Had a rollercoaster year? These 10 questions will help you process it.(You might remember we ran a GenAI Masterclass a few weeks ago. We received some insanely lovely feedback like "Today was one of those energising, lightbulb-moment kind of days", "This course is a game changer", "It was SUCH a value-packed day.. no fluff. NONE!" and, quite simply, "Mind. Blown." Our next masterclass is already sold out, but we still have some space for our March 11 masterclass (in Melbourne) and our April 29 Masterclass (in Sydney). Treat yourself to an early Xmas gift and...Read more
Stop bringing your whole self to workI made a big change this year. I stopped bringing my whole self to work. Remember 2020? Suddenly we were all getting tours of our colleagues’ homes via Zoom. Kids crashed meetings. Pets became unofficial team members. Something else snuck in during this time - our unfiltered emotions. “Bring your whole self to work!” the influencers cheered. And we listened. But here’s what actually happened: “whole self” morphed into “emotional fire hydrant.” Managers became therapists. Raw feelings spilled...Read more
The most intimidating audience of my career(Thank you to the MANY, MANY of you who have written to say thanks for the Gen AI content. If you missed it, you can find it here. Due to the overwhelming response, I shall make sure there is more! And for those looking to have their work lives transformed by Gen AI, there are a handful of spots left for our Sydney Masterclass, and we have just opened up a new Melbourne date on March 11, 2025, as the November one is now sold out). Now…onto today’s programming… Two Fridays ago, I faced one of...Read more
ChatGPT is getting smarter at searching (and I'm a bit excited about it)Quick exciting update that might just save you hours of tab-hopping madness: ChatGPT has levelled up its internet searching game, and it's actually pretty cool. What's new & why you'll care Remember how ChatGPT used to be like that smart friend who knew everything... but only up to a certain date some months in the past? Well, now it's more like that same friend with unlimited access to the web and a really good habit of citing sources. Here's The Magic Trick: Just ask ChatGPT to search the...Read more
This simple AI prompt will sharpen your thinking (and maybe change your mind)Let’s talk about one of my favourite tricks for leveling up your thinking - using AI as your personal devil’s advocate. You know, that slightly frustrating but ultimately very helpful team mate who always asks “But have you considered…?” Here’s the thing: Our brains are naturally wired to seek confirmation of what we already believe (hello, confirmation bias!). It’s like we’re all walking around with invisible yes-men in our heads. But what if we could flip that script? Enter: The Devil’s...Read more
The 5 AI tools I actually use (after testing dozens)I subscribe to several AI Newsletters and every day, these newsletters promote new AI software coming onto the market. Testing AI software could be a full-time job - but it's probably not yours. So today, I want to share the AI tools that have genuinely made my work life better (and more fun) after countless hours of testing and tinkering. Claude: My go-to Gen AI You know how some AI conversations feel robotic? Not with Claude. It's been my reliable thought partner for over a year, and here's...Read more
Should I use AI for this task?At SXSW x Sydney last week, about 50% of the sessions had AI in the title. And those that didn’t probably mentioned it several times. So what does this mean for you? For me, this quote from world-renowned futurist Professor Brian David Johnson summed it up perfectly: “AI is not taking your job - it is a human who is using the AI who is taking your job.” How did you feel when you read that? Did your brain respond with: a) I am a prompting like a BOSS. I educate myself daily about how to get...Read more
Do you want your legacy to be scrolling on Instagram? I have spent this week at SXSW Sydney, and as this newsletter makes its way across the digital universe to your inbox, I will be speaking on a panel about “How to seize control of your workday”. One of the highlights of the week so far was seeing Johann Hari (whose books I have devoured) speak about the ideas in his (brilliant) book “Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - and How to Get Your Brain Back”. I thought I’d share his two biggest tips on what we, are individuals, can do to win...Read more
How to make your next meeting not suckEarlier this year, I interviewed Professor Steven Rogelberg, the world’s leading expert on meetings, on How I Work. Our chat was so popular that I invited Steven back for round two (subscribe to How I Work if you want to hear it - the episode will be coming out in a couple of weeks). Today, I want to share some nuggets that have stuck with me, and will hopefully make your meetings suck a whole lot less. 1. One of the best predictors of the mood of a meeting is the mood of the leader running...Read more
How to make learning SUPER funGreetings! For those of you who have been subscribed to One Percent Better for a while, you’ll know that every so often, I do a (somewhat random) "recommendations post". This is one of those posts. Here are some of the things I have been loving in the last month: How to make learning SUPER fun Do you have something you need to learn, but have been putting off? Maybe it's a research report you've been meaning to read, or some sales collateral you need to get across. I recommend that you try...Read more
Travel like a Pro: 7 hacks that will change your travel gameI’m writing this post from 35,000 feet in the air, which feels pretty fitting because today’s topic is all about travel hacks. By the end of this week, I’ll have been on six flights. So, I thought I’d share a few of my go-to strategies for making work travel a bit smoother (or at least how I try to do it). As a keynote speaker, travel is a big part of my job. Now that in-person events are back in full swing, so are my days on planes. (Side note: if you’re after a keynote speaker for your next...Read more
If you are NOT okay today, this tool might help.Sunday afternoon was FULL ON. My daughter had returned from a slumber party. She had 5 hours' sleep. It didn’t take a clairvoyant to predict that a challenging afternoon was on the cards. Emotional disregulation doesn’t just impact sleep-deprived 10-year-olds. It happens to us all. Ever felt like your emotions went from 0 to 100 faster than a Tesla on ludicrous mode, leaving your rational thinking in the dust? Yep - me too. It's called: amygdala hijacking. This fancy term, coined by...Read more
The night I started a fire in my hotel roomEarlier this week, I found myself in Sydney, staying at a hotel I hadn't visited in over a decade. As I entered my room, I was hit with an eerie sense of déjà vu. Not only was it the same layout, but it appeared to be the very room where, years ago, my clothes caught fire at midnight... Rewind to 2010. I'd entered a competition called Speakers Idol, put on by the National Speakers Association. I made it to the Nationals (which sounds more impressive than this feat was). This meant delivering...Read more
Rituals: The secret ingredient to elevate your (work) lifeView in browser Greetings! For those of you who have been subscribed to One Percent Better for a while, you’ll know that every so often, I do a (somewhat random) "recommendations post". This is one of those posts. Here are some of the things I have been loving in the last month: Rituals: The secret ingredient to elevate your (work) life Good habits automate us and good rituals animate us, according to Harvard Professor Michael Norton. So how can we create better rituals that drive more joy,...Read more
The counterintuitive strategy that conquered my public speaking fearsHave you ever found yourself doing something way outside your comfort zone, wondering how on earth you got there? That was me yesterday, dancing and singing to a conference room of 1000+ people at the Melbourne Convention Centre. No I am not a triple threat (I am, in fact, a zero threat). So how on earth did this happen? A few weeks ago, I learned that my very good mate Lisa Leong was going to be MC-ing a conference I was booked as the closing speaker for - the Australian Human Resources...Read more
Six unexpected ways I bounced back from burnoutBefore diving into today's post, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out after last week's post. Your stories, your strength, and your care genuinely moved me. Burnout is a beast, isn’t it? Alrighty, let’s crack on with the post I promised last week. If you missed it, you might want to check out my burnout story here - it'll give some much-needed context to what I’m about to share. Here are six strategies that have been instrumental in my recovery (and trust me,...Read more
I teach productivity, but I burned out. Here's what I learned.Two months ago, I hit an all-time work low. I had all the classic signs of burnout: Emotional exhaustion. Tick. Cynicism. Tick. Lack of motivation. Tick. I was even having what my clinical psychologist friend Sabina Read called a “getting hit by a bus but not killed” fantasy, whereby I was having dreams of getting injured (but not too injured) so that I could take some time off work (without judgement) and people would empathise with my plight and offer the tonnes of sympathy. (I thought this...Read more
The 8-minute trick that skyrocketed students' grades (and can help you too)Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash When my book Time Wise was published in 2022, I was constantly being asked to give advice on topics like procrastination, prioritising deep and focused work over checking your social media feed or email, and how to have more effective and efficient meetings. Multiple times a day, in meetings with clients, interviews with journalists, and in conversations with friends, I would be asked to solve these problems. At the same time, I became aware of a strong need...Read more
A simple way to boost your brain powerGetting off social media for one-week improves mood and self-esteem A study discovered that women aged 18-29 who took a one-week break from social media experienced a significant boost in self-esteem and body image. While this might not be surprising, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of a short social media break on body image. If you are struggling with low mood or self-confidence, a short break from the socials might be just what the doctor ordered. Is ChatGPT...Read more
How to beat worryingPhoto by Mike Dorner on Unsplash How to beat worrying As someone who has a tendency to worry (read: catastrophise), I found this post very helpful (and humorous). I will now be applying the magic question: Is there anything I can do about this? What does the future of work look like? My Inventium teammate Charlotte Rush has been leading a big research project to explore the biggest trends that are shaping the world of work in 2024 and beyond. You can check out 7 key insights that you need to...Read more
(You might remember we ran a GenAI Masterclass a few weeks ago. We received some insanely lovely feedback like "Today was one of those energising, lightbulb-moment kind of days", "This course is a game changer", "It was SUCH a value-packed day.. no fluff. NONE!" and, quite simply, "Mind. Blown." Our next masterclass is already sold out, but we still have some space for our March 11 masterclass (in Melbourne) and our April 29 Masterclass (in Sydney). Treat yourself to an early Xmas gift and...Read more
I made a big change this year. I stopped bringing my whole self to work. Remember 2020? Suddenly we were all getting tours of our colleagues’ homes via Zoom. Kids crashed meetings. Pets became unofficial team members. Something else snuck in during this time - our unfiltered emotions. “Bring your whole self to work!” the influencers cheered. And we listened. But here’s what actually happened: “whole self” morphed into “emotional fire hydrant.” Managers became therapists. Raw feelings spilled...Read more
(Thank you to the MANY, MANY of you who have written to say thanks for the Gen AI content. If you missed it, you can find it here. Due to the overwhelming response, I shall make sure there is more! And for those looking to have their work lives transformed by Gen AI, there are a handful of spots left for our Sydney Masterclass, and we have just opened up a new Melbourne date on March 11, 2025, as the November one is now sold out). Now…onto today’s programming… Two Fridays ago, I faced one of...Read more
Quick exciting update that might just save you hours of tab-hopping madness: ChatGPT has levelled up its internet searching game, and it's actually pretty cool. What's new & why you'll care Remember how ChatGPT used to be like that smart friend who knew everything... but only up to a certain date some months in the past? Well, now it's more like that same friend with unlimited access to the web and a really good habit of citing sources. Here's The Magic Trick: Just ask ChatGPT to search the...Read more
Let’s talk about one of my favourite tricks for leveling up your thinking - using AI as your personal devil’s advocate. You know, that slightly frustrating but ultimately very helpful team mate who always asks “But have you considered…?” Here’s the thing: Our brains are naturally wired to seek confirmation of what we already believe (hello, confirmation bias!). It’s like we’re all walking around with invisible yes-men in our heads. But what if we could flip that script? Enter: The Devil’s...Read more
I subscribe to several AI Newsletters and every day, these newsletters promote new AI software coming onto the market. Testing AI software could be a full-time job - but it's probably not yours. So today, I want to share the AI tools that have genuinely made my work life better (and more fun) after countless hours of testing and tinkering. Claude: My go-to Gen AI You know how some AI conversations feel robotic? Not with Claude. It's been my reliable thought partner for over a year, and here's...Read more
At SXSW x Sydney last week, about 50% of the sessions had AI in the title. And those that didn’t probably mentioned it several times. So what does this mean for you? For me, this quote from world-renowned futurist Professor Brian David Johnson summed it up perfectly: “AI is not taking your job - it is a human who is using the AI who is taking your job.” How did you feel when you read that? Did your brain respond with: a) I am a prompting like a BOSS. I educate myself daily about how to get...Read more
I have spent this week at SXSW Sydney, and as this newsletter makes its way across the digital universe to your inbox, I will be speaking on a panel about “How to seize control of your workday”. One of the highlights of the week so far was seeing Johann Hari (whose books I have devoured) speak about the ideas in his (brilliant) book “Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention - and How to Get Your Brain Back”. I thought I’d share his two biggest tips on what we, are individuals, can do to win...Read more
Earlier this year, I interviewed Professor Steven Rogelberg, the world’s leading expert on meetings, on How I Work. Our chat was so popular that I invited Steven back for round two (subscribe to How I Work if you want to hear it - the episode will be coming out in a couple of weeks). Today, I want to share some nuggets that have stuck with me, and will hopefully make your meetings suck a whole lot less. 1. One of the best predictors of the mood of a meeting is the mood of the leader running...Read more
Greetings! For those of you who have been subscribed to One Percent Better for a while, you’ll know that every so often, I do a (somewhat random) "recommendations post". This is one of those posts. Here are some of the things I have been loving in the last month: How to make learning SUPER fun Do you have something you need to learn, but have been putting off? Maybe it's a research report you've been meaning to read, or some sales collateral you need to get across. I recommend that you try...Read more
I’m writing this post from 35,000 feet in the air, which feels pretty fitting because today’s topic is all about travel hacks. By the end of this week, I’ll have been on six flights. So, I thought I’d share a few of my go-to strategies for making work travel a bit smoother (or at least how I try to do it). As a keynote speaker, travel is a big part of my job. Now that in-person events are back in full swing, so are my days on planes. (Side note: if you’re after a keynote speaker for your next...Read more
Sunday afternoon was FULL ON. My daughter had returned from a slumber party. She had 5 hours' sleep. It didn’t take a clairvoyant to predict that a challenging afternoon was on the cards. Emotional disregulation doesn’t just impact sleep-deprived 10-year-olds. It happens to us all. Ever felt like your emotions went from 0 to 100 faster than a Tesla on ludicrous mode, leaving your rational thinking in the dust? Yep - me too. It's called: amygdala hijacking. This fancy term, coined by...Read more
Earlier this week, I found myself in Sydney, staying at a hotel I hadn't visited in over a decade. As I entered my room, I was hit with an eerie sense of déjà vu. Not only was it the same layout, but it appeared to be the very room where, years ago, my clothes caught fire at midnight... Rewind to 2010. I'd entered a competition called Speakers Idol, put on by the National Speakers Association. I made it to the Nationals (which sounds more impressive than this feat was). This meant delivering...Read more
View in browser Greetings! For those of you who have been subscribed to One Percent Better for a while, you’ll know that every so often, I do a (somewhat random) "recommendations post". This is one of those posts. Here are some of the things I have been loving in the last month: Rituals: The secret ingredient to elevate your (work) life Good habits automate us and good rituals animate us, according to Harvard Professor Michael Norton. So how can we create better rituals that drive more joy,...Read more
Have you ever found yourself doing something way outside your comfort zone, wondering how on earth you got there? That was me yesterday, dancing and singing to a conference room of 1000+ people at the Melbourne Convention Centre. No I am not a triple threat (I am, in fact, a zero threat). So how on earth did this happen? A few weeks ago, I learned that my very good mate Lisa Leong was going to be MC-ing a conference I was booked as the closing speaker for - the Australian Human Resources...Read more
Before diving into today's post, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out after last week's post. Your stories, your strength, and your care genuinely moved me. Burnout is a beast, isn’t it? Alrighty, let’s crack on with the post I promised last week. If you missed it, you might want to check out my burnout story here - it'll give some much-needed context to what I’m about to share. Here are six strategies that have been instrumental in my recovery (and trust me,...Read more
Two months ago, I hit an all-time work low. I had all the classic signs of burnout: Emotional exhaustion. Tick. Cynicism. Tick. Lack of motivation. Tick. I was even having what my clinical psychologist friend Sabina Read called a “getting hit by a bus but not killed” fantasy, whereby I was having dreams of getting injured (but not too injured) so that I could take some time off work (without judgement) and people would empathise with my plight and offer the tonnes of sympathy. (I thought this...Read more
Never regret a decision again with this simple questionRead more
A fail-proof trick to get your brain into flow every morning When you are finishing work for the day, resist the temptation to reach a natural conclusRead more
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Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash When my book Time Wise was published in 2022, I was constantly being asked to give advice on topics like procrastination, prioritising deep and focused work over checking your social media feed or email, and how to have more effective and efficient meetings. Multiple times a day, in meetings with clients, interviews with journalists, and in conversations with friends, I would be asked to solve these problems. At the same time, I became aware of a strong need...Read more
Getting off social media for one-week improves mood and self-esteem A study discovered that women aged 18-29 who took a one-week break from social media experienced a significant boost in self-esteem and body image. While this might not be surprising, this study is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of a short social media break on body image. If you are struggling with low mood or self-confidence, a short break from the socials might be just what the doctor ordered. Is ChatGPT...Read more
Photo by Mike Dorner on Unsplash How to beat worrying As someone who has a tendency to worry (read: catastrophise), I found this post very helpful (and humorous). I will now be applying the magic question: Is there anything I can do about this? What does the future of work look like? My Inventium teammate Charlotte Rush has been leading a big research project to explore the biggest trends that are shaping the world of work in 2024 and beyond. You can check out 7 key insights that you need to...Read more
