Freedom Matters

Silence isn’t just the absence of noise. It’s a presence that brings us energy, clarity, and deeper connection. In this episode, we meet with Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz, to discuss just this. Their book, Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise, explores the meaning of silence and the art of finding it in any situation. The book reveals how to go beyond the ordinary rules and tools of mindfulness. It’s a field guide for navigating the noise of the modern world—not just the noise in our ears, but also on our screens and in our heads. Drawing on lessons from neuroscience, business, spirituality, politics, and the arts, Marz and Zorn explore why auditory, informational, and internal silence is essential for physical health, mental clarity, ecological sustainability, and vibrant community. In this episode we discuss: what silence means to an individual why it is so important how to find silence in your life and work. Justin Talbot Zorn has served as both a policymaker and a meditation teacher in the U.S. Congress. A Harvard- and Oxford-trained specialist in the economics and psychology of well-being, Justin has written for the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Foreign Policy, Wired, CNN, and other publications. He is cofounder of Astrea Strategies, a consultancy that bridges contemplation and action, helping leaders and teams envision and communicate solutions to complex challenges. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife and three children. Leigh Marz is a collaboration consultant and leadership coach for major universities, corporations, and federal agencies as well as a longtime student of pioneering researchers and practitioners of the ritualized use of psychedelic medicines in the West. In her professional work, she has led diverse initiatives, including a training program to promote an experimental mindset among teams at NASA and a decade-long cross-sector collaboration to reduce toxic chemicals in products in partnership with the Green Science Policy Institute, Harvard, IKEA, Google, and Kaiser Permanente. She is the co-founder of Astrea Strategies. Leigh lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and daughter. You can find Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise at Amazon, Bookshop.org  or anywhere you buy books. For audiophiles, we highly recommend the Audible audio book —read by Prentice Onayemi. For recent media and articles written by Justin and Leigh, go to Golden Media. If you’d like to learn more about Justin and Leigh’s consulting work with Astrea Strategies—helping individuals and organizations address challenges and communicate solutions from a deeper place of attention and centeredness—you can find them at astreastrategies.com If you’d like to learn more about Jarvis Jay Masters, a primary teacher in the book, and his appeal for his freedom—please visit freejarvis.org. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell  Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare 

In this episode we speak with Gloria Mark. Gloria is Chancellor's professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in Psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people's lives. Her new book, Attention Span is the culmination of years of research, understanding attention, distraction, and how to live with digital devices. In this episode, we discussed the important arguments of her book: that there are different states of attention controversially, that a flow state is not always optimal nor achievable that different people are more or less susceptible to distractions, and, that it's not just our devices that are degrading our attention spans. Finally, we discuss a number of ways in which we can reclaim control over our valuable attention. Find out more about Gloria and order her book here: www.gloriamark.com Follow her on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriamark/ @gloriamark_phd Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Amit Gupta is an optimist, a science fiction writer, and co-founder of Sudowrite, the AI-powered creative writing app. He is also an uncle and a son, and a friend to all dogs. He previously founded and sold Photojojo. In this episode we discuss: - Some of the challenges of creative writing - How writing has lagged other creative pursuits in terms of the availability of technology to support creativity (there is no photoshop for writing) - How AI can be a support for creative writing - Some of the considerations to prevent the misuse of tools like Sudowrite - Why flagging too many of the issues with future technologies may hold us back Sudowrite https://www.sudowrite.com/app Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Dan Clark is CEO of Brain.FM, which creates music for the brain, to help you unlock your best self, by focusing, relaxing and sleeping better. Phil Amalong is the VP Marketing of Freedom, and audio producer and music composer for Freedom Matters. They both love music, and have lived and breathed how music can change the way we function and work. In this two part episode, we speak firstly with Phil. We talk about how he builds the soundtracks for our podcast, about his career history as a musician and entrepreneur, and why focus sounds have become an important part of the Freedom product. Focus sounds exist in Freedom, in part due to Brain.fm. Brain.fm's CEO, Dan, explains the science behind how focus sounds work to align the vibrations in our brain so that we can think more clearly and stay focused for longer. Dan has spent years hacking his life to improve his focus, and believes there is still so much to learn when it comes to sound. Websites: freedom.to brain.fm Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO Music in this episode:  - Predictions by Brain.fm - Freedom Matters Theme - composed/produced by Philip Amalong - Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 109, Mvt 3 excerpt - performed by Philip Amalong - Arc - composed/produced by Philip Amalong - Apex by Brain.fm - Moon Cycles by Brain.fm - Pando by Brain.fm - Predictions by Brain.fm

John Mack is an American artist, photographer, author and founder of Life Calling. A frequent speaker at conferences and universities on the subjects of technology, awareness and consciousness, Mack’s examination of these topics recently culminated in A Species Between Worlds: Our Nature, Our Screens, an interactive visual art experience and month-long Forum exploring humanity’s current migration from the natural world to the virtual world. It was live in New York through September 2022. In this episode we discuss "A Species Between Worlds" and the moral lessons that it shares. We cover the role of technology tools in our lives, and how it distorts our relationship with nature. We also discuss how our psyche is also a tool, which shapes our lived experience. Mack argues that the only way to reshape our relationship with technology is to first reshape the relationship that we have with ourselves, so that we can live fully, uninhabited by the preconceptions of our mind. Mack was born in 1976 in New York City. Under Life Calling, Mack recently published Notes to Selfie: Bits of Truth in a Phoney World, a volume of thoughts and aphorisms, and a collection of poetry, A Land Between Worlds: The Shifting Poetry of the Great American Landscape. He was an honoree of The Explorer’s Club 50: Fifty people changing the world who the world needs to know about. Mack has also served as an adjunct lecturer for the Graduate program at IADE in Lisbon, Portugal. For years John has expressed concern over the effects on humanity in the wake of the rapid proliferation of smart-devices. A vanguard in advocating research, activism, and awareness around their unmitigated use, John founded Life Calling, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help us all live fulfilled lives in the Digital Age while retaining our humanity and personal autonomy. It aims to empower humanity through a dynamic series of activations, campaigns, exhibitions and public programming, to help generate a more balanced, nuanced and thoughtful perspective for us all in the Digital Age. For more from John: www.life-calling.org For more on A Species between Worlds: www.ASpeciesBetweenWorlds.com Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Tanya Goodin is an author, broadcaster, pioneering thinker and campaigner on digital wellbeing and tech ethics - founder of the digital detox movement Time to Log Off and host of the ‘It’s Complicated’ podcast. Her game-changing books on our relationship with technology, ‘My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open’, ‘Off’ and ‘Stop Staring at Screens’, are published in ten languages worldwide. In this episode we discuss many of the lessons that she has learnt about the costs of using technology. We discuss: - The elephant on the zoom - Technoference - Tech-life balance - And one very important question - is technology always the answer? She hasn’t always been a ‘digital canary’. As an award-winning digital entrepreneur and instinctive trend spotter, Tanya spent two decades running one of Britain’s first digital businesses. Her mission now is to make today’s tech issues accessible to users and consumers, so they can consciously manage their digital lives. Tanya is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a graduate of the University of Oxford, and currently researching for a Masters in Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics at the University of Cambridge. Websites: www.tanyagoodin.com and www.itstimetologoff.com Twitter handle @tanyagoodin Book link My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open: How to Untangle Our Relationship with Tech Podcast: Digital Detox Resources, Research and Retreats | Time To Log Off  Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Henry Shapiro is co-founder at Reclaim.ai, an intelligent calendar assistant and time management platform used by over 13,000 companies worldwide. In this conversation we talk about some of the practical ways in which time constrains us, and how to manage those constraints. We discuss:  the importance of shifting from a task to a priorities-based approach to managing time  how good time-management requires facing up to our constraints  how to manage the balance our own demands with those of others  the importance of allocating time for good habits  how AI can help us with time, and where it can go too far Prior to founding Reclaim, Henry was VP and GM of Product Management at New Relic, where he led development of observability solutions for tens of thousands of customers. Find out more: Reclaim | Smart Scheduling for Busy Teams Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we welcome Randima Fernando. Randy works at the intersection of technology, mindfulness and social impact, helping to find ethical solutions to hard problems. Here's a co-founder of Center for Humane Technology (CHT), a nonprofit whose mission is to align technology with humanity's best interests. The Center for Humane Technology was featured in the Emmy winning film, The Social Dilemma, which has been seen by over a hundred million people globally. This episode is the first in our new series on the tools that we use, where we discuss, how technology mediates our lived experiences. In this wide ranging conversation, we delve into some of the systemic issues of the technology industry today, which are now shaping the way that we live. We discuss how business incentives, not human interests, govern design, how no tools are created neutral and why we all, users and designers alike, need to understand what thriving means to us so that we can live these values, eyes wide open, in the tools that we create and use. Randy was previously the founding Executive Director at Mindful Schools, a nonprofit that has taught mindfulness to millions of kids and over 50,000 educators worldwide. Before that, Randy led many award-winning projects and authored 3 books on 3D graphics over seven years at NVIDIA, where he was also inaugural board member of the NVIDIA Foundation. Randy also serves on the board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center. CHT offers several helpful resources: Their free online course, Foundations of Humane Technology, helps product teams create technology that treats attention and intention as sacred, protects well-being, and builds our collective capacity to address humanity’s most urgent challenges. (https://www.humanetech.com/course)  Their podcast, Your Undivided Attention, has over 14 million downloads, and explores the incredible power that technology has over our lives — and how we can use it to catalyze a humane future. (https://www.humanetech.com/podcast) Their free Youth Toolkit helps youth ages 13-25, as well as their parents and teachers, navigate—and push to change—a broken social media environment. (https://www.humanetech.com/youth) Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week on Freedom Matters we are taking a break from recording, and sharing with you instead an episode from one of our favourite podcasts, Digital Habit Lab from Mind Over Tech. Hosted by Menka Sanghvi, this podcast welcomes guests from different walks of life to observe how we use tech; reflect on how it sometimes uses us; and experiment on ways to make sure it is actually helping us to do what we most value in life. In this episode, Menka interviews Tiu de Haan, a ritual designer, creative facilitator, idea doula and ‘serendipiter’. She curates and creates experiences designed to shift your perspective to see the wonder in the world, helping people to birth their creative ideas and design their own unique path filled with moments of meaning. They discuss the question: Why is it so hard to be intentional in our digital activity? In exploring this question, Menka and Tiu talk about how easily we get into routines (repeated behaviours) that we may even become addicted to, and how rituals can help shift this. A ritual creates a pause in our routine activity, elevating a moment into something bigger and more meaningful. Tiu describes ritual as a “container for emotion, reflection, transition, and sometimes celebration” - a subject she has talked about in more depth in her TED Talk. Find more episodes from the Mind Over Tech podcast, Digital Habit Lab here: https://www.mindovertech.com/digital-habit-lab/podcast/ Try a Digital Habit Lab experiment: https://www.mindovertech.com/digital-habit-lab/ Watch Tiu's TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umdZIyriW-U == Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Freedom Matters music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we speak with Ingrid, a designer and author whose groundbreaking work reveals the hidden influence of our surroundings on our emotions and wellbeing. As a former design director at IDEO, author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, and the founder of the website The Aesthetics of Joy, she empowers people to find more joy in life and work through design. Her immensely popular TED talk “Where Joy Hides and How to Find It” has been viewed more than 17 million times. I really enjoyed this conversation with Ingrid, where we get to understand: What joy is How our environment's influence joy Why conflicting emotions can spark creativity, and How joy has helped her to build resilience through her life Ingrid has been featured as an expert on design and joy by outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Wired, Real Simple, The Atlantic, the Today Show, HGTV Magazine, and Fast Company. She has over fifteen years of experience in design and branding, having led design programs for Target, Condé Nast, Eileen Fisher, American Express, Kate Spade, Diageo, Pepsico, and the US government, among others. She was a founding faculty member in the Products of Design program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her design work has been exhibited at imm cologne in Germany. Lee holds a Master’s in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor’s in English and Creative Writing from Princeton University. She loves pancakes, polka dots, and rainbow sprinkles, and has an extensive repertoire of happy dances for any occasion. Read more: The Aesthetics of Joy by Ingrid Fetell Lee https://aestheticsofjoy.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

James Hamilton Hibbard is a Northern California-based writer and former professional cyclist who studied philosophy at the PhD-level. His philosophical memoir, THE ART OF CYCLING: Philosophy, Meaning, and a Life on Two Wheels (Quercus/ Hachette Australia), explores questions of embodiment and meaning in our increasingly detached and virtual society, and was shortlisted for The Sunday Times 2022 British Sports Book of the Year, Cycling. In this conversation we discuss: - His journey as a professional athlete - His views on the history of philosophy and the guidance that it brings - How his experience cycling has helped him to understand philosophy better - How elite sport prepares you for life A former UCI professional road cyclist with the Shaklee and HealthNet teams, and member of the United States National Team, James has written extensively on the sport of cycling for outlets including velonews.com and cyclingnews.com and has been selected for writing residencies and received grants from Tin House and PEN America. James is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz and worked on his Ph.D in philosophy at DePaul University. You can find out more about James at: jameshamiltonhibbard.com To order the book: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/james-hibbard/the-art-of-cycling/9781529410273/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

The Freedom Matters Team is taking a short break between seasons, and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to share an episode from the Solo Collective Podcast, hosted by friend of Freedom and former podcast guest, Rebecca Seal. In this episode she interviews Caroline Williams, author of ‘Move! The New Science of Body over Mind’ - an amazing book about how movement impacts the way our brains work from creativity to mental health. We wanted to share this episode, because as the summer break approaches, we all have the perfect opportunity to move more, and reset the level of activity that we have in our every day lives. We hope you enjoy this lively conversation between Caroline and Rebecca. Listen to the original conversation: https://shows.acast.com/the-solo-collective/episodes/caroline-williams Enjoy all episodes from the Solo Collective: https://shows.acast.com/the-solo-collective Find out more about Rebecca:https://www.rebeccaseal.co.uk/ Find out more about Caroline:https://www.carolinewilliams.net/

In this episode, we welcome Sharath Jeevan OBE, one of the world’s leading experts on intrinsic motivation, direction and potential. He is the Executive Chairman of Intrinsic Labs and author of groundbreaking smart thinking book Intrinsic. In this episode we discuss why we are experiencing a crisis of motivation, where external motivators like money and status fall down, the value of intrinsic motivators, autonomy, mastery and purpose, and how we all have the opportunity to reset the direction of our lives for the better. This episode is part of our mini-series on 'Self' where we explore how our technology impacts some of the most important aspects of being human. In this series we speak with Krista Tippett, creator of On Being, Susie Alegre, human rights lawyer and author of Freedom to Think, L M Sarcasas, renowned commentator on technology & society, Casey Swartz, author of Attention, A Love Story, Jillian Horton, MD, author of We Are All Perfectly Fine and Sharath Jeevan OBE, motivation expert and author of Intrinsic. To find out more about Sharath: https://www.intrinsic-labs.com/ To read Intrinsic: https://www.amazon.com/Intrinsic-re-ignite-inner-drive-rewards-based-ebook/dp/B08B4HP1F6 Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Casey Schwartz is a writer in New York City, where she lives with her husband and son. She is the author of Attention, a Love Story (Pantheon, 2020) and In the Mind Fields (Pantheon, 2015). She also contributes regularly to the New York Times. Her most recent book came from an article she wrote for the New York Times Magazine about spending a decade addicted to Adderall. In this episode, we discuss her journey with the drug Adderall and when after years of trying to quit it, she re-entered the world eyes wide open to face a new era where technology was also playing havoc with our attention. We discuss some of the great philosophers and how they perceive attention, and we reflect on her own acceptance that attention can only ever be imperfect. More of her work can be found on her website: www.caseyschwartz.com Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we are in conversation with Jillian Horton. Jillian is an award-winning medical educator, writer, musician and podcaster. She completed a residency and a fellowship in internal medicine at the University of Toronto and has held the post of Associate Dean and Associate Chair of that department. For sixteen years, she cared for thousands of patients in an inner-city hospital. During that time, she had three sons and mentored hundreds of students. She now leads the development of new programs related to physician wellness and won the 2020 AFMC–Gold Humanism Award. In this episode we reflect on themes from her book, We are All Perfectly Fine, and discuss: how language can define how we feel  the spectrum from coping to thriving the science behind mindfulness and why it is so powerful This episode is part of our mini-series on 'Self' where we explore how our technology impacts some of the most important aspects of being human. Episodes so far in the series include Krista Tippett, creator of On Being, Susie Alegre, human rights lawyer and author of Freedom to Think, and L M Sarcasas, renowned commentator on technology & society. Upcoming episodes are with Casey Swartz, author of Attention, A Love Story, and Sharath Jeevan OBE, motivation expert and author of Intrinsic.  Our goal: to help all our listeners to think more critically about the role of technology in our lives, and how it shapes who we are. To read We Are All Perfectly Fine: https://www.harpercollins.ca/author/cr-195536/jillian-horton/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we welcome Michael Sacasas, author of The Convivial Society, a newsletter about technology and society. Michael is the associate director of the Christian Study Center of Gainesville and has written for The New Atlantis, The New Inquiry, Comment Magazine, and Real Life Magazine. He is also the author of a forthcoming book 41 Questions: Technology and the Moral Life (Avid Reader Press). In this thought provoking episode we invite all our listeners to reconsider the place of technology in their own lives. We discuss: the role of technology in our lives and how the way that we use tools shapes our experience of the world, and by extension our   existence attention, it's importance and its various forms why Twitter for Michael is a deal with the devil how, even out of the Metaverse, technology reframes our reality the three most important questions everyone should ask of the way that they use technology If you enjoyed our previous conversations with Oliver Burkeman, Nicholas Carr and Krista Tippett, then this episode is for you. This episode is part of our series on "Self", where we explore how our technology impacts some of the most important aspects of being human. Recent episodes include Krista Tippett, creator on On Being, Susie Alegre, human rights lawyer and author of 'Freedom to Think' and upcoming episdoes include Jillian Horton MD, and author of 'We are All Perfectly Fine', Casey Swartz, author of "Attention, A Love Story" and Sharath Jeevan OBE, motivation expert and author of "Intrinsic". Our goal: to help all our listeners to think more critically about the role of technology in our lives, and how it shapes who we are. More from Michael: The Convivial Society https://theconvivialsociety.substack.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we welcome Susie Alegre, a leading human rights barrister in the internationally renowned Doughty Street Chambers. She has been a legal pioneer in digital human rights, in particular the impact of artificial intelligence on the human rights of freedom of thought and opinion. Her book, Freedom to Think, charts the history and importance of our most basic human right: freedom of thought. From Galileo to Nudge Theory to Alexa, Susie explores how the powerful have always sought to get inside our heads, influence how we think and shape what we buy. Providing a bold new framework to understand how our agency is being gradually undermined, Freedom to Think is a groundbreaking and vital charter for taking back our humanity and safeguarding our reason in the technological age. In this fascinating episode we discuss: How human rights underpin what it means to be human and why the right to the freedom of thought should be protected at all costs How historically this right has come under threat, but never more so that today, when the threat of surveillance capitalism means our minds are read every single minute We discuss how to stay cognisant of how technology is affecting our freedom of thought And future strategies to keep us safe. This episode is part of our mini-series on 'Self' where we explore how our technology impacts some of the most important aspects of being human. Over the coming weeks we will speak with Krista Tippett, creator of On Being, Susie Alegre, human rights lawyer and author of Freedom to Think, Jillian Horton MD, physician and author of We are All Perfectly Fine, Casey Swartz, author of Attention, A Love Story, L M Sarcasas, renown commentator on technology & society, and Sharath Jeevan OBE, motivation expert and author of Intrinsic. Our goal: to help all our listeners to think more critically about the role of technology in our lives, and how it shapes who we are. To find out more about Susie: https://susiealegre.com/ Purchase Freedom to Think in the US Purchase Freedom to Think in the UK Susie talks about Magic Sauce: https://applymagicsauce.com/demo And also Privacy International's Twitter Bot: https://twitter.com/privacyint/status/1148506707150200833 Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we welcome Krista Tippett. Krista is a Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, a National Humanities Medalist, a New York Times bestselling author and the creator and host of On Being, a world renown podcast which sets out to explore the immensity of our human lives. In this extended episode, we discuss the importance of questions - how asking the right questions and accepting that there may never be an answer, can help us to know ourselves better, whilst enabling society to grow. We discuss the role of technology in our rush for answers, media’s role in the portrayal of society and just how Krista, through her career in exploring humanity has come to understand herself. Krista grew up in a small town in Oklahoma, attended Brown University, and became a journalist and diplomat in Cold War Berlin. She then lived in Spain and England before seeking a Master of Divinity at Yale University in the mid-1990s. Emerging from that, she saw a black hole where intelligent public conversation about the religious, spiritual, and moral aspects of human life might be and came to launch On Being, a weekly NPR show, to fill this hole. In 2014, the year after she took On Being into independent production, President Obama awarded Krista the National Humanities Medal for “thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.” On Being with Krista Tippett airs on more than 400 public radio stations across the U.S. and is distributed by WNYC Studios. The podcast has been played/downloaded more than 350 million times. == This is the first episode in our new mini-series on 'Self', where we explore how our technology impacts some of the most important aspects of being human. Over the coming weeks we will speak with Krista Tippett, creator on On Being, Susie Alegre, human rights lawyer and author of Freedom to Think, Jillian Horton MD, doctor and author of We are All Perfectly Fine, Casey Swartz, author of Attention, A Love Story, LM Sacasas, renowned commentator on technology & society, and Sharath Jeevan OBE, motivation expert, and author of Intrinsic.  Our goal: to help all our listeners to think more critically about the role of technology in our lives, and how it shapes who we are. Learn more about Krista and the On Being Project: https://onbeing.org/ Listen to the On Being show and podcast: https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we wrap up our series on the the future of work with Founder and CEO of Freedom, Fred Stutzman. Freedom is developing the essential toolset for the future of focused work. In a distraction-first world, we believe that the ability to reliably and consistently do focused, deep work is a differentiating skillset. In this episode we reflect on Fred's own thoughts on the future of work, how the Freedom team is organized to embrace asynchronous, remote working, and some of his favourite insights from our most recent series. We cover: what initially attracted Fred to building a productivity tool reflections on his own productivity how Freedom works in an asynchronous remote way (and the roles of Trello, Slack and email in all that) why 4 Day Work Weeks are better than holidays the tension between new ways of working, and the return to the office as a celebration of normalcy the role of office and workplaces in the future of work Fred is a seasoned GTM executive and serial entrepreneur, having taken multiple consumer technology companies from the idea/R&D phase to market. His core strengths include technology development, remote team formation and management, and using research-driven strategies to identify market needs. Fred has conducted research at both UNC-Chapel Hill and Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Science (HCI), and degrees in Survey Research and Economics from UNC-Chapel Hill. Additionally, he completed postdoctoral work in Behavioral Economics at CMU. Previously, he co-founded ClaimID, a distributed social identity provider, served as Director of Technology for Ibiblio.org/Metalab, where he managed large, distributed technical projects. In his spare time, Fred is a competitive masters racer on the bike. You can find out more about Fred here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fstutzman/ Or at Freedom here: freedom.to Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Jeremy Redleaf is an Emmy Award winning artist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Caveday, the world's most focused community. Their research-backed method is used by workers and companies in over 40 countries to do better work in less time with fewer distractions. In this episode we dive into philosophical and practical advice on how setting the right conditions for flow is essential - and how working 'in a cave' with other people can achieve many of the things we need. We discuss: The importance of minimalism at work The power of rituals for shifting mindset How to achieve flow, and what athletes can teach us about it Building deep connections via zoom, whilst avoiding zoom fatigue ...and Jeremy's thoughts on Future of Work (spoiler: if you are living it, you're not going back) Jeremy speaks and writes about the future of work for sites including Fast Company and Thrive Global. As a facilitator, he helps founders, teams, and companies improve their relationship to work. You can find more about Jeremy at: https://www.caveday.org/ Freedom Premium Users can register for a free Cave through our Perks page: https://freedom.to/perks This episode is part of our mini-series on the Future of Work. Listen to episodes with Chase Warrington, Alex Pang, Rebecca Seal, Shamsi Iqbal and Charlie Warzel to hear more. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we are in conversation with Charlie Warzel. Charlie writes the newsletter, Galaxy Brain for The Atlantic, where he is a Contributing Writer. Before that he was a writer-at-large for the New York Times Opinion page, and a senior technology writer at BuzzFeed News. Most recently, he has co-authored Out of Office - with his partner Anne Helen Peterson. The book combines groundbreaking reporting and the couple’s own experiences after they made the decision to leave their desk jobs in New York City for Montana. They describe how workers and employers across America, and around the world, are finding new ways of working that make people happier and more productive, and make companies more profitable. Today we'll be discussing: - what's broken with how we currently work, - how flexibility has historically benefited organisations, not employees - why Gen Z are looking for a new relationship with work - how to rethink our relationship with the office - and new ways of working for the future You can order the book, Out of Office, here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673782/out-of-office-by-charlie-warzel-and-anne-helen-petersen/ This episode is part of our mini-series on the Future of Work. Listen to episodes with Chase Warrington, Alex Pang, Rebecca Seal and Shamsi Iqbal to hear more. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we welcome Rebecca Seal. Rebecca is an author, journalist and occasional TV presenter. Her book, SOLO: How To Work Alone (And Not Lose Your Mind) was mostly written in 2019, before the pandemic, but became a bestseller when it was published in 2020. It has now been translated into multiple languages and is available worldwide. In this episode we dive into philosophical and practical advice on how to work 'solo'. We cover: - Why passion for your work can be a problem - How meaning can be found in all forms of work and life - The money trap - How to work solo but never alone - Resilience for solo workers - How to fuel your body for work Rebecca is the host of the Solo Collective podcast, a series of conversations about how to cope with solitary working. She is also an award-winning food and drink writer, and has written 10 cookbooks, most recently LEON Happy Guts, a cookbook about good gut health. She lives in London with her husband, a photographer, and her two daughters. You can find more about Rebecca at: https://www.rebeccaseal.co.uk/ Tune in for the 3rd season of the Solo Collective Podcast (from mid-March): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-solo-collective/id1555707166 Or read her articles for the Guardian at: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rebeccaseal In this episode she mentions work by Ashley Whillans, Annie Auerbach and Bruce Daisley. This episode is part of our mini-series on the Future of Work. Listen to episodes with Chase Warrington, Alex Pang and Shamsi Iqbal to hear more. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we welcome Dr. Shamsi Iqbal. A Principal Researcher in the Modern Work Transformation Org in Microsoft, Shamsi is on the frontline of research, investigating productivity, attention and the future of work. Most recently her work has focused on redefining productivity in the new future of work, introducing novel ways of being productive through leveraging micromoments, and balancing productivity and well-being in interaction design to empower individuals and help organizations thrive. In this episode we explore the future of work with Shamsi, through the eyes of a productivity research. We discuss: - Micromoments - The Triple Peaks of Productivity - Where AI does (and doesn't belong) - Technology for Hybrid Work - The Role of Technology in the Future of Work Shamsi's research has been covered in the New York Times, MIT Tech Review among others, and also featured in the King 5 News (NBC affiliate in the Seattle area). Shamsi has served on many organizing and program committees for Human-Computer Interaction conferences, is currently serving as an ACM TOCHI Associate Editor, was a guest Editor for IEEE Pervasive Special Issue on Future of Work and was the General Co-chair for UIST 2020. She is one of the co-authors of the document Microsoft released on the Future of Remote Work in 2021.  Shamsi received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2008 and received a Bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2001. Find Shamsi's work at: The New Future of Work - Microsoft Research [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/] - a wealth of information on remote and hybrid work based on research conducted by Microsoft researchers on topics such as personal productivity and wellbeing, hybrid meetings, thriving organizations and so on. Shamsi Iqbal at Microsoft Research -  [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/shamsi/] Or read: The Rise of the Triple Peak Day [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/triple-peak-day] The Ways We Disconnect [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/ways-we-disconnect-work-life-balance] How to Focus in the Always-on Economy [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/always-on-economy-focus] This episode is part of our mini-series on the Future of Work. Listen to episodes with Chase Warrington, Alex Pang and forthcoming with Rebecca Seal to hear more.  Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week we welcome Alex Pang, advocate of the 4-day workweek. Alex has spent two decades studying people, technology, and the worlds they make. A Silicon Valley-based futurist and consultant, he is also the best-selling author of Shorter: Work better, smarter and shorter - here's how, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, and The Distraction Addiction. A growing number of businesses are shortening their working week to address problems with low productivity, poor mental health, and unequal working opportunities. Workers are still paid the same salary for a four-day week and the results are revolutionary. In this episode we explore this movement with Alex, and discuss: Why companies are moving to a 'shorter' week How working less increases creativity, productivity and reduces burn-out What culture changes are needed to move to a 4DWW How a shorter working week fits with the future of work Alex, runs a consultancy company, strategy.rest, where he has worked with governments and Fortune 500 companies; spoken at venues ranging from CIA headquarters to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre to the Googleplex; and held academic positions at Stanford and Oxford universities. You can find Alex:  At his business, Strategy.Rest: https://www.strategy.rest/?page_id=8650 On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askpang/ Or @askpang on Twitter and Instagram This episode is part of our new mini-series on the Future of Work. Listen to episodes with Chase Warrington and forthcoming with Rebecca Seal and Shamsi Iqbal to hear more. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we welcome Chase Warrington. Chase is the Head of Remote at Doist, a pioneer of distributed work that specializes in productivity software. He is responsible for developing and executing Doist’s remote work strategy, co-located events and advocating for the future of work on behalf of the company. He has worked remotely for over 12 years, as one of Doist’s 100 employees in 35 countries. He is a regular contributor, instructor, and consultant to many of the leading remote work organizations and publications, as well as the host of his own podcast, About Abroad. Today we discuss: - How the remote-first and hybrid businesses, are becoming widespread - The key principles for operating a remote organization - How to work asynchronously, successfully - Why hiring has to change for remote work - How remote work is about giving your employees both a great job and a great life. Chase is currently based in Spain and is fluent in English and conversational in Spanish. When not nerding out about remote work, he loves traveling in his campervan, spending time in the mountains, and taking his husky pup on a jog from time to time. For more from Chase: chase@doist.com dcwarrington LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-warrington  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcwarrington Chase's podcast, About Abroad: https://aboutabroad.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we are sharing with you an episode from the JOMO(cast) podcast. In this abridged version we hear host Christina Crook discuss with Albert Borgmann his concept of Good Burdens. Born in Germany in 1937, technology philosopher Albert Borgmann has seen technological transitions and upheavals unknown to many. Throughout his long life, he’s studied and written about the impact of technological advancement on every aspect of society. Within this context, Dr. Borgmann joins Christina on the JOMO(cast) to discuss the cost-benefit analysis of technology’s ability to lift our burdens, and why good burdens are vital to preserve if we want to live intentionally and with joy. Hear Christina and Albert discuss: - The history of technology and it's changing impacts - The perils of distraction - The concept of Good Burdens - How technology can obliterate good burdens - Why the culture of the table is a hopeful place Listen to the original conversation: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/24-the-joy-of-good-burdens-with-albert-borgmann/id1467390472?i=1000487173726 Listen to more episodes of Jomo(cast): https://www.christinacrook.com/jomocast Learn more about Christina Crook & JOMO: https://www.christinacrook.com/ Order Christina's new book, Good Burdens, based on this concept: https://www.christinacrook.com/goodburdens Read books by Albert: -Crossing The Postmodern Divide (2013) -Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry (2008) - Power Failure: Christianity in the Culture of Technology (2003) -Holding Onto Reality: The Nature of Information at the Turn of the Millennium (2007) -Real American Ethics: Taking Responsibility For Our Country (2010) -The Philosophy of Language: Historical Foundations and Contemporary Issues (2012) Follow @experiencejomo on Instagram, Facebook + Twitter Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we welcome back Catherine Price, founder of ScreenLifeBalance.com and author of How to Break Up With Your Phone and The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again. In this light-hearted episode, we explore what exactly 'fun' is and talk about how to make space for more of it in our lives! We cover: Why you may well feel dead inside, and how fun can make you feel alive How technology can get in the way of fun What Catherine defines as 'fun' The enormous health and productivity benefits of fun How to structure your life to encourage fun magnets How to have more fun this holiday season! For more fun you can also sign up for Catherine's newsletter at HowToHaveFun.com https://howtohavefun.com/, where you can access: -  ”What’s Your Fun Personality Type?” quiz -  ”Are We Fun Compatible?” quiz -   Bookclub and Discussion Guide -   Pre-order links (and pre-order incentives, including pre-launch access to a special “Fun Toolkit”) -   A global #Funtervention challenge in January and February taking place via Catherine’s newsletter and social media feeds (30 days of helping people create better screen/life balance and have more fun) You can also follow Catherine on Twitter (@Catherine_Price) and Instagram (@_CatherinePrice) Catherine Price: https://www.screenlifebalance.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we talk with with Anna Lembke, a clinician scholar and leading global expert in addiction. Anna recently appeared in the Netflix Documentary, The Social Dilemma, and in August 2021, released the book Dopamine Nation, exploring how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. Her view is that, for many of us, our technology use is contributing to our pleasure-seeking habits, tipping our neurological balance and making us miserable. This is an episode rooted in science, which is too important to ignore. We discuss: Why it is fair and important to use the term 'digital addiction' The role of dopamine on our brains and why it gets us hooked How our 'tolerance' to using technology will naturally increase overtime, leaving us wanting more quantity or potency in our digital experiences The mechanisms within technology that keep us hooked Why it is easier than ever before to get distracted Why digital detoxes are necessary How to use technology in a more balanced way And why, for the sake of our brains, we should ignore distraction and turn towards pain Anna Lembke is professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. A clinician scholar, she has published more than a hundred peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and commentaries. She sits on the board of several state and national addiction-focused organizations, has testified before various committees in the United States House of Representatives and Senate, keeps an active speaking calendar, and maintains a thriving clinical practice. In 2016, she published Drug Dealer, MD – How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It’s So Hard to Stop (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016). Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021), an instant New York Times Bestseller, explores how to moderate compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. To learn more about Anna: https://www.annalembke.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

This week, we talk with with Oliver Burkeman. He is the author of "Four Thousand Weeks", a book about making the most of our radically finite lives in a world of impossible demands, relentless distraction and 'productivity techniques' that mainly just make everyone feel busier. It’s a longer episode than usual because it is packed with wisdom. We discuss: - Oliver’s understanding of ‘productivity’ and the challenges of productivity culture - The finity of time and how to understand it - Why we turn towards unimportant tasks and leave the meaningful work undone - How technology makes us feel limitless, even though we are not - How to serialise your life - Why patience is a superpower And so much more…. Oliver is the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking and Help! How to Become Slightly Happier and Get a Bit More Done. He wrote a long-running column for the Guardian, This Column Will Change Your Life, and has a devoted following for his writing on productivity, mortality and the power of limits. To buy Four Thousand Weeks: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books To follow Oliver & his thoughts: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/the-imperfectionist Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Do you sometimes feel like you are not in control of your day? Before you realise it, your plans and time have been hijacked by a diversion and you don't know why. If so, you are not alone. This week, we speak with Adam Alter, author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink. He is a social psychologist and expert in the effects of subtle environmental cues on human cognition and decision making. In this episode, we discuss: - factors which shape our behaviour and decision-making, like names and colours - why the technology we use is so influential - how addicted we are to technology - how technology companies are removing friction to hold our attention - why our struggles with smartphones are just the beginning - some top tips to resist the Irresistible. Adam is a Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible, which considers why so many people today are addicted to behaviours including incessant smartphone use, video game playing and online shopping; and Drunk Tank Pink, which investigates how hidden forces in the world shape our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. More on Adam: http://adamalterauthor.com/ To purchase Irresistible: http://adamalterauthor.com/irresistible To purchase Drunk Tank Pink: http://adamalterauthor.com/drunk-tank-pink Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

If habits are meant to be useful, why then do we form bad ones? And just how can we resist the hook of technology, to be indistractable? This week we're in conversation with Nir Eyal. Nir is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” In this episode we discuss: - Why we form good (and bad) habits - The underlying roots of distraction - How to become indistractable Nir Eyal: https://www.nirandfar.com/ To purchase Indistractable: https://www.amazon.com/Indistractable-Nir-Eyal/dp/194883653X?tag=thekerne-20&geniuslink=true For a summary of Indistractable: https://www.nirandfar.com/skill-of-the-future/ Distraction guide: https://www.nirandfar.com/distractions/ This episode is part of of a new mini-series, which explores 'who's in control - the tech, or us?'. Look out for episodes with Nicholas Carr, Adam Alter and Anna Lembke, when they will be sharing their own views. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Is the internet making us stupid? What is the difference between information and knowledge, and just why is attention so important? This week we're in conversation with Nicholas Carr. Nick is an acclaimed writer whose work focuses on the intersection of technology, economics, and culture. In 2008, he wrote an article for The Atlantic entitled "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"  His subsequent book, The Shallows – What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, was the first of its kind, calling on us to question the value of the internet and the impact that it was having on our brains. A New York times bestseller when it was first published and now hailed as a modern classic, The Shallows won the Pulitzer Prize and has been translated into 25 languages. It remains a touchstone for debates on technology's effects on our thoughts and perceptions. And a second edition of the shallows was published in 2020. In this episode we discuss: - what led Nicholas to write the book and why it was so important - the relationship between the internet, information, knowledge, memory and our brains - just why attention is so important This episode is part of of a new mini-series, which explores 'who's in control - the tech, or us?' Look out for subsequent episodes with Nir Eyal and Anna Lembke, when they will be sharing their own views. Nicholas Carr: http://www.nicholascarr.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

What can an award-winning Hollywood composer teach us about productivity? In this episode, we welcome Jack Wall. Jack is known for his epic scores for dozens of leading video games including Mass Effect, Myst, and most notably, Call of Duty - the largest interactive entertainment property in the world. A multi-time BAFTA and ASCAP award nominee, he writes for the supernatural drama TV series Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments on Disney/Freeform, and for numerous other series. In this episode we discuss: the process of composing music for games how he manages large projects to deadline trusting your skills to let the work flow The music throughout this episode is courtesy of Jack Wall and Activision. It features excerpts from Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, which Jack composed and recorded in the midst of the pandemic in 2020. Jack Wall: https://www.jackwall.net/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Theme Music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

What if we didn't just treat work as a series of sprints, but our whole life? What if we applied the same process of reflection that we do at the end of our projects, to our whole life? In this episode, we welcome John Zeratsky, a co-founder and general partner at Character, where he supports technology startups with capital and sprints. He is the bestselling author of Sprint, Make Time, and former design partner at GV. Previously, John was a design leader for YouTube, Google Ads, and FeedBurner, which was acquired by Google in 2007. In this episode we discuss: how the principles of 'Sprint' are applicable across life other steps to 'Make Time' his views on the future of work - and of asynchronous work done well For more from John: John Zeratsky https://johnzeratsky.com/ For more on Sprint: The Sprint Book  https://www.thesprintbook.com/ For more on Make Time: Make Time https://maketime.blog/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

What if we did something that scared us every single day? How would that reset our perspective on life? What could we achieve? In this episode, we welcome Holly Ransom, an expert in disruption and future leadership. As the founder and CEO of Emergent, she helps individuals and teams formulate the questions to find their strategy for making effective change. Named one of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review, Holly is also widely recognised as one of the world’s top female keynote speakers. She has delivered a Peace Charter to the Dalai Lama, interviewed Barack Obama on stage, was Sir Richard Branson’s nominee for Wired Magazine’s ‘Smart List’ of Future Game Changers to watch in 2017, and was awarded the U.S. Embassy’s Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Leadership Excellence in 2019. Her new book, The Leading Edge, brings the real-world leadership lessons of so many diverse thinkers and pioneers she’s met to the fore. In this episode we discuss: - why fear is a game-changer - the power of curiosity - why leadership is not 'match-fit' to manage the future of technology For more from Holly: - Her book: The Leading Edge https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/holly-ransom - Some of Holly's content: Holly Ransom | Portfolio https://hollyransom.com/portfolio/ - Holly’s long-running podcast series Coffee Pods: https://hollyransom.com/podcast/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Theme music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

What if laziness doesn't exist? What if it is just a social construct, that is getting in the way of us all living our best lives? In this episode, we welcome Devon Price, the author of the books Laziness Does Not Exist (with Simon & Schuster) and the forthcoming Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity (with Penguin Random House, out next year). They are a social psychologist and clinical assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago. Devon's work has appeared on CNBC, Huffpo, the Financial Times, Lithub, Jacobin Magazine, and on NPR. They write regularly at devonprice.medium.com. In this episode we discuss: where the concept of laziness first originated and why it persists how your productivity is not your worth how to live a lazy and more fulfilling life For more from Devon: https://devonprice.medium.com/ @drdevonprice on Instagram and Twitter This episode features the music of Tanajah! Hear more here: https://spoti.fi/3bNWJQs Headshot photo credit: Collin Quinn Rice https://www.collinquinnrice.com/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Theme music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

How important is place when we think about deep work? Why is inspired rest so important, and how can we find it? In this episode, we welcome Alicia Navarro, a serial tech entrepreneur with a passion for product, brand, design and culture. In 2007, Alicia founded Skimlinks, which she grew to a $50 million a year global business and which in 2020 was acquired by Connexity. In 2018 she stood down from her role as Skimlinks CEO and went on a journey to find her next venture. On that journey she became frustrated by the lack of creative spaces for deep work. And so her latest company, Flown, was born. Flown is creating deep workplaces and spaces for knowledge workers today. In this episode we discuss: how to put Cal Newport's theory of Deep Work in to practice how to change corporate culture to embrace inspired rest why saying no as an entrepreneur, maybe the best thing you can do. More on Flown: https://flown.com Mission & Story: https://flown.com/story-and-mission Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

How do objects inspire action? And are smartphones really the right tools to get our tasks done? In this episode, we welcome Kaiwei Tang. Kai is the co-founder and CEO of Light, and his Light Phone is leading a grassroots revolution against our overconnected digital culture. He believes that the right technology tool can empower us to be our best selves and to appreciate our lives more. Light Phone was launched in 2014, and is available in 71 different countries. It has been named the 10 most innovative consumer electronics companies in 2020 by fast company and the best a hundred innovations in 2019. In this episode we discuss: the story of Light what tools do we really need to go light how objects inspire action More on Light: https://www.thelightphone.com Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

"A.I. is everywhere. Jobs are being automated. Algorithms run your life. What are you doing about it?" (excerpt from Futureproof by Kevin Roose) In this episode, we welcome Kevin Roose, an award-winning technology columnist for the New York Times and the New York Times bestselling author of three books: Futureproof, Young Money and The Unlikely Disciple. He has also hosted Rabbit Hole, a New York Times produced podcast about internet culture. He writes and speaks regularly on many topics, including automation and AI, social media, disinformation, cybersecurity, and digital wellness. In this extended 30 minute episode we discuss: his own tortured relationship with technology, and why he describes himself as a sub-optimist what led him to write Futureproof, and what it's all about the nine rules which will help us to reclaim autonomy in an age of AI For more on Kevin Roose: https://www.kevinroose.com/bio To read his latest articles: https://www.nytimes.com/by/kevin-roose To order Futureproof: https://www.kevinroose.com/futureproof Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

What are Good Burdens? Why do we need them? And what is the relationship between laziness, love and technology? In this episode, we welcome Christina Crook, a leading voice in the field of digital well-being. As the author of the award-winning book, The Joy of Missing Out, and the leader of the global #JOMO movement, she interviews other mindful tech leaders as the host of the JOMOcast and leads the JOMO Membership - Navigate- focusing you on the wisest investment of your time online to help you live more deliberately and experience more joy. Her new book, Good Burdens: How to Live Joyfully in the Digital Age will be available in November 2021. In this episode we discuss: the concept of Good Burdens the relationship between laziness, love and attention the algebra of joy and how it relates to technology For more on Christina Crook: https://www.christinacrook.com/ And to pre-order Good Burdens: How to Live Joyfully in a Digital Age: https://www.amazon.ca/Good-Burdens-Live-Joyfully-Digital/dp/1771089784/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=good+burden+christina+crook&qid=1622134583&sr=8-1 Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Is being in nature the antidote to the negatives of technology use? Or does technology have a place to enhance our experience of nature? In this episode, we welcome Jenny Tough, an endurance athlete and adventurer, and Alex Roddie, nature photographer and explorer. Jenny is currently working on a global challenge to run, solo and unsupported, across a mountain range on every continent. Alex is a long-distance backpacker, mountaineer, and lover of wild places. At work he’s a freelance writer, photographer, and the editor of Sidetracked magazine. In this episode we discuss: the place for technology in exploring our relationships with nature and technology how getting outdoors can support creativity More on Alex: Website: www.alexroddie.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex_roddie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_roddie/ Sidetracked: https://www.sidetracked.com/ More on Jenny: Website: http://jennytough.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terms/unblock/?next=/jennytough/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Many people blame distraction in the workplace on tools like email and Slack. Would our life be improved if we just took those tools away?  Unfortunately the answer is not so simple... In this episode, we speak with Cal Newport, computer science professor at Georgetown University and a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including Digital Minimalism and Deep Work. His work focuses on the intersection of digital technology and culture, and he is particularly interested in our struggle to deploy technology in ways that support, instead of subvert the things that we care about. Today we focus on his latest book, A World Without Email, to discuss: Why is email such a problem? How do workflows need to change to support a better work environment?  What does the future of work look like, and is there a place for email? Learn more about Cal and his work: Homepage: https://www.calnewport.com/ A World Without Email: https://www.calnewport.com/books/a-world-without-email/ Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

As the world switches to hybrid working, many of us are having to learn how to manage our space, time and demands now that we work from home. But authors have been doing it for decades. What is the secret to success? In this episode, we welcome Joanna Rakoff, the author of the international bestselling memoir My Salinger Year and the novel A Fortunate Age, winner of the Goldberg Prize for Fiction, the Elle Readers’ Prize, and a San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller. She has written frequently for The New York Times, Vogue, Marie Claire, O: The Oprah Magazine, and many other publications. In this episode we discuss: Her working environment and the habits which keep her on track What productivity means to her The impact of social media on writers and their work The film adaptation of My Salinger Year stars Margaret Qualley as Joanna and Sigourney Weaver as her boss. Directed by Oscar-nominee Philippe Falardeau, the film opens in theaters and streaming in North America on March 5, 2021 and in the UK on May 17, 2021. To find out more about Joanna (joannarakoff.com) To watch My Salinger Year (in the US): https://www.amazon.com/My-Salinger-Year-Margaret-Qualley/dp/B08XRXS8YB Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

The data is inconclusive. Conflicting studies will paint very different stories about the relationship between technology and the mental health of young people. This episode hopes to bring some clarity to the situation. In this episode, we welcome Larissa May, founder of Half the Story, a global not-for-profit, whose mission is to empower youth to engage in technology with intention. Time, Forbes, Good Morning America and CNN have all acclaimed her powerful work and influence as a digital wellness activist. In this episode we discuss: Her journey to founding Half The Story The important difference between connections and connecting Relativity and our relationship with technology The dangers of commercializing mental health Half the Story: https://halfthestoryproject.com/ Larissa's website: https://www.livinlikelarz.com/welcome Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare Additional Audio Editing: Steven Raets – Sonark Media

Technology is getting a bad rep. In fact, gaming is a super-food, productivity itself is 'toxic', and urban geography is more to blame than iPhones when we consider the challenges of society today. In this episode, we welcome Jocelyn Brewer, a Sydney-based registered psychologist with a special interest in the psychology of technology and staying human in a digital age. In 2013 she created Digital Nutrition as a positive framework for addressing digital wellbeing issues and our love-hate relationship with technology. In addition to her private psychology practice, Jocelyn is a sought-after speaker, educator and media commentator. In this episode we discuss: Why gaming is a super-food Why tech-is a convenient, but misplaced 'fall-guy' for the challenges of today Why critical thinking lies at the heart of our future relationships with tech To find out more from Jocelyn (jocelynbrewer.com/) To find a diverse set of positive games: (taminggaming.com) Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Can AI know our children better than we do? What are the signs of mental health problems online? And is it right that technology should be the first to spot them? In this episode, we welcome Doug Kaufman, the founder and CEO of Vertroos Health, which has created Nika. Nika is a tool to help parents identify mental health challenges in their children by decrypting their online activity. Doug, who holds a PhD in Psychology, is a serial entrepreneur, but never before has he built a product so personal to him. In this episode we discuss: Doug's own journey that led him to create Nika how technology can detect signs of mental illness in online behaviour the role of AI in supporting us to know ourselves and our children better For further resource on teen mental health, parenting and more: https://getnika.com/resources For more on Nika: https://getnika.com Find Doug Kaufman on LinkedIn Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Is the Social Dilemma a useful documentary? What are the problems with the current tech landscape and importantly, what are the solutions? In this episode, we welcome back Giancarlo Pitocco for the second part of our conversation with him. Giancarlo is an ex-Facebook/Instagram employee who has spent over a decade studying tech's impact on how we think, feel, work, and communicate. Now he’s on a mission to help us reclaim our attention, wellbeing, and lives from the powerful grips of distractive digital technology. Giancarlo launched Purposeful Digital Wellbeing to deliver his digital wellbeing curriculum through transformative talks, workshops, coaching, and consulting programs that have been sought out by organizations like The World Economic Forum, New York City Department of Education, Adobe, Spotify, Facebook, and Common Sense Media. In this episode we discuss: leadership in technology and the digital wellness movement the importance of competition for improving responsibility why double digit growth is not sustainable Like what you hear, but missed the first episode? You can listen here. You can also follow the latest with the Senate Anti-Trust Hearings here: Apple, Google Come Under Fire at Senate Antitrust Hearing More about Giancarlo: www.purposeful.nyc Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

How honest are we with ourselves about our own screen habits? Honesty in this episode is key, as we discuss the best ways to parent in a digital age. In this episode, we welcome Parven Kaur, founder of Kids N Clicks; a web resource that help parents and children thrive in a digital world. With over 80,000 visits a month, Parven has a unique insight into what parents care about when managing technology in their families. Her expertise has led her to write for organisations including Common Sense Media and FOSI. In this episode we discuss: How honesty with yourself is the first step to good digital parenting How has the pandemic affected social and digital wellbeing Which resources to trust on digital wellbeing How to develop a growth mindset in your child. You can find out more about Parven at www.kidsnclicks.com Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

During the pandemic, screentime amongst children sky-rocketed, and parents became anxious. But do we really need to worry? And what can we do to encourage our kids to thrive in this digital world? In this episode, we welcome Julia Storm, a Los Angeles-based Digital Media Wellness Specialist. She is an educator, writer, public speaker and the founder of ReConnect, a whole child and whole family approach.  In this episode we discuss:  how to focus on your child, rather than screentime how to think about different types of screentime  two key skills to develop in your children (and yourself) to stay on top of technology. Learn more about Julia: www.reconnect-families.com www.reconnect-academy.net Instagram - @reconnect4u Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Just how damaging has the pandemic been for our digital habits, and how can positive psychology help us to reset? In this episode, we welcome Teodora Pavkovic a psychologist, parenting coach and digital wellness consultant who utilizes the principles of emotional intelligence, neuroscience and positive psychology to inform and improve digital wellness for individuals, teams and organizations. Teodora is committed to helping individuals and groups preserve and protect their wellbeing and relationships in this increasingly digital world. In this episode we discuss: the impact of the pandemic on digital habits some approaches in psychology which are useful to build a healthier relationship with technology just why friction is so important. You can find out more about Teodora at: Website: https://www.teopcoaching.com Twitter: @psycoachTP Or read more about the topics discussed: In search of kindness, empathy and compassion in the digital world: https://www.teopcoaching.com/post/make-social-media-kinder 5 ways to create a healthy relationship with technology: https://www.teopcoaching.com/post/5-ways-to-create-a-healthy-relationship-with-technology Safety and positivity online: https://www.teopcoaching.com/post/safety-and-positivity-online Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

How should we define digital wellbeing? And how can technology serve us and our needs, values and aspirations? In this episode, we welcome Giancarlo Pitocco an ex-Facebook/Instagram employee who has spent over a decade studying tech's impact on how we think, feel, work, and communicate. Now he’s on a mission to help us reclaim our attention, wellbeing, and lives from the powerful grips of distractive digital technology. Giancarlo launched Purposeful Digital Wellbeing to deliver his powerful digital wellbeing curriculum through transformative talks, workshops,coaching, and consulting programs that have been sought out by organizations like The World Economic Forum, New York City Department of Education, Adobe, Spotify, Facebook, and Common Sense Media. In this episode we discuss: - frameworks for understanding digital wellbeing - how to align technology to your needs, values and aspirations - the best ways to combat zoom fatigue This is the first of two conversations with Giancarlo - tune in to coming episodes to hear more. More about Giancarlo: www.purposeful.nyc Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Jonathan Garner discusses the evolution of work and how companies now need to invest in their teams in new ways. In a hybrid workplace how do we recreate water-cooler moments? Our guest this week is clear - zoom quizzes are not the answer. Instead, how about investing in a Culture of You. In this episode, we welcome Jonathan Garner, founder or Mind Over Tech. Through live sessions and scalable online programmes Mind over Tech helps people embrace technology with intention. Their clients include Vodafone, Google, KPMG, The Cabinet Office, Natwest Group, Just Eat, and they are increasingly starting to bring their offerings to individuals as well. In this episode we discuss:  the reality of burnout in a pandemic  the challenges of a new hybrid working environment why companies need to invest in the culture of individuals. Mind over Tech (https://www.mindovertech.com/) Mot Newsletter (https://mot.fyi/newsletter) Digital Habits Lab (https://www.mindovertech.com/digital-habits) Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

What really is fun? And how do we get more of it in our lives? In this episode, we welcome Catherine Price, "...the Marie Kondo of brains" (The New York Times), journalist, speaker and author of international best-seller, 'How to Break Up with Your Phone'.  In this episode we discuss: what the pandemic has taught Catherine about screen/life balance how to define and find fun why a daily delight practice will spark joy We have no doubt, this conversation will leave you with a smile. The music you hear in today's episode is by Freedom's own Tanajah. Hear "Kid Again" and more here. https://spoti.fi/3bNWJQs == Catherine Price (https://phonebreakup.com/mediakit) Screen / Life Balance (https://www.screenlifebalance.com/) How to Break Up With Your Phone (Ten Speed Press, 2018) (https://phonebreakup.com/) Join the Fun Squad (https://mailchi.mp/screenlifebalance/funsquad) Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Theme music: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO

Why is control over technology such a misleading concept? And do we all need a 12 - step program? In this episode of Freedom Matters, we welcome Kim Cavallo, a nonprofit fundraiser turned unplugged experience curator, and Director of the Unplugged Collaborative, organisers of the National Day of Unplugging (March 5th - 6th). In this episode we discuss: the role of non-profits in supporting social change the power of conversation why everyone needs a 12 step-program and how to get involved in the National Day of Unplugging 2021 National Day of Unplugging 50+ Ideas of What to Do on NDU 2021 Unplug and Crochet for a Cause Fort Fun Photo Contest Little Free Libraries Scavenger Hunts  More about Kim Experience Freedom Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare

Where did Freedom begin? And faced with the challenges of big tech, the attention economy, and workplace innovation, what is its future? In our first episode of Freedom Matters, we welcome Freedom's Founder & CEO, Fred Stutzman. We discuss: what motivated him to build leading productivity app, Freedom his take on the challenges of the technology landscape why users need guard-rails how work is changing and innovation is inevitable and why there may be a more positive future for social media. More about Fred Experience Freedom Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music: Toccare, Blue Dot Sessions

In a time of constant distraction, how can we become less distracted? In this interview, renowned author and behavioral design expert Nir Eyal discusses specific steps we can take to be less distracted and more engaged with what matters most. Resources mentioned: NirAndFar.com/Indistractable Schedule maker: https://nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/ Summary article: https://www.nirandfar.com/skill-of-the-future/ Distraction guide: https://www.nirandfar.com/distractions/ Wikipedia news page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events (daily) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020 === https://freedom.to/blog Freedom Matters Interviews Nir Eyal For the Freedom team, Fred Stutzman, Alex Dempsey and Phil Amalong Music by Toccare

As a freelancer, you have no choice but to be a jack of all trades. Between marketing your business, responding to clients, and managing your finances, it’s a 24/7 grind. The ability to juggle a million different priorities isn’t just an advantage — it’s a must. But there’s a big difference between being busy and being productive. But the good news is that you can reclaim your focus and tap into unparalleled levels of productivity. Introducing… deep work. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/5-ways-freelancers-reclaim-focus-deep-work/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Studying is tough. Whether you’re a veteran student getting a Ph.D. or someone starting high school, figuring out how to stay focused while studying is a challenge that we all face. Whether your biggest challenge is social media, procrastination, time management, or a combination of all three, we’ve got a variety of tools and techniques that can help minimize the stress of studying and keep you focused on what matters. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/how-to-stay-focused-studying/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Many people, upon realizing how much time they’re spending on social media, push back, hoping to reclaim some of their time. But it’s not easy. Social media is addicting. It’s enjoyable to see the like count steadily climb on an Instagram post. They want to make changes to their social media usage but don’t know how. We’re here to help. If you’ve ever found yourself hating social media and wanting to take a break, this post is for you. We’re going to break down why people often hate social media, as well as how to effectively take a break. Ready? Let’s dive in. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/i-hate-social-media-a-guide-to-taking-a-break/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Addicting technology is so embedded in our daily lives that we’ve become accustomed to having the information we want available within seconds, summed up in 140 280 characters or less. We constantly switch between apps, and when we get a notification, we drop what we’re doing and check it out. These habits are impairing our concentration and making it difficult for us to focus on tasks like reading that require sustained focus. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/how-to-focus-on-reading-5-ways-to-retrain-your-brain/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Not as productive as you used to be? Feeling anxious all the time while your real-life relationships degrade? The culprit may be buzzing in your front pocket. Most of us know that we’re spending more time scrolling, swiping, and browsing on our phones. But when we start thinking about how to minimize it, things get murky. We tell ourselves that extra visit to Facebook or game of Fortnite isn’t that harmful. It’s hard to consider detaching from devices that have become such integral parts of our lives. You can do better, though. It comes down to building new habits and applying practical tips that reclaim lost time. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/5-signs-youre-spending-too-much-time-on-your-phone-and-what-to-do-about-it/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Why do we procrastinate? And most importantly, how do we overcome procrastination? In this post, we break down the what, why, and how of procrastination. We’ll talk specific strategies for overcoming procrastination, as well as examine the root causes of it. The goal? To beat the beast of procrastination. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/why-do-i-procrastinate-6-ways-to-stop-procrastinating-today/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Most people use their calendars reactively, meaning that they put things on their calendars as they come up. The problem with this approach is that it can lead to the day getting very chopped up, which then makes it difficult to get things done which require in-depth thinking. So what exactly is time blocking? Why does it work so well for some people? And how can you implement it in your own life? From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/time-blocking-a-guide-for-consistently-productive-days Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

For adults, the thought of applying screen time rules for ourselves is often overlooked. Shouldn’t we have enough discipline to handle this on our own? This couldn’t be further from the truth. In this age of unprecedented screen access and interactions with tech designed to be addictive, it’s never been more important to use every tool we can to ensure our screen time is healthy and intentional. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/screen-time-rules-not-just-for-kids-anymore/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

The line between work and home has been seriously blurred, if not completely obliterated. It’s increasingly difficult to tell whether we’ve had a productive day, and many people feel like they’ve never done enough. But is this productivity shame appropriate? Where have we gotten our preconceived notions about what it means to be a productive worker? Maybe it’s time to reconsider our ideas of productivity. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/the-point-of-productivity-is-your-understanding-of-productivity-holding-you-back/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Whenever you’re up to your eyeballs on a tight deadline and find yourself wandering off into a social media black hole or a YouTube binge, a single question comes to mind: Why can’t I just focus already? Why is it so hard to focus? What does focus even mean and how can we do it better? We explore the research and ask the experts for the best ways that we can improve focus. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/why-cant-i-focus-8-reasons-and-solutions-for-the-distracted-brain/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

Smartphones have changed everything from how we navigate when driving, to how we purchase goods and services. They’ve also radically changed the way we interact with one other. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/how-your-phone-is-ruining-your-relationships/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

How much time did you spend on your phone yesterday? How much phone time is right for you? We look at the research and discuss guidelines for healthy screen time. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/what-is-the-right-amount-of-time-to-spend-on-your-phone/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

In order to make a good decision, you must weigh all the factors involved, decide what’s most important, and then act based on that analysis. Performing these calculations requires mental energy, and your ability to make good decisions declines with the number of decisions you must make. Decision fatigue sets in as you make more and more choices. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/decision-fatigue-the-cost-of-distraction/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

When you understand what motivation is and how it works, you can then do specific things to significantly increase your overall levels of motivation. We explore the intricacies of motivation, discover why we often lack it, and look at practical actions we can take to improve it. From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/lack-of-motivation-the-forgotten-emotional-aspects-of-productivity/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare

While uncertainty levels are at an all-time high right now, it’s not going to totally disappear once this is all over. We will all continue to experience periods of confusion and anxiety from time to time. That’s just how life is. So how can we find focus when it feels like everything is turned upside down? From Freedom Matters Blog https://freedom.to/blog/finding-focus-in-uncertain-times/ Host: Mike Goodrick Music by Toccare