• ChatGPT is getting smarter at searching (and I'm a bit excited about it) A person sitting at a table with a tablet 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) A pink and black object sitting on top of a wooden table 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) A desk with a laptop and a monitor on it 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? Johann Hari at SXSW Sydeny 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 suck A classroom with a whiteboard and yellow chairs 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
  • How to make learning SUPER fun black corded headphones on blue background 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
  • Travel like a Pro: 7 hacks that will change your travel game Image from up high 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
  • If you are NOT okay today, this tool might help. Feelings Wheel 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 room A man standing in front of a large fire 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
  • Rituals: The secret ingredient to elevate your (work) life Pouring a coffee 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
  • The counterintuitive strategy that conquered my public speaking fears Lisa and Amantha dancing onstage at AHRI 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
  • Six unexpected ways I bounced back from burnout 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
  • I teach productivity, but I burned out. Here's what I learned. Empty battery 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 question Never regret a decision again with this simple questionRead more
  • A fail-proof trick to get your brain into flow every morning 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
  • Why you need a ‘To Discuss’ list Say goodbye to unnecessary emailsRead more
  • Is your workplace overrun by Zombie Projects? Discover how to identify and eliminate projects that drain your productivity Discover how to identify and eliminate projects that drain your productivityRead more
  • How a mouse can give you productivity superpowers Superhuman CEO Rahul Vohra's secret to ultra-fast computer navigation Superhuman CEO Rahul Vohra's secret to ultra-fast computer navigationRead 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 power 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
  • How to beat worrying 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
  • Surprising advice on how to become better at delegating Photo by Malvestida on Unsplash Why I am tracking my time again So many guests I have interviewed on How I Work (and often, tech Founder / CEO types), have told me about how and why they track their time. I have occasionally done this over the years - sometimes manually (and painfully) in Excel, and other times using clunky software. I have recently become interested (again) in where my time is going, as I am juggling quite a few different projects and some big deadlines. A few people I trust...Read more
  • Mastering the art of ending your day on a high note Photo by Nikolay on Unsplash During the Melbourne Covid lockdowns, I fell in love. With software. Specifically: Mmhmm. I did (and continue to do) so many virtual keynotes and I hated that the default setting in Zoom/Teams/Hangouts was for the presenter to become the size of a postage stamp the minute slides were shared. Mmhmm solved this problem for me. I love Mmhmm because I can pop my slides behind me (just like a real presentation) and I can be in the foreground (which helps immensely when...Read more
  • How to Future-Proof Your Organisation Photo by Simon Abrams on Unsplash Why time goes more quickly as we age Ever wondered why the years seem to pass so fast, the older we get? This piece gives some reasons and also some solutions to slow things down. The big one is to: “break the predictability and actively plan to be (massively) surprised”. The demise of social connections - and how AI is exploiting this I am a big Scott Galloway fan and I loved this piece about the vital importance of social connections for wellbeing, the...Read more