Richard and Pilar take a look at the importance of proactively and intentionally managing the boundaries between our various life roles. How do we prevent one role absorbing the time and attention we'd like to invest in another?  We're really close to episode 100, so don't forget to get in touch with your feedback and questions about the show so far. Anything you've enjoyed, put into practice - or something that has just given you another perspective on work. Send us a message on Twitter (@MyPocketPsych) via our contact form (worklifepsych.com/contact) or by email (podcast@worklifepsych.com). You can even leave us a voicemail! See below... Resources mentioned in this episode Richard's half-marathon fundraising for Epilepsy Action: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/doctorworkpsych Leave us a voicemail here: https://camflare.io/studio/61308a654fd12/ Richard's new YouTube channel: https://richardmackinnon.tv   

My Pocket Psych: The Psychology of the Workplace

Ep 098: Managing your boundaries

In this episode, Richard is joined by fellow chartered psychologist, Dr. Rachael Skews, who shares his interest in the factors that contribute to our wellbeing.  Together, they explore the concept of 'self-care' - the many forms it can take and how it's needed in a busy and unpredictable world. Huge thanks to Rachael for once again taking the time to come on the podcast.  Resources mentioned in this episode Richard's JustGiving page for Epilepsy Action: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/doctorworkpsych Leave us a voicemail here: https://camflare.io/studio/61308a654fd12/ Dr. Rachael Skews on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachaelSkews

Ep 097: A little bit of what you need

Welcome to episode 096, where our focus is on fresh starts. Humans are attracted to what we call 'temporal landmarks’, which are date-based lines in the sand that allow us to make sense of our past and establish new chapters in our lives. These new chapters give us the opportunity to have a fresh start.  Richard and Pilar discuss how to make best use of this mechanism, along with the risks of over-use or conflating it with procrastination. We can use a fresh start to commit to a new habit, to commence a new educational or employment focus or simply to put some challenges and setbacks behind us. As we hurtle towards our 100th episode, we’d love to here from you. Get in touch with your questions about topics we’ve covered, with your comments and your feedback. If you’ve taken any of the concepts we’ve discussed and put them into practice, we’d love to hear how it’s worked out for you. You can tweet us, write something longer on our contact form, or even leave us a brief voicemail. Really, you have no excuse! Thanks for listening! Resources mentioned in this episode Katy Milkman, 'How to change' Dan Pink, 'When' Leave us a voicemail here: https://camflare.io/studio/61308a654fd12/ 

Ep 096: Fresh starts

Welcome to the final episode in our series all about coaching. This time, Pilar and Richard look at the role of managers in coaching and how they themselves can coach their team members. In some ways it's more difficult than being an external coach and requires a lot of objectivity and focus from the managers. But it pays off in the long term.  We're rapidly approaching our 100th episode and we'd love to hear from you. What questions do you have about any of the topics we've covered? How have you put what you've learnt into practice? What are your most favourite episodes or topics? Get in touch on Twitter @MyPocketPsych, leave us a message on our. contact form at worklifepsych.com/contact or, leave us a quick voicemail via this new link: https://camflare.io/studio/61308a654fd12/  Resources mentioned in this episode Coaching with WorkLifePsych: worklifepsych.com/coaching WorkLifePsych Effectiveness courses, including coaching skills training: https://www.worklifepsych.com/solutions/effectiveness/effectiveness-courses/  Ep 094: Coaching for effectiveness: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/094/ Ep 093: Coaching for wellbeing: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/093/ Ep 092: Coaching for productivity: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/092/ Ep 091: Common coaching pitfalls: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/91/ Ep 090: How to approach coaching: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/90/  

Ep 095: Can a manager be a coach?

This latest episode in our series on coaching looks at how coaching can support the key interpersonal skills and attitudes to support our effectiveness at work.  Pilar and Richard look at the topics that come up in effectiveness-related coaching contexts and the ways in which these translate into performance at work.  In a future episode, we'll answer all your questions about coaching, so please get in touch with anything you've always wanted to ask. Either on Twitter or on our contact form.  Thanks for listening! Resources mentioned in this episode Coaching with WorkLifePsych: https://www.worklifepsych.com/coaching Ep 090: How to approach coaching - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/90/ Ep 091: Common coaching pitfalls to avoid - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/91/ Ep 092: Coaching for productivity - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/092/ Ep 093: Coaching for wellbeing - https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/093/  

Ep 094: Coaching for effectiveness

In this fourth episode of our latest series on coaching, Richard and Pilar look at a very important topic: how coaching can support our wellbeing. We explore some of the common wellbeing topics, as well as how an ACT perspective can help coachees make the changes they really value.  Resources mentioned in this episode: Coaching with WorkLifePsych: https://www.worklifepsych.com/coaching Ep065: Employee wellbeing with Dr. Kevin Teoh: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-065-employee-wellbeing-with-dr-kevin-teoh/ Ep018: The importance of sleep: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-018-wellbeing-the-importance-of-sleep/  

Ep 093: Coaching for wellbeing

In this third episode of our current series on coaching, Pilar and Richard take a look at the application of coaching when it comes to productivity. They look at how productivity manifests as a coaching topic, the role of mindset and habits and the common ways our approach to work can trip us up.  Next time, we'll look at how coaching can help when it comes to the theme of wellbeing at work. Do get in touch with your questions and feedback via @MyPocketPsych or our contact form.  Thanks for listening! Resources mentioned in this episode Episode 089 - Productivity plus...? https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-089-productivity-plus/ Episode 090 - How to approach coaching: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/90/ Episode 091 - Common coaching pitfalls: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/91/ Episode 058 - Dealing with discomfort: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-058-psychflex-in-action-6-dealing-with-discomfort/ Blog post - Choosing with Intention: https://www.worklifepsych.com/choosing-with-intention/

Ep 092: Coaching for productivity

In this second part of our latest coaching series, we look at some of the common pitfalls that coaches and coachees can encounter when working together. Pilar and Richard look at the importance of  taking time to reflect between sessions, of honesty and openness and of being clear on the coaching focus.  If you have questions about coaching, we'd love to hear from you. We'll be addressing listeners' questions in a later episode of this series, so either message us on Twitter or send a long note via our contact form at WorkLifePsych.com/contact.  Resources mentioned in this episode Episode 090: How to approach coaching: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/90/  What is coaching? Getting unstuck: https://www.worklifepsych.com/what-is-coaching-getting-unstuck/ Coaching with WorkLifePsych: https://www.worklifepsych.com/coaching 

Ep 091: Common coaching pitfalls to avoid

Welcome to episode 90, where we kick off a new series all about coaching. In this first episode, we look at what coaching actually is, how it can be used and how you can prepare for your first coaching session. Pilar turns the tables and asks all the questions! Resources mentioned in this episode: Episode 089: “Productivity plus…?” https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-089-productivity-plus/ Coaching with worklifepsych: worklifepsych.com/coaching

Ep 090: How to approach coaching

In this episode, Richard looks at some of the factors we sometimes neglect in our pursuit of productivity. Increased productivity can simply lead to more work, can impact our relationships if we don't account for our interdependence with others and can be extremely unfulfilling if we don't know why exactly we want to be productive in the first place! More than anything, our attempts to get stuff done this year need to come with a healthy dose of compassion - for ourselves and those around us.

Ep 089: Productivity plus...?

Welcome to episode 88 (a pleasingly round number), where Pilar and Richard take a look at email and how it's so easy to mis-use.  There are heaps of traps we can fall into when it comes to email and the resulting chaos in our in-boxes can be stressful and take us away from our real priorities. Our core message is to examine your automatic behaviour when it comes to email and explore other ways you can respond to that 'ping'.  Resources mentioned 'A world without email' by Cal Newport: https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Without-Email-Reimagining-Overload-ebook/dp/B08DTRMBZ3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+world+without+email&qid=1622107063&sr=8-1  Schrodinger's email blog post: https://www.worklifepsych.com/schrodingers-email-using-your-technology-with-intention/  The WorkLifePsych online community: https://www.worklifepsych.club 

Ep 088: Our relationship with email

Welcome to episode 87, where Richard is joined by fellow occupational psychologist, James Beevers. They take a look at an important workplace topic: our tendency to sometimes overplay our strengths. James outlines his own background and interests, before explaining how overplayed strengths can manifest, and what we can do about it. Many thanks to James for his time and expertise. Resources mentioned in this episode James Beevers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-beevers-38a9545/ WorkLifePsych.club: https://www.worklifepsych.club

Ep 087: Overplayed Strengths with James Beevers

Welcome to episode 86, which sees the long-awaited return of Pilar and a focus on habits. They represent a snapshot of our values in action and can be used to help us make valued changes in our behaviour. We discuss some of the pitfalls to avoid and some of the ways we can cultivate helpful habits. We can derail our personal development initiatives with goals that are too stretching or demanding, by starting with the unattainable and by a focus on goals that excludes what we’ll do once we reach that goal. Focusing on sustainable habits and the systems and processes for life they facilitate means we’re less likely to overreach and more likely to take some helpful action. Even if, as BJ Fogg writes, it’s in the form of a ‘tiny’ habit. Thanks for listening! Resources mentioned: Trusted coach directory blog post on workplace wellbeing: https://trustedcoachdirectory.com/four-mistakes-to-avoid-when-it-comes-to-workplace-wellbeing/ ’Tiny Habits’ by BJ Fogg: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiny-Habits-Changes-Change-Everything/dp/0753553244/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tiny+habits&qid=1619614569&sr=8-1 ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break-ebookhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/1847941842/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1619614569&sr=8-2-spons ‘Productive’ habit-tracking app: https://productiveapp.io Habitica habit-tracking app: https://habitica.com/static/home Our episode about analogue productivity and the Bullet Journal methodology: https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/ep-047-analogue-in-a-digital-world/ 

Ep 086: Cultivating new habits!

Welcome to episode 85, which is all about mindfulness. Richard is joined by Sarah Strohmaier, a mindfulness researcher, who helps us bust a few myths and misunderstandings about the topic. Sarah’s research has looked at the impact of mindfulness in the workplace and she makes a very clear case for the ‘little and often’ approach. And don’t forget, Sarah will be joining us at our next WorkLifePsych community meet-up on April 28th. Completely free, but you’ll need to join our community at www.worklifepsych.club Resources mentioned in this episode: www.worklifepsych.club - our online community Sarah’s Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/sarahstrohmaier Sarah’s page at Canterbury Christ Church University: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/science-engineering-and-social-sciences/psychology-and-life-sciences/psychology/phd-profiles/sarah-strohmaier.aspx Sarah’s paper on the effect of mindfulness practice length: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-020-01512-5 www.worklifepsych.club - our online community Sarah’s Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/sarahstrohmaier Sarah’s page at Canterbury Christ Church University: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/science-engineering-and-social-sciences/psychology-and-life-sciences/psychology/phd-profiles/sarah-strohmaier.aspx Sarah’s paper on the effect of mindfulness practice length: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-020-01512-5

Ep 085: Does mindfulness work? With Sarah Strohmaier

Welcome to Episode 84, where Richard is once again joined by fellow psychologist Dr. Antonia Dietmann, this time looking at the difficult topic of loneliness. It's something that Antonia looked at as part of her doctoral research and is very relevant to the experience of many employees working from home right now. We look at what loneliness actually is, how it can come about and what organisations can do about it.  Do please get in touch with your questions and comments, either via twitter @MyPocketPsych, via the Contact form, or join us for a discussion of this episode over at WorkLifePsych Club.  Thanks for listening!

Ep 084: Loneliness at work with Dr. Antonia Dietmann

My Pocket Psych is all about the psychology of the workplace. Each episode, we'll examine the world of work and explore a topic through the lens of psychology. We'll aim to give listeners tips to help improve their experience of work - moving from surviving to thriving! My Pocket Psych is brought to you by WorkLifePsych Ltd and hosted by Dr. Richard MacKinnon and Pilar Orti.

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My Pocket Psych: The Psychology of the Workplace

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