify these signs, recover from work stress and prevent burnout. 

Dr Ben Searle, organisational psychologist, consultant and researcher 

Luke Martin, Senior specialist and clinical spokesperson, Beyond Blue 

For more details on Ben’s Recovember Challenge follow him on LinkedIn or visit his website

If you or someone you know needs mental health support, call Beyond Blue for free 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via email or webchat at www.beyondblue.org.au/getsupport

You might like to check out our episode The Burnout Shop featuring pioneer of burnout theory, Christina Maslach.

A Westpac employee with parental responsibilities was recently awarded the right to work from home five days a week, by the Fair Work Commission.

How might this decision affect business hiring practices, and the working conditions parents are allowed by their bosses in future? 

Guests:

Dr Giuseppe Carabetta, Associate Professor of workplace and business law with the UTS Business School 

Emma Walsh, CEO Parents at Work  

For more information and free resources for small organisations visit https://familyfriendlyworkplaces.com/