How I Work

**Record a question for Amantha’s next Ask Me Anything here: https://www.speakpipe.com/howiwork **
It's Ask Me Anything time!
I asked listeners of How I Work to send in the biggest challenges they’re facing at work right now: from AI overwhelm to constant meetings to feeling busy but not actually making progress.
In this Ask Me Anything episode, I tackle questions like:
Why AI is making some people busier, not more productive
How to reclaim focus when your day is full of meetings
The biggest productivity mistake I see smart people make
What actually helps prevent burnout (hint: it’s not yoga at lunchtime)
Plus I share practical strategies you can start using immediately — including my LiPS prioritisation strategy, ways we reduce meetings at Inventium, and how to protect your energy at work.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, distracted, or stuck in “busy mode”, this episode is for you.

Amantha recommends:
These are a few of the tools we use at Inventium to reduce meetings, communicate more effectively, and get work done faster.
Loom: http://loom.com/ Our go-to for async communication. Instead of jumping on a meeting, we’ll record a quick video to share updates, feedback, or walkthroughs.
Tella: https://www.tella.tv/ A more polished version of Loom. I use this a lot for client-facing communication – especially when walking through proposals or ideas in a more engaging way.
If you’re looking to go beyond just “using AI” and actually start saving time with it, check out Inventium’s latest AI programs for 2026 - designed to help you use AI strategically and creatively in your work. https://www.inventium.ai/

Have a question you want me to answer in the next AMA episode? Reach out via email ([email protected]) or socials – I’d love to hear from you!

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe
Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at [email protected]
Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: Martin Imber
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That wall of industry newsletters in your inbox isn’t a reading list. It’s a stress list.
You tell yourself you’ll get to them later. You don’t. And the pile keeps growing.
In this How I AI episode, Neo and I explore how to use AI as a structured research assistant. Not just to summarise articles, but to filter signal from noise, prioritise what’s actually relevant to you, and automatically deliver regular briefings so you don’t even have to remember to run the search.
Neo and I cover:
How to give AI the right context so it knows exactly what “new” means to you
Why vague prompts produce vague research – and how to fix that
How to define trusted sources and instruct AI where to search
Structuring your report so it highlights impact, availability and practical relevance
How to ask AI to prioritise credible sources over hype
Setting up scheduled searches in ChatGPT using “schedule this” so reports run weekly or daily
How scheduling works in Copilot and what to know about current limits
Creating sections like quick hits, watch lists and hype watch to make reports easier to scan
Why you should always request links so you can verify and dive deeper

Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn and via inventium.ai, where he leads Inventium’s AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/
Connect with me on the socials:
Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe
Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at [email protected]
Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: Martin Imber
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Visualising success feels productive. Vision boards, manifesting, picturing the finish line. It gives the sense that you’re moving closer to the goal.
But according to the research, that mental shortcut might actually be working against you.
In Part 2 of this two-parter (listen to Part 1 here), I continue my conversation with behavioural scientist and author Nir Eyal to unpack why. Nir spent six years researching how beliefs shape what we see, feel, and do, and why the stories we tell ourselves can dramatically change our behaviour.
We talk about the surprising power of “failure goals”, why lucky people often manufacture their own luck, and how leaders shape behaviour through the invisible simulations they create at work. Nir also explains why framing matters more than many leaders realise, and why the way you interpret discomfort can completely change how you perform.
And when it comes to visualisation, Nir shares a key insight from elite sport. High-performing athletes aren’t picturing themselves standing on the podium. They’re visualising the moment things get hard, and exactly what they’ll do next.
Nir and I discuss:
Why setting a failure goal can actually increase your chances of success
The study that shows why some people experience themselves as “lucky”
How beliefs shape what we see, feel, and do in everyday life
Why leaders are effectively designing simulations through workplace culture
The powerful role of framing when introducing ideas to teams
The “believe, anticipate, feel, confirm” loop that shapes our experiences
How expectations influence the way we experience products and brands
Why visualising the finish line can reduce motivation
What high-performing athletes actually visualise when preparing to succeed

Key quotes
“Failure without learning is a different story. But as long as you are failing and learning, that is progress.”
“Athletes aren’t visualising the trophy. They’re visualising the obstacles in their way.”
Connect with Nir Eyal on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and his website and check out his latest book Beyond Belief.

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe
Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at [email protected]
Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When your to-do list feels endless and everything seems equally urgent, it’s hard to know where to start. The overwhelm doesn’t usually come from one big task. It comes from trying to hold meetings, emails, projects and life admin in your head all at once.
In this How I AI episode, Neo and I walk through practical ways to use AI to help you prioritise when your week feels out of control. Not by magically deleting tasks, but by giving you a clearer structure for deciding what actually matters today.
We share two different approaches – one if your AI isn’t connected to your calendar, and one if it is.
Neo and I cover:
How to use AI for a structured brain dump so everything on your plate is visible in one place
Getting AI to interview you to separate urgent from important, and clarify what really needs attention
Asking AI to estimate how long tasks will take so you can time box more realistically
Using AI to identify the single task that’s causing the most stress – and tackling that first
Why context matters – and how tools like Claude Projects or Copilot Notebooks can help AI understand your work
Using AI to prepare for meetings, cross-reference tasks, and spot work that hasn’t been scheduled
Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn and via inventium.ai, where he leads Inventium’s AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/
Connect with me on the socials:
Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe
Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at [email protected]
Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: Martin Imber
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the biggest obstacle standing between you and the things you want in life isn’t your effort, your discipline, or even your circumstances? What if it’s the beliefs you didn’t realise you were holding.
In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, I sit down with behavioural scientist and bestselling author Nir Eyal to unpack how our hidden beliefs shape what we see, how we feel, and what we do. Nir spent six years researching his latest book Beyond Belief, exploring the science behind how beliefs influence our behaviour and how we can change the ones that are quietly limiting us.
We dive into why rumination feels productive but actually keeps us stuck, why venting about people can reinforce the very stories that make us miserable, and a practical tool called a reality log that helps you see situations more clearly. Nir also shares a powerful technique for questioning beliefs that are causing suffering, using a surprisingly relatable story about a birthday gift for his mum that didn’t go quite as planned.
Nir and I discuss:
The difference between facts, faith, and beliefs and why beliefs are open to change
Why many of our most important life decisions come down to beliefs rather than facts
How rumination feels like problem solving but often reinforces limiting beliefs
The surprisingly effective technique of scheduling “worry time”
How our beliefs shape what we literally perceive in the world
Why venting about people can strengthen negative assumptions rather than resolve them
How a reality log can help you challenge distorted perceptions
A four question technique to examine beliefs that are causing suffering
How collecting a “portfolio of perspectives” can help you reduce emotional reactivity

Key quotes
“Beliefs are tools, not truths.”
“We don’t see the world as it is. We see a simulation of the world shaped by what we already believe.”
Connect with Nir Eyal on Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and his website and check out his latest book Beyond Belief.

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe
Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at [email protected]
Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.