1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to How I Work, a show about the tactics 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: used by leading innovators to get so much out of 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: their day. I'm your host, doctor Amantha Imbach. I'm an 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: organizational psychologist, the founder of innovation consultancy Inventium, and I'm 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: obsessed with finding ways to optimize my work day. Before 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: we get into today's mini episode, I have an exciting 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: program launching on July twenty two, which you can be 8 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: part of from wherever in the world you're listening to 9 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: this podcast from. So the program is our Workday Reinvention Program, 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: which is something I've been working on at Inventium for 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: the last two years. It's a six week program designed 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: to reinvent the way that you work. So the program 13 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: contains a whole bunch of science backed ways to have 14 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,639 Speaker 1: a more productive, fulfilling, and happier work life, and we've 15 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: gotten some amazing results from the program so far. Not 16 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: only have we increased people's productivity by around fourteen percent, 17 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: which is only one day per week of extra time, 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: but we've also increased people's engagement, energy levels, job satisfaction, 19 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: and even general well being at work by over twenty percent. 20 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: And that's just within six weeks. If you are a 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: listener of the show, then go to bitle so bit 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 1: dot ly forward slash how I Work program and listeners 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: of the show can get a one hundred dollars discount 24 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: on the cost of the program. Just enter the code 25 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: how I Work. Just that's one word, how I Work 26 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: at checkout and get that discount. I will link to 27 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: all of that in the show notes if you are 28 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: keen to be involved. So the program starts on July 29 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,639 Speaker 1: twenty two, and if you are a listener of the show, 30 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: I think that you'll absolutely love the Workday Reinvention program 31 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: and get a stack of value from it. Now on 32 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: to today's mini episode. So back in two thousand and one, 33 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: I was doing a workplacement as part of my psychology 34 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: doctor program. I remember coming home from my placement very 35 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: excited one evening because my mom, Doris Brett, had just 36 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: given me a copy of her latest book, Eating the Underworld. 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: After having dinner and getting bed ready, I hopped under 38 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: the covers and started reading, and when I next looked 39 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: at the clock it was three a m. I literally 40 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 1: could not put the book down, and I paid for 41 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: it the next day as a very sleepy placement student. 42 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: So as well as being a clinical psychologist, my mom 43 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: is an exceptional writer. As I was learning to write 44 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: in my childhood, my teenage years, and finally as an adult, 45 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: I would always give my drafts to my mum to 46 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: look at, and every time they came back to me 47 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,839 Speaker 1: covered in red ink. But thanks to my mom and 48 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: now having her editorial voice in my head, whenever I 49 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: put pen to paper, I have become irritatingly anal about 50 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: grammar whenever I'm asked to look at someone else's writing. 51 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: And although no one loves seeing they work covered in 52 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: red pane, the masses of feedback I received ultimately made 53 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: me a better writer, I think. For the last couple 54 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: of years, my mum's been working on a book with 55 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: journalist Carrie Q about something that they have done once 56 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: a month since twenty fourteen. This monthly activity is called 57 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: the Sunday Story Club, where my mom, Carrie, and eight 58 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: to twelve other women gather for around three hours to 59 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: engage in deep conversations. The conversations are inspired by two 60 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: discussion questions that are given in advance. So some examples 61 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: of these discussion questions are what people, events or things 62 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: in your life. Have you been certain about only to 63 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: be proved wrong? What impact has this had on your life? 64 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: And another example, the fairy godmother is able to make 65 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: it to your birth and she is remembered to bring 66 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: her magic. Want she can bestow upon you one gift, 67 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: and one gift only, what do you want it to be? 68 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: And one final example, has there been a time in 69 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: your life where you were lost geographically or spiritually? And 70 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: how did you find where you needed to be? So 71 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: there's some examples. So a couple of weeks ago, I 72 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: got my hands on an advanced copy of the book, 73 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: and once I started reading, I felt taken back to 74 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: the place I was at almost two decades ago. The 75 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: book sucked me into a time vortex, and I emerged 76 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: hours later when parental duties beckoned, and then I polished 77 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: the book off in a second sitting the following morning. 78 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: The book includes some of the stories that have emerged 79 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: from the Sunday Story Club and also provides guidance on 80 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: how to start your own club. And the stories in 81 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: the book made me laugh, made me think, made me cry, 82 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: maybe cry many times actually, But most importantly, the book 83 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: made me think about my own life and the conversations 84 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: that I have in my day to day I personally 85 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: hate small talk and love deeper conversation, and my friendship 86 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: circle reflects this. I have a lovely group of close 87 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: friends with whom I can effortlessly fall into deep conversation. 88 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: But unlike many people, I've neglected to maintain many acquaintances. 89 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: I think I just saw acquaintances as people that you 90 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: have small talk with, and as a result, I invested 91 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: pretty much no time in maintaining those loose ties, as 92 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,679 Speaker 1: psychology researchers refer to them as. But what I loved 93 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: about the Sunday Story Club is that the women who 94 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: gathered were not necessarily close friends, and in most instances 95 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: didn't even know each other before meeting on a Sunday afternoon. 96 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: So the book has inspired me to create my own 97 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: Sunday story Club and branch out of my own inner 98 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: circle and practice the art of deep conversation with people 99 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: that I don't actually know very well. Now there's been 100 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: some fascinating research conducted into the impact our daily conversations 101 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: have on how satisfied we are with our lives. In 102 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: one such study, researchers from the University of Arizona track 103 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: the conversations that four hundred and eighty six people had 104 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: throughout their day. The conversations were categorized as either small 105 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: talk or substantive conversation. Small talk was defined as the 106 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: people in the conversation walking away knowing just as much 107 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: about each other or slightly more than they did prior, 108 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: whereas substantive or deep conversation, in contrast, was defined as 109 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: conversation where real, meaningful information was exchanged. The researchers found 110 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: that people who engaged in more substantive conversations throughout their 111 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: day were happier with their life, and for listeners who 112 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: were introverted. You might be thinking to yourself, well, that's 113 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: all well and good for those extroverts, but it turns 114 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: out this finding was true regardless of whether the participants 115 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: were introverted or extroverted. I think it's so easy to 116 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: go through a whole week, and most definitely a whole 117 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: day without engaging in a single deep conversation. So this week, 118 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: perhaps set yourself the challenge of deliberately introducing something substantive 119 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 1: into at least one conversation you have each day. And 120 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: to get you started, I've listed a few questions from 121 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: the Sunday Story Club in the show notes, and these 122 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 1: are all discussion questions that have elicited some amazing stories 123 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: and discussions with those who have viewed them. And if 124 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 1: you're super keen to get more inspiration in bringing deeper 125 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: conversation into your life and experience the resulting happiness, or 126 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: if you simply want to read some amazing stories that 127 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: have emerged from the Sunday Story Club, you can get 128 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: your hands on a copy of the book, which is 129 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: published by Pa McMillan at all Good bookstores as of today. 130 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: So that's it for today's show. If there are topics 131 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: that you would like me to cover or guess that 132 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 1: you would like to see on this show, I would 133 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: love to get your feedback. Please drop me an email. 134 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: I'm at Amantha at Inventium dot com dot au. I 135 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: love hearing suggestions. I love knowing what topics are on 136 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: your mind around the way that you can have a better, 137 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: more productive, more fulfilling work life. So thank you so 138 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: much for listening, and I'll see you next time.