How I Work
Episodes
My Favourite Tip: Evernote Founder Phil Libin - The difference between ‘difficult’ and ‘uncomfortable’ decisions
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When you get right down to it, being a leader is ultimately all about being a decision-maker. Everything from hiring a team to devising a business str...
This is how I wrote Time Wise
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a frequent How I Work listener, you’ve probably noticed how frequently I’ve been asking guests for specific advice on tackling big pro...
My Favourite Tip: Michael Bungay Stanier - How to build an ‘operating manual’ for collaboration
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Collaboration can be a pretty volatile part of work… working alongside great people can make even the most mind-numbingly boring tasks feel like pur...
“Quirkology” Professor Richard Wiseman on using magic to up your public speaking game
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you know anything about magic, you know a true magician never reveals his secrets. While psychologist and author Richard Wiseman might not share th...
My Favourite Tip: Taylor Jacobson - Use technology to find an accountability partner
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you ever have a great study buddy? Someone in high school or university who made those long sessions on the books a little less punishing? What d...
Anything you can imagine: how 1800-GOT-JUNK CEO Brian Scudamore turns visions into reality
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
All entrepreneurs get things wrong; it comes with the territory. But great entrepreneurs love getting things wrong, because it means they’re learnin...
Transform fear into excitement with this simple question
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Think back to something… scary. Intimidating. Something you signed up for and thought was a great idea in the moment, but that grew more and more un...
Penguin Random House’s Izzy Yates on taking a book from concept to shelves
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Taking on a long-term project can be incredibly daunting, and writing Time Wise was no different! Thankfully, I had Izzy Yates by my side every step o...
A simple numbers trick to make networking easier
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re anything like me, networking feels like a necessary evil at best, and an overwhelming nightmare more often than not! But it doesn’t have...
Your Favourite Tip: Katy Milkman - You don’t need to go it alone to say “no”
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final installment of this listeners’ choice series, we go back to one of the toughest challenges facing knowledge workers today: saying no. I...
Your Favourite Tip: Cal Newport - A great to-do list is nothing without great execution
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’m calling it: the to-do list is the most misunderstood concept in our working lives, and in productivity in general. Of course, they’re super im...
Your Favourite Tip: Turia Pitt - How changing one word can motivate you to do anything
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“If you love your work, you’ll never work a day in your life.” A nice sentiment, but unfortunately, completely false. My source? Me! As someone ...
Your Favourite Tip: Norman Swan - Everyone’s a storyteller, here’s how to be the best
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sending an email to a colleague? You’re telling them a story. Talking to your boss during your performance review? You’re crafting a narrative? Pi...
Your Favourite Tip: Justin Coulson - speed up your family’s mornings and make time for connection
26 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Building your own productivity practice can feel like a mammoth effort - so if you’re also trying to do it for your whole family, you need all the h...
Your Favourite Tip: Laura Mae Martin - A great day starts the night before
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The perfect day starts with the perfect morning routine, right? Or is that too late? How I Work listener Jason was struggling to juggle his workload ...
Your Favourite Tip: Oliver Burkeman - Cut yourself some slack, write down what you’ve done
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a cheerleader? Someone who’ll congratulate on the little wins, who’ll remind you that you’re doing well, encourage you to keep going...
Your Favourite Tip: Dan Pink - Plan your day according to your chronotype
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re into productivity, you’ve probably tried to become a “morning person”. Maybe you’ve tried it a couple of times. You set your alarm...
Your Favourite Tip: Cal Newport - How keeping a “to discuss” list can save you hours wasted in your inbox
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of this new mini-series, How I Work listener Ruth writes in to share what she’s learned from bestselling author and computer sc...
Trust, leadership and taking a break from technology with Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re often told not to take advice blindly, and this is especially true for productivity advice. The rise-and-grind schedule might work for a Lark,...
My Favourite Tip: Mia Northrop & Dinah Rowe-Roberts - Transform your smartphone from distraction to digital assistant
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most guests on How I Work will tell you to turn off your phone if you want to get work done. They’ll probably tell you to leave it out of the bedroo...
Productivity expert Laura Mae Martin helps you “spring clean” your work habits before returning to the office
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**Pre-order your copy of Time Wise at amantha.com**If your job title is “Executive Productivity Advisor for Google,” you probably need a pretty re...
My Favourite Tip: Lisa Leong - How a colour-coded calendar can help you both on and off the clock
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You might not be surprised to find out Lisa Leong has a colour-coded calendar. She’s the host of hit ABC podcast This Working Life, after all. But w...
Linktree co-founder Anthony Zaccaria on unicorn status, managing growth and conscious parenting
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**Pre-order your copy of Time Wise at amantha.com**It’s 5am, and Linktree co-founder Anthony Zaccaria’s already up. But this isn’t some producti...
My Favourite Tip: Michael Mosley - The best predictor of longevity
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you even lift? Oh, you do? Great! But do you train for endurance too? Your heart health is super important. Oh, you do that too, amazing! How long ...
Mamamia Out Loud co-hosts Mia, Holly and Jessie on prep routines, reading lists and respectful disagreement
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If a mystical wizard with very specific powers and a very strange agenda cast a spell on me, dictating that I could only listen to one podcast for the...
My Favourite Tip: Chris Oliver-Taylor - Why you need to smarten up
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The modern office dress code is a pretty nebulous thing nowadays. Most industries have been slowly moving away from strict “business attire” for d...
Eric Barker on his Five-Hour Rule and deliberate work-life imbalance
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**Pre-order your copy of Time Wise at amantha.com**It’s the greatest productivity debate of our time: how do we achieve work-life balance? Or maybe ...
My Favourite Tip: David Williamson - The price of success in the arts
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David had it pretty good. He was working in a great university. His students loved him. His peers loved him. He had plenty of friends who loved him. A...
Learning on the job - how Brian Koppelman turned his first movie into a DIY film school
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**Pre-order your copy of Time Wise at amantha.com**For productivity geeks like us, the professional writer can become a bit of a mystic figure. When w...
Meetup CEO David Siegel teaches you to make better, faster, more purposeful decisions
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David Siegel’s in his third CEO role, and if all his years of experience as a leader have taught him anything, it’s that most people take too long...
My Favourite Tip: Liane Moriarty - How simple tech tools can influence your mindset
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A productivity tip that’s hard to swallow for people who like productivity tips: nothing except doing the work will get the work done. You can have ...
BEST OF: Evernote co-founder Phil Libin on the key to making better decisions at work
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF**It’s 9:30, and you’ve got just under an hour before your next Zoom meeting. There’s already just a bit too much caffeine buzzing arou...
BEST OF: Make mornings magic with parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF**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 nutritio...
BEST OF: Michael Bungay Stanier teaches you how to begin
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF**It wouldn’t work to try to tell the Michael Bungay Stanier story - if anyone’s a collection of stories, it’s MBS. He finished law sch...
BEST OF: Fall in love with falling short - why you need to write a Failure Resume
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF**I was a competitive kid, and some classroom rivalries pushed me to better grades than I might have achieved otherwise. However, I was also ...
Janice Lintz teaches you how to be heard by people who don’t want to listen
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody hears from Janice Lintz just once. Whether she’s chasing down information on her phone bill or chasing down the Queen of England, Janice does...
My Favourite Tip: Josh Piterman - Extreme rest makes for extreme recovery
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re trying to talk to Josh Piterman after a show… good luck. The second he’s said his farewells to his fellow castmates and crew members, ...
Bestselling author Dan Pink believes in regret - and believes that having “no regrets” really means you’re missing out on the chance to learn from not only your own mistakes, but the mistakes others have made, that you don’t have to.
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a moment in the 2013 comedy movie We’re the Millers that points to how pervasive - and misguided - the “no regrets” life motto has bec...
My Favourite Tip: Jamila Rizvi - Gain trust by showing vulnerability
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Asking someone else for anything is a delicate enough task, but when you’re asking them to be vulnerable, it’s something else entirely. How do you...
Darius Foroux on writing, investing and living like a Stoic
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How I Work is a product of the modern world - it’s a podcast, a format which didn’t even exist at the turn of the century, and a lot of the produc...
My Favourite Tip: Norman Swan - You’re not on a mission to explain
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks to social media, everyone’s a storyteller now. Whether you’re guiding your work to the right audience, developing your personal brand or ke...
Persuasion, not manipulation: Zoe Chance on how to influence for good
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve reached the end of yet another long Zoom call with your team when you realise… you didn’t say a word! You’re smart, you have good idea...
My Favourite Tip: Ronni Kahn - Save your leftovers to save the planet
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ronni Kahn does not like to hear about people throwing away their lettuce. If you compost lettuce, it takes about two weeks to decompose. If you throw...
Ruth Gotian on studying the habits and mindsets of the world’s most successful people
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How did the world’s most successful people get to the top? Is it genetics? Nepotism? Grit? Can we even know for sure? Dr. Ruth Gotian believes we c...
My Favourite Tip - Dom Price: Why Atlassian killed meetings and how they built their own tools as replacements
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
2022 is well underway and… yeah. We’re still doing a lot of virtual meetings. While there’s great optimism in the air around the new level of fl...
Focus! Why Taylor Jacobson founded Focusmate to force himself to concentrate
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you worked with someone whose abilities were so awe-inspiring that they started to rub off on you? We’ve all had bosses, co-workers, friends or...
My Favourite Tip: Nicky Sparshott - Colour me productive! Why you should be colour-coding your calendar
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 3pm and Nicky Sparshott is ducking out of the office to go watch her kids perform at their school’s exhibition. Sweet, right? But shouldn’t...
Fresh starts, commitment devices and collaboration - changing for the better with Katy Milkman
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You know what it’s like when you move house - you’re tripping over boxes for weeks, eating takeout on the floor while you wait for that new dining...
My Favourite Tip: Maggie Beer - The art of the perfect roast chook
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You wouldn’t think of roasting a chicken as a poignant metaphor for life, but when Maggie Beer talks cooking, you get words to live by. Starting wi...
Weaponising accountability with Lifehacker editor-in-chief Jordan Calhoun
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If anything immediately strikes me as a pretty bad idea, it’s an adult learning to ride a skateboard. Without the years of experience built up over ...
My Favourite Tip: Meshel Laurie - Let others go first
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Running late is… stressful. You worry that you’re going to get in trouble, let someone down or miss something important. Your heart rate rises, ad...
Get professional about your personal life with Life Admin legends Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Life Admin. That phrase probably makes you nervous - I know it does for me. It makes me think about all the stuff I have to keep on top of: I need to ...
My Favourite Tip: Emily Oster - Why you should send emails to your kids
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a bit of a productivity buff, you probably have some clever hacks for reducing time spent reading or sending emails. Maybe you use Superhu...
Get a handle on your health with Michael Mosley
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you have to put yourself on the line to test your assumptions. How better to know if something will work for you than to do it yourself? Mic...
My Favourite Tip: Oliver Burkeman - Don’t start your day in productivity debt
07 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You and I are finite beings, my friend. That’s a pretty abstract concept until you think about just how much stuff we need to get done every day. Ol...
Lisa Leong wants you to forget work-life balance and cultivate work-life cohesion instead
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve tried it all. You’ve joined the 5AM club, done the morning HIIT workouts, tried the pomodoro technique, downloaded Headspace and worked at ...
My Favourite Tip: Holly Ransom - Everything starts with your energy
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 3:30 in the afternoon and you’re pumping Red Bulls. You’ve just had a long, very cerebral meeting, and now you’ve gotta back it up with s...
BEST OF: Bigger is better, and other misconceptions about networks with Marissa King
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Before you click ‘add’ on another vaguely familiar face on LinkedIn - not so fast! But the larger your social or professional net...
BEST OF: Career advice from the world's most successful leaders
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? A great piece of advice can be life changing. It can set you on a whole new trajecto...
BEST OF: Radio legend Christian O’Connell on coping strategies that beat red wine
19 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**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’C...
BEST OF: Cool tools for time management
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Are you looking for ways to save time?There are plenty of tools out there to help streamline your work processes, but how do you know ...
BEST OF: Work less, achieve more, with Greg McKeown
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**A tip just for you - you’re doing too much, friend.You’re probably conditioned to think the harder you work, the better the result...
BEST OF: Cool tools for better writing
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Do you want to improve your writing?Writing is one of the fundamental ways we persuade people to take up our ideas, meet with us, or b...
BEST OF: Creating happiness through habit with Gretchen Rubin
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Gretchen Rubin has dedicated the last ten years to researching and exploring how to be happier.And she’s discovered just how debilit...
BEST OF: Cool tools for health
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**I place a huge value on my health. It’s my number one priority. If you’re not healthy, chances are you’re less productive.Using...
BEST OF: Get your priorities straight with Oliver Burkeman
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Hear me out - what if you stopped trying so hard to be productive? Most of us only get a total of four thousand weeks on this earth. D...
BEST OF: Two strategies to get rid of the ‘shoulds’ in your life
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**‘Should’ is one of the most problematic words when it comes to self-talk. I should go to the gym. I should accept this event invit...
BEST OF: Cal Newport on how to eliminate 80% of emails in your organisation
22 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**Do you hate email? Are you sick of being a slave to your inbox? Are you like the “average” knowledge worker and check your email o...
BEST OF: A weekly ritual to get off your devices
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
**BEST OF 2021**How are you coping with this whole global pandemic thing? I feel like I'm more reliant on my devices than ever before - it's like a wi...
The art of the pitch with media executive Chris Oliver-Taylor
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Even after a long day at work, or at the end of a tough week, when you pop the TV on and hear that familiar “BA-DUNK” as the big red N flashes ont...
My Favourite Tip: Greg McKeown - Start with zero
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the year 2000, and Steve Jobs wants Apple computers to be able to burn DVDs, but there’s a problem. A big problem. At the time, DVD burners ...
Playwright David Williamson on negativity, perfectionism and the myth of writer’s block
08 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I was in my early twenties, I won an award for a scriptwriting competition run by the Fellowship of Australian Writers, and involved in that proc...
My Favourite Tip: Victoria Devine on budgeting with an abundance mindset
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Budgeting is… boring, right? It’s all spreadsheets, hard maths, and a hundred reasons you shouldn’t go out for brunch anymore. Try telling that ...
Michael Bungay Stanier teaches you how to begin
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It wouldn’t work to try to tell the Michael Bungay Stanier story - if anyone’s a collection of stories, it’s MBS. He finished law school being s...
Speak your mind - be more efficient, nail your tone and deepen connections with audio messages
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At Inventium, we default to asynchronous communication, and it’s been really effective. But… it’s not without some drawbacks. The time saved cu...
My Favourite Tip - Marissa King on how to make networking suck a bit less
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you ask Marissa King how she’s doing today, she’ll tell you the truth - the good, the bad and the ugly. And her research shows that when she do...
Evernote co-founder Phil Libin on the key to making better decisions at work
17 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 9:30, and you’ve got just under an hour before your next Zoom meeting. There’s already just a bit too much caffeine buzzing around your bra...
My Favourite Tip - Gretchen Rubin: “Choose the Bigger Life” and other decision-making hacks
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bestselling author and happiness guru Gretchen Rubin isn’t Type A. She’s Type A+, so she knows her way around a well-ordered pros and cons list. ...
Give up the work-life balance illusion with Jamila Rizvi
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It doesn’t matter if you’re not a professional writer - as a professional anything, you’re going to need to do a lot of writing. According to be...
My Favourite Tip: Gary Mehigan and the One-Page Reset
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gary Mehigan had just opened his first restaurant, and was confident that he’d mastered the art of cooking. However, he’d soon realise he was yet ...
Numbers don’t lie - how Peakon CEO Phil Chambers uses data to build a more passionate team
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve crushed it in a meeting - everyone seems to be listening intently, excited about your ideas, and when you ask for feedback at the end, you ge...
Make mornings magic with parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 breakfas...
Ex-Swisse CEO Radek Sali on DNA tests, meditation coaches, and the gift of giving back
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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-to...
Fall in love with falling short - why you need to write a Failure Resume
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 perfectio...
Big Little Lies author Liane Moriarty on writing, self-talk, and what she’s learned from Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon
20 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 tim...
Want to be more persuasive, have better recall, and think more creatively? You need to laugh more!
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Radio legend Christian O’Connell on coping strategies that beat red wine
13 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 calc...
All about aesthetics - Lucy Feagins gives your home office a makeover
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 reali...
Shape your own identity with Phantom of the Opera’s Josh Piterman
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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....
A simple phrase to motivate yourself to do things you don't want to do
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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!...
BONUS: Nespresso’s Jean-Marc Dragoli teaches you to make a great brew and learn a new language
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
BEST OF: How to bring more comedy into your next stand-up meeting, with Naomi Bagdonas
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
***BEST OF HOW I WORK***Does business really need to be so serious? Stanford Business School humour lecturer Naomi Bagdonas believes there’s alw...
My Favourite Tip: Sam Corcos - Plan a “think week” so you don’t miss the forest for the trees
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Levels CEO and digital nomad Sam Corcos teaches you how to get a bird’s-eye view of your company with a quarterly “think week.” See omnystudio....
BEST OF: Why Adam Grant wants you to schedule a regular life check-up
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When his past students complained of being stuck in jobs they hated, organisational psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant decided he needed ...
My Favourite Tip: Kara Swisher - Imposter syndrome is an illusion
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kara Swisher doesn’t have imposter syndrome… And for good reason. She’s a celebrated journalist, opinion columnist for The New York Times, the h...
The maths of mentoring: Holly Ransom on the equation of getting help by giving it
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do your knees shake at the thought of public speaking? Are you intimidated before a big interview? Do you worry about finding the right mentor? Hol...
My Favourite Tip - Cal Newport: How to take advantage of scheduling software and “office hours”
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cal Newport gets a lot done. He’s a computer science professor at Georgetown University, he’s written several bestsellers on productivity, and he ...
More naps, less coffee: Norman Swan’s tips for the good life
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Yep, a lot of Australians are still in lockdown. But Dr Norman Swan, physician, journalist and presenter of The Health Report and Coronacast, is here...
My Favourite Tip: Business Chicks' Emma Isaacs - How to work a room
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Networking can sometimes feel like a dirty word… It’s like the evil twin sister of making friends. But according to Business Chicks founder and Gl...
Manifesting purpose and profit with OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you know you’re hiring the best possible people for your organisation? How can you wake up with gratitude every single day? And how do you ma...