The truth about book 5.I'm writing my 5th book. And I'm drowning in self-doubt. You'd think after 4 bestsellers (I know, disgusting #humblebrag), I'd have this figured out. That imposter syndrome would have packed its bags and moved on to torment someone else. Nope. If anything, it's worse this time. And I suspect that my husband is really sick of hearing me complain. But here's what I'm learning: The doubt means I care. If I wasn't terrified, I'd be phoning it in. The fear is evidence that I'm pushing into new...Read more
My biggest leadership fails and the lessons I wish I knew soonerA few months ago, I wrote about the leadership mistakes I made in 2024. And boy, were they big. You'd think that as an organisational psychologist with nearly two decades running a business, I'd have it nailed by now. Sadly, no. The response to that post was huge. So many of you reached out saying "Thank you for being honest about this stuff." Which made me think: let's go deeper. So I sat down with my mate Sabina Read (fellow psychologist, but of the clinical variety) to properly unpack...Read more
What if workplaces were designed by working parents?Every Wednesday, I have to down tools at 3.05pm. Not 3pm. Not “around 3-ish.” Exactly 3.05pm. School pick up is at 3.30pm, it takes 9 minutes to drive there, and if I don’t arrive before 3.15pm, it’s impossible to get a car park within 20km (or at least it feels that way). If I am in a meeting that is running over time, I have to apologise and say I need to rush off to school pick up. But then I think to myself: Gah - why am I apologising?? Pick-up is a normal life activity. Sadly, whoever...Read more
Why I'm breaking up with Exit Interviews (and why you should too)After 18 years of running a business, I've conducted my fair share of Exit Interviews. And you know what? I think they kind of suck. When you're farewelling those wonderful humans who've decided to spread their wings and take their career in directions you sadly can't offer, I've found that exit interviews generally don't offer any surprises. But for the "bad leavers"? That's where things get messy. Too often, these conversations turn into unconstructive bitch fests – a litany of complaints...Read more
Stop attending meetings that don't pass this simple test‘I wish I had more meetings to attend,’ said no-one ever. If you are anything like the average worker, meetings are the bane of your existence and the reason why you probably find yourself doing your actual job well into the evening, because this is the only time it’s possible to escape meeting purgatory. Research has consistently found that satisfaction with meetings predicts how satisfied we are with our jobs overall. One study found that more than 15 per cent of our job satisfaction is...Read more
The 10-minute setup that saves hours of AI frustrationFinal GenAI PSA: Right, this is getting ridiculous. There are only 12 spots left and I'm genuinely starting to panic for the people still sitting on the fence. Inventium's 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14 and honestly, if you're still manually slogging through work whilst your AI-savvy colleagues are secretly automating everything and knocking off early, we need to have a serious chat. In our program, we'll give you their exact playbook, the sneaky systems, and the AI magic...Read more
Are you a GenAI Gunslinger? Why your approach is costing you results.First, my AI PSA: Well, well, well: we're now 60% sold out and I'm starting to feel a bit smug about who's been paying attention. My 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14 and frankly, I'm getting tired of watching people get sub-standard results with how they are using GenAI. Our program will show you the cheeky little secrets, the workflow hacks people don't want to share, and the AI tricks that'll make you look like a bloody genius — but with less than half the spots left and...Read more
The AI feature that changed my workflow (Hint: it involves your voice).AI PSA time! You might remember the GenAI Productivity Upgrade I mentioned last week? We're already 40% sold out, which is either brilliant news for early birds or a proper wake-up call for procrastinators. Inventium's 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14. And we will spill the beans on how the savvy folk are saving 40+ hours every month using AI like a pro, whilst everyone else is still getting sub-standard outputs from poorly thought-out prompts. With only a limited number of...Read more
How to set up your desk so you don't end up in agony(Did someone else send this to you? Subscribe here) Greetings! For the past couple of months, I’ve been glued to my computer longer than a Netflix binge-watcher during lockdown. I’m on deadline for a new book and still juggling my full-time job leading Inventium. Translation: 2-3 extra hours per day of staring at my computer screen like a zombie. What this delightful schedule coincided with was becoming my physio’s most frequent visitor and getting painfully intense remedial massages because...Read more
What if we've been measuring office productivity all wrong?Hello hello. A client recently told me about one of those days at the office. You know the type: she'd walked in with a crystal-clear mission to finally conquer that strategic report that had been haunting her for weeks. The plan was beautiful in its simplicity. A few hours of focused writing, quick sandwich at her desk, and voilà - task triumphantly ticked off by day's end. But by 5pm? That report hadn't even seen the light of day. Instead, her carefully crafted day had been completely...Read more
5 hidden iPhone features that will save you hoursGreetings 🙂 How much time have you spent getting to know everything your phone is capable of? If you're like me, not much at all. But this week, I decided to geek out on phone features. I've uncovered some very fun solutions to everyday annoyances that have been hiding right in front of us all along. Who knew?! Here are five game-changers (at least, IMHO) that'll save you time and hassle: 1. Problem: Too much paperwork piling up everywhere Solution: Scan documents to PDF without extra apps...Read more
Invitation: Be part of my (new) book armyHello wonderful reader A few weeks ago, I started work on my fifth book. It's all about science-packed methods for overcoming chronic exhaustion and boosting our energy reserves. Think of it as Berocca for your entire life (but without the fluorescent wee). This time around, my writing process is taking a different turn because: I'd love YOU to help me shape it. I want you to join my Energy Army. I'm assembling a squad of brilliant people (like yourself) who currently have limited energy...Read more
My biggest leadership mistakes from 2024I got leadership wrong in 2024. Despite having founded Inventium 18 years ago and having advised countless organisations on people and culture, I made mistakes that put our celebrated team culture at risk and turned our Four Day Week into five days of struggle for many team members. The hardest part wasn't the challenges themselves (as tough as they were), but confronting my role in creating them. I've learned enough lessons to fill a book, but I've distilled the most critical ones below. My...Read more
Did AI write that LinkedIn post you just read? Here are 5 signs it just might have...AI (hopefully) hasn’t taken your job yet, but did it write the last 5 posts you just read on social media? Here's how to spot AI-generated content in just a couple of seconds: The “long” hyphen — made an appearance. (I don’t even know how to re-create it on my keyboard….is there a key for that?) A Title (or Sub-Title) Where Every Word Starts With a Capital Letter. GenAI loves using capital letters at the start of every word for headings. It’s quite annoying. Emoji overload. (Seriously - how...Read more
Stop Using Your Mouse: 5 time-saving tricks I wish I'd known soonerWhat do icebergs, mice, and groups of three people have in common? They all relate to five of my favourite productivity tips (obviously!) - all take from guests I have had on How I Work. (Also: scroll to the bottom of this email for a cheeky productivity hack worth $449. Hint: it involves AI and early birds getting the productivity worm). 1. Create Systems, Not Goals Most of us are taught to set goals: “Write a book,” “Complete this project,” or “Learn Spanish.” But NYU Professor Adam Alter...Read more
How to make your holiday afterglow last 43 days (according to new research)So I just got back from three nights down the coast, where I (naturally) tried to optimise for wellbeing benefits. Morning beach walks for natural daylight exposure shortly after waking? Tick. Strategic coffee consumption timed perfectly between cortisol peaks? Obviously. Methodically alternating between fiction and non-fiction reading to balance my cognitive load? You betcha. Then I stumbled across this new research and discovered I've been missing a trick. Turns out those coastal benefits...Read more
The 5-second brain hack my mum taught me to deal with toxic peopleLast month, a friend let me down in a major way. Cue hours of mental replays, analysis paralysis, and stress spirals. During one of our neighbourhood walks, I unloaded the drama to my mum. She simply asked: "Would you invite this friend to stay in your house?" Me: "Hell no - they're behaving like a complete b*tch." Mum: "Then why are you letting them stay in your head?" Mental eviction notice served. Next time someone upsets you, ask yourself: Would you like them as a houseguest? If not,...Read more
The GenAI “Reverse Engineering” trick that will change how you create contentWarning: you have found yourself in the middle of an AI-heavy period for this newsletter! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. On with today's programming: Have you ever seen a LinkedIn post go stratospheric and wonder "What kind of black magic is this?" Well, one of the ways you can use GenAI is as your...Read more
The '@' trick that turns ChatGPT into your Executive Advisory BoardWarning: you have found yourself in the middle of an AI-heavy period for this newsletter! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. Let's get on with today's tip: Ever wished you could instantly summon a dream team of experts to weigh in on your ideas? Well, if you've got ChatGPT Plus (the paid version), you...Read more
Stop using just one AI. (This is why multiple minds beat one)Warning: the next couple of weeks are going to be AI-heavy! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. Onwards.... Why settle for one AI brain when you can tap into many? Here's a nifty move that's helped my creative process: using multiple AI tools as a powerful feedback loop. The multi-AI advantage Think of it...Read more
The simplest way to get 10x better GenAI outputsWarning: the next couple of weeks are going to be AI-heavy! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. On with today's programming... Ever notice how AI sometimes feels like it's playing a guessing game with what you really want? Here's a prompt technique that's like giving AI a PhD in mind reading (okay, not...Read more
My 3 non-negotiable health habitsHello there! A couple of quick things before we get into today's programming: Do you have questions on your mind? I am recording another Ask Me Anything episode for How I Work this week and I would LOVE your questions. Submit anything that is on your mind in the next 24 hours and I will do my best to answer it! I had the funnest day in Sydney yesterday with 60 peeps who levelled up their AI prowess. We have recently announced our next masterclasses in Sydney (April 29) and Melbourne (May 13)....Read more
The messy truth about burnout (and why I'm sharing mine)Hello there! You know that terrifying moment when you're about to share something deeply personal and your finger hovers over the "publish" button? That's me right now (or at least it was before this newsletter found its way to your inbox). As someone who creates heaps of content (podcasts, books, these very newsletters), I'm constantly weighing how much of myself to reveal. The truly personal stuff? Absolutely terrifying. Will people think I'm weak? Unprofessional? Just plain bonkers?...Read more
The time I went on 50 first datesHello hello! If you're a regular reader, you're probably here for the science-backed productivity tips, wellbeing hacks, and lately, my deep dives into GenAI (don't worry - more of those are coming soon). But today, I'm sharing something a bit different. When Holly Wainwright from Mamamia's MID podcast invited me to chat about love, I couldn't resist. After all, what's more fascinating than applying behavioural science to matters of the heart? A bit over five years ago, I got divorced. As...Read more
The art of naming office elephantsHello hello 2025! One Percent Better is back! And welcome to all the new subscribers who have joined 🙂 Let's get on with today's programming... I had promised a close friend to go with her to Chadstone Shopping Centre on Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the retail labyrinth that is Chaddy, imagine if someone took every shop in Melbourne, stuffed them into a giant pressure cooker, added a generous sprinkle of hangry children, and topped it with a parking system designed by a supervillain who...Read more
Every Wednesday, I have to down tools at 3.05pm. Not 3pm. Not “around 3-ish.” Exactly 3.05pm. School pick up is at 3.30pm, it takes 9 minutes to drive there, and if I don’t arrive before 3.15pm, it’s impossible to get a car park within 20km (or at least it feels that way). If I am in a meeting that is running over time, I have to apologise and say I need to rush off to school pick up. But then I think to myself: Gah - why am I apologising?? Pick-up is a normal life activity. Sadly, whoever...Read more
After 18 years of running a business, I've conducted my fair share of Exit Interviews. And you know what? I think they kind of suck. When you're farewelling those wonderful humans who've decided to spread their wings and take their career in directions you sadly can't offer, I've found that exit interviews generally don't offer any surprises. But for the "bad leavers"? That's where things get messy. Too often, these conversations turn into unconstructive bitch fests – a litany of complaints...Read more
‘I wish I had more meetings to attend,’ said no-one ever. If you are anything like the average worker, meetings are the bane of your existence and the reason why you probably find yourself doing your actual job well into the evening, because this is the only time it’s possible to escape meeting purgatory. Research has consistently found that satisfaction with meetings predicts how satisfied we are with our jobs overall. One study found that more than 15 per cent of our job satisfaction is...Read more
Final GenAI PSA: Right, this is getting ridiculous. There are only 12 spots left and I'm genuinely starting to panic for the people still sitting on the fence. Inventium's 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14 and honestly, if you're still manually slogging through work whilst your AI-savvy colleagues are secretly automating everything and knocking off early, we need to have a serious chat. In our program, we'll give you their exact playbook, the sneaky systems, and the AI magic...Read more
First, my AI PSA: Well, well, well: we're now 60% sold out and I'm starting to feel a bit smug about who's been paying attention. My 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14 and frankly, I'm getting tired of watching people get sub-standard results with how they are using GenAI. Our program will show you the cheeky little secrets, the workflow hacks people don't want to share, and the AI tricks that'll make you look like a bloody genius — but with less than half the spots left and...Read more
AI PSA time! You might remember the GenAI Productivity Upgrade I mentioned last week? We're already 40% sold out, which is either brilliant news for early birds or a proper wake-up call for procrastinators. Inventium's 12-week GenAI Productivity Upgrade starts July 14. And we will spill the beans on how the savvy folk are saving 40+ hours every month using AI like a pro, whilst everyone else is still getting sub-standard outputs from poorly thought-out prompts. With only a limited number of...Read more
(Did someone else send this to you? Subscribe here) Greetings! For the past couple of months, I’ve been glued to my computer longer than a Netflix binge-watcher during lockdown. I’m on deadline for a new book and still juggling my full-time job leading Inventium. Translation: 2-3 extra hours per day of staring at my computer screen like a zombie. What this delightful schedule coincided with was becoming my physio’s most frequent visitor and getting painfully intense remedial massages because...Read more
Hello hello. A client recently told me about one of those days at the office. You know the type: she'd walked in with a crystal-clear mission to finally conquer that strategic report that had been haunting her for weeks. The plan was beautiful in its simplicity. A few hours of focused writing, quick sandwich at her desk, and voilà - task triumphantly ticked off by day's end. But by 5pm? That report hadn't even seen the light of day. Instead, her carefully crafted day had been completely...Read more
Greetings 🙂 How much time have you spent getting to know everything your phone is capable of? If you're like me, not much at all. But this week, I decided to geek out on phone features. I've uncovered some very fun solutions to everyday annoyances that have been hiding right in front of us all along. Who knew?! Here are five game-changers (at least, IMHO) that'll save you time and hassle: 1. Problem: Too much paperwork piling up everywhere Solution: Scan documents to PDF without extra apps...Read more
AI (hopefully) hasn’t taken your job yet, but did it write the last 5 posts you just read on social media? Here's how to spot AI-generated content in just a couple of seconds: The “long” hyphen — made an appearance. (I don’t even know how to re-create it on my keyboard….is there a key for that?) A Title (or Sub-Title) Where Every Word Starts With a Capital Letter. GenAI loves using capital letters at the start of every word for headings. It’s quite annoying. Emoji overload. (Seriously - how...Read more
What do icebergs, mice, and groups of three people have in common? They all relate to five of my favourite productivity tips (obviously!) - all take from guests I have had on How I Work. (Also: scroll to the bottom of this email for a cheeky productivity hack worth $449. Hint: it involves AI and early birds getting the productivity worm). 1. Create Systems, Not Goals Most of us are taught to set goals: “Write a book,” “Complete this project,” or “Learn Spanish.” But NYU Professor Adam Alter...Read more
So I just got back from three nights down the coast, where I (naturally) tried to optimise for wellbeing benefits. Morning beach walks for natural daylight exposure shortly after waking? Tick. Strategic coffee consumption timed perfectly between cortisol peaks? Obviously. Methodically alternating between fiction and non-fiction reading to balance my cognitive load? You betcha. Then I stumbled across this new research and discovered I've been missing a trick. Turns out those coastal benefits...Read more
Last month, a friend let me down in a major way. Cue hours of mental replays, analysis paralysis, and stress spirals. During one of our neighbourhood walks, I unloaded the drama to my mum. She simply asked: "Would you invite this friend to stay in your house?" Me: "Hell no - they're behaving like a complete b*tch." Mum: "Then why are you letting them stay in your head?" Mental eviction notice served. Next time someone upsets you, ask yourself: Would you like them as a houseguest? If not,...Read more
Warning: you have found yourself in the middle of an AI-heavy period for this newsletter! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. On with today's programming: Have you ever seen a LinkedIn post go stratospheric and wonder "What kind of black magic is this?" Well, one of the ways you can use GenAI is as your...Read more
Warning: you have found yourself in the middle of an AI-heavy period for this newsletter! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. Let's get on with today's tip: Ever wished you could instantly summon a dream team of experts to weigh in on your ideas? Well, if you've got ChatGPT Plus (the paid version), you...Read more
Warning: the next couple of weeks are going to be AI-heavy! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. Onwards.... Why settle for one AI brain when you can tap into many? Here's a nifty move that's helped my creative process: using multiple AI tools as a powerful feedback loop. The multi-AI advantage Think of it...Read more
Warning: the next couple of weeks are going to be AI-heavy! Lots of tips + news on a brand new program we have launched at Inventium. If AI chat isn't your cup of tea (or if you've already submitted to our robot overlords and don't need the help), opt out of ALL AI-related emails here. On with today's programming... Ever notice how AI sometimes feels like it's playing a guessing game with what you really want? Here's a prompt technique that's like giving AI a PhD in mind reading (okay, not...Read more
Hello there! A couple of quick things before we get into today's programming: Do you have questions on your mind? I am recording another Ask Me Anything episode for How I Work this week and I would LOVE your questions. Submit anything that is on your mind in the next 24 hours and I will do my best to answer it! I had the funnest day in Sydney yesterday with 60 peeps who levelled up their AI prowess. We have recently announced our next masterclasses in Sydney (April 29) and Melbourne (May 13)....Read more
Hello there! You know that terrifying moment when you're about to share something deeply personal and your finger hovers over the "publish" button? That's me right now (or at least it was before this newsletter found its way to your inbox). As someone who creates heaps of content (podcasts, books, these very newsletters), I'm constantly weighing how much of myself to reveal. The truly personal stuff? Absolutely terrifying. Will people think I'm weak? Unprofessional? Just plain bonkers?...Read more
Hello hello! If you're a regular reader, you're probably here for the science-backed productivity tips, wellbeing hacks, and lately, my deep dives into GenAI (don't worry - more of those are coming soon). But today, I'm sharing something a bit different. When Holly Wainwright from Mamamia's MID podcast invited me to chat about love, I couldn't resist. After all, what's more fascinating than applying behavioural science to matters of the heart? A bit over five years ago, I got divorced. As...Read more
Hello hello 2025! One Percent Better is back! And welcome to all the new subscribers who have joined 🙂 Let's get on with today's programming... I had promised a close friend to go with her to Chadstone Shopping Centre on Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the retail labyrinth that is Chaddy, imagine if someone took every shop in Melbourne, stuffed them into a giant pressure cooker, added a generous sprinkle of hangry children, and topped it with a parking system designed by a supervillain who...Read more
