How I Work

Latest Episodes:

BEST OF: Hugh Van Cuylenburg on how to build rapport quickly Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

What does it take to make someone give up on their dream? Which straw breaks the camel’s back? For Hugh Van Cuylenburg, a simple but critical mistake in his calendar almost spelt the end of The Resilience Project before it’d truly begun.

But it didn’t. Why not? Where did Hugh find the strength to keep pursuing his goals, even after messing up the best opportunity he’d ever had?

Hugh’s a master storyteller, with no shortage of material. He shares which moments in his life turned out to be make-or-break, and what he learned from each one.

He also teaches you how to quickly build rapport with new people, and how to improve your business by stepping out of its centre.

Connect with Hugh on The Resilience Project’s website or listen to The Imperfects podcast

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My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

If you’re looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a weekly 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 howiwork.co

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

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.

BEST OF: Tim Urban on seeing the bigger picture and beating procrastination Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

You think you’ve got a procrastination problem? TIm Urban, the man behind the sensationally popular blog Wait But Why reckons he might have you covered. He’s so well-acquainted with procrastination, in fact, that he gave a TED talk on the topic… And finalised it at the last minute.

However, for a self-proclaimed master procrastinator, Tim sure gets a lot done. And thankfully, among the many, many articles he’s written are some antidotes for the serial procrastinator.

Tim shares his process for researching and understanding big, complex ideas, and turning them into digestible, entertaining reading.

Connect with Tim on Twitter or his website, Wait But Why

***

My book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

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.

BEST OF: Matthew Dicks teaches you to think and write like a master storyteller Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

**BEST OF**

If there’s anything I don’t miss about my school days, it’s homework - and I’ll bet you feel the same. So when my new favourite book on storytelling told me I needed to do “homework for life,” I wasn’t exactly pumped. That is, until author Matthew Dicks explained the benefits.

Matthew’s the bestselling author of a slew of novels and non-fiction books, he’s written a rock opera, multiple musicals and even a handful of comic books. So when I read his new book in the hopes of upping my own storytelling skills, I knew his homework for life was working for someone!

Matthew breaks down the structures, tools and techniques that help him write not just at a prolific pace, but with outstanding quality, too. He explains why being able to tell stories is important for everyone, and teaches you how to get started if you haven’t put pen to paper before.

Connect with Matthew on Twitter, Instagram or at his website. Pick up a copy of Storyworthy, or check out Matthew’s newest course to improve your writing.

***

My book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

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.

BONUS: Have we got work all wrong? Modern work principles with Almanac CEO Adam Nathan Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

The way we work has never changed quite as much as it did during the pandemic. Sure, you probably knew a couple of people with home offices or flexible hours, but after lockdowns, remote work went from a rarity to the new normal. When everyone was suddenly forced to stay inside, we all realised we could get by with tools like Google Docs and Zoom.

But what if we were wrong?

Adam Nathan, the co-founder and CEO of Almanac, worries that where we work has changed, but how we work hasn’t caught up yet. We’re using tools created for a different time, he says, and simply updating the tools won’t do the trick.

Adam shares Almanac’s ‘modern work principles’, and explains why addressing our workflows and strategies is the key to keeping up with the pace of change.

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn, read more about The Modern Work Method, or try out Almanac for yourself

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

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 amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Adam Alter’s to-do list system is so simple Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Adam Alter might just have the simplest productivity system of anyone I’ve interviewed. He uses a to-do list app, but it’s barely more advanced than a piece of paper. He values deep work, but he doesn’t build his life around it. So if he’s supposedly doing so little, how’s he getting so much done?

And trust me, he’s getting a lot done: Adam’s a Professor of Marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow. He’s also the author of multiple bestselling books, including Drunk Tank Pink and Irresistible, and most recently, Anatomy of a Breakthrough.

Adam breaks down his incredibly simple to-do list system, and explains why the simplicity itself is so important. He also shares his strategies for auditing his productivity and energy, and his approach to objectively documenting his own life.

Connect with Adam on his website, LinkedIn or pick up a copy of his latest book, Anatomy of a Breakthrough

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you turned into a different person overnight? Interviewing my dad, Martin Imber Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Despite living in Australia for his entire life, my dad speaks with a Polish accent. But that’s not all that’s different about him since he suffered a stroke in 2009…

Martin Imber always considered himself a logical, “right-brained” person - he was a computer programmer, after all. But since his stroke, he believes he’s become more empathetic, more compassionate.

Martin shares what he’s learned about life, love, family and himself since his stroke, as well as the lessons he learned from his own parents, who survived the holocaust.

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Susan Carland on simplicity, discipline and the power of play Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

If you’re into productivity or life-hacking, you’ve probably come across some pretty unusual tips and tools recently: we’re talking automatic ice baths, full-scale saunas, magic mushroom teas, and a whole lot of multi-hour morning routines.

While I love a wild idea as much as the next productivity nerd, I also have a budget! Thankfully, Susan Carland’s favourite time-savers and life-upgraders are as accessible as they come. As long as she’s got a piping hot cup of coffee in her hand when she gets down to work, she’s happy.

Susan gives you her favourite, low-key tips for living the good life every day, and shares how her daily prayer ritual helps build self-discipline, while also allowing her to develop a deeper relationship with herself.

Connect with Susan on Instagram or listen to the What Happens Next? podcast

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Boyd on life after AFL, making better decisions and working for a purpose Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

No two careers will ever look exactly the same, but few of them look anything like a professional sporting career. Former AFL player Tom Boyd is the prime example: he’d worked towards the same goal since his early childhood, and after reaching the pinnacle of his game, he retired at the ripe old age of 23.

So, what do you do when your career ends before you’re even halfway through your twenties?

Tom reflects on his sporting career and shares its most impactful lessons, covering everything from the importance of adequate recovery through to life-changing advice about better decision-making. He also discusses how he’s taking the unique skills and character traits that made him a great football player and leveraging them in his new career as a public speaker and mental health ambassador.

Connect with Tom on Instagram, LinkedIn or pick up a copy of his book, Nowhere to Hide

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katy Milkman wants to leave things better than she found them Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

What matters most when pursuing a goal? Discipline? Routine? Accountability? All of those are important, sure, but how come nobody ever mentions fun?

Economist and Wharton professor Katy Milkman wants to change that: according to research out of the Univeristy of Chicago and Cornell University, people persist in goal pursuit for longer if they can find a way to make the process more enjoyable.

Katy gives this advice to her students, but it’s also the guiding force in her own career. Academia is vast and multi-faceted, and Katy knows she can only perform at the highest level if she’s fuelled by passion and joy.

Katy also shares advice for speeding up your writing, and explains how one book changed her thinking forever.

Connect with Katy on her website or on LinkedIn

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Episode Producer: Liam Riordan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My Favourite Tip: Matthew Dicks - How to craft a great story Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

The greatest stories inspire, terrify, inform and change us. They might change our lives, or simply help us get through the day. But if we know how central stories are to the human experience, why don’t more of us learn how to craft them more effectively?

Matthew Dicks has been writing (and teaching writing) for decades now, and he’s seen the craft of storytelling change many lives in many ways. Most of all, he’s seen just how beneficial it is to tell stories to ourselves.

Whether your ultimate goal is to share your stories with the world, or you just want to give better presentations at the office, learning how to craft a great story won’t just give you more influence over others, it’ll give you more influence over yourself.

In that spirit, I asked Matthew to help me improve a story I was preparing for a work presentation, and he walked me through his thought process every step of the way.

Connect with Matthew on Twitter, Instagram or at his website. Pick up a copy of Storyworthy, or check out Matthew’s newest course if you want to improve your writing.

You can find the full interview here: Matthew Dicks teaches you to think and write like a master storyteller

***

My new book Time Wise is out now. You can grab a copy here.

Connect with me on the socials:

Twitter

Instagram

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

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

CREDITS

Produced by Inventium

Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber