The Better Workday Podcast
Self-Improvement
About
Welcome to The Better Workday Podcast with your host, Niamh Moynihan. Niamh wants to put the joy back into our working lives. Join her on a journey to productivity and success as she explores practical strategies, tackles tough questions, and shares expert insights to help you thrive in the modern workplace.
Episodes
- EP 88 | The Illusion of Perfection in Hybrid Work
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast discusses presenteeism in hybrid work, examining its impact on productivity and team resilience. It explores how working while unwell can be detrimental and offers insights for leaders.
- EP 87 | The Illusion of Perfection in Hybrid Work
This episode discusses how hybrid and remote work can create a false impression that colleagues are more adept, potentially causing individuals to feel inadequate. It covers the link between this illusion and procrastination/perfectionism,…
- EP 86 | Time Management vs. Productivity (What's the Difference?)
This episode clarifies the distinction between time management and productivity. It covers how to create realistic work schedules and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing tasks, managing energy, and collaborating with others for true…
- EP 85 | The Smarter Way to Build Presentations
Niamh Moynihan and Microsoft PowerPoint MVP Fiona Walsh discuss a smarter approach to building presentations, emphasizing starting before PowerPoint, structuring effectively, and using built-in tools for improved delivery and rehearsal.
- EP 84 | Should You Track Your Time? What 2 Weeks of Tracking Taught Us
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast features Niamh and Tricia sharing their two-week time tracking experiment. They discuss its effects on time blindness, perceived busyness, and the difference between task time and real-life time.
- EP 83 | The Goldilocks Approach to Planning Your Week
Niamh discusses how planning can become a form of procrastination, sharing personal anecdotes of failed planning methods. She introduces the 'Goldilocks approach' as a practical solution to balance planning effectively.
- EP 82 | How to Stay Grounded When Your Workday Keeps Changing
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast, featuring Niamh, addresses how frequent small changes in the workday can become overwhelming. It offers practical advice with five grounding questions and reset strategies to help listeners regai…
- EP 81 | How to Beat the Sunday Scaries Before Monday Arrives
Niamh and Tricia of The Better Workday Podcast discuss the causes and effects of the 'Sunday Scaries,' a common feeling of dread before the work week. They offer practical strategies to help listeners manage this anxiety and enjoy their Su…
- EP 80 | The Mindset Shift That Makes Every Workday Better
This episode explores the power of a 'word of the year' for enhancing work-life practices. Host Niamh shares her 2026 word, 'believe,' detailing its practical application for motivation and handling rejection, and guides listeners on choos…
- EP 79 | Stop Underestimating: How to Improve Your Time Estimates
This episode discusses the common mistake of underestimating task duration. Niamh explains five factors often forgotten during work planning and how to manage them to prevent derailing your workday.
- EP 78 | Make Better Decisions Without The Mental Drain
Niamh Moynihan discusses workplace procrastination and decision-making challenges, offering three methods to speed up decisions. The episode aims to help listeners manage daily choices more effectively.
- EP 77 | Why Your Brain Feels Full (Choosing Better Digital Habits)
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast addresses the feeling of an overwhelmed brain due to devices. It offers strategies for a digital reset, including auditing apps, increasing awareness of digital habits, and establishing practical…
- EP 76 | Year End Reflections: Space, Grace, and Coming Home
Niamh and Tricia discuss year-end reflections, focusing on themes from 2025, debunking productivity myths, and advocating for a broader perspective in reflection.
- EP 75 | Trust and Potential: The Simple Formula for a Strong Personal Brand
This episode discusses building a personal brand by design, not default. It explains the importance of reputation in creating career opportunities and offers a simple formula for assessing your reputation to ensure future success.
- EP 74 | Stop Waiting! How To Prioritise Rest And Wellbeing Now
This episode addresses the common habit of postponing rest and self-care, explaining why waiting for the ideal time is ineffective. It provides actionable strategies for immediately improving well-being.
- EP 73 | How to take the stress out of time off work
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast features Niamh and Tricia Brady discussing how to reduce stress associated with taking time off work and effectively switch off when you log off.
- EP 72 | Inbox Zero vs. Inbox 10,000: Why Your Email Count Doesn't Matter
This episode argues that the size of your inbox is less important than your relationship with email. Host Niamh shares a practical strategy to transform email management, reduce stress, and improve communication for a better workday.
- EP 71 | Saying No (When Your Manager or Another Leader Is Asking)
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast provides strategies for declining requests from managers or other leaders when your workload is already full. It discusses how overcommitment can lead to unreliability and offers professional comm…
- EP 70 | Plan Your 2026 Goals Before the New Year Rush
Niamh introduces the Goal Ladder framework to help listeners set and achieve their 2026 goals. The episode focuses on planning professional development, creating a 'won't do' list, and scheduling time to ensure a calmer and more successful…
- EP 69 | Feel the Fear and Network Anyway
Niamh discusses strategies for managing networking anxiety at in-person events. Tips include observing the room upon arrival, finding commonalities with others, identifying and joining welcoming groups, and focusing on learning about other…
- EP 68 | Successful Time Management is Personal
This episode discusses why time management is a personal and subjective process. Niamh explains how to tailor strategies to your specific work type, use buffer time effectively, and manage stress to improve your workday experience.
- EP 67 | How to Manage Distractions at Work
Niamh discusses managing distractions by differentiating between interruptions and self-inflicted diversions. The episode offers strategies for mind wandering, using calendar reminders, segmenting work time, optimizing your environment, an…
- EP 66 | The Four Cs of Better Communication
This episode introduces Niamh's Four Cs of communication: Challenge Urgency Bias, Ask for Preferences, Move 10% in Their Direction, and Be Complete with Context. These strategies aim to improve message impact, reduce errors, and enhance te…
- EP 65 | The Secret to Better Collaboration is Learning to Disagree
Niamh discusses how the ability to disagree effectively is crucial for collaboration. The episode explores how fear hinders teams and offers practical advice for fostering open communication.
- EP 64 | Breaking the Cycle of Productivity Paralysis
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast addresses 'productivity paralysis,' a state of overwhelm and decreased efficiency stemming from a long to-do list. Niamh offers strategies to regain control, manage deadlines, and emphasizes the i…
- EP 63 | Why Delegation Is Hard (and How to Make It Easier)
Niamh Moynihan discusses common barriers to delegation and presents a framework to make it easier. The episode covers the six levels of delegation and how to select the appropriate method for your team.
- EP 62 | Finding Stability in an Agile Workplace
This episode discusses 'Stagility,' a concept from the 2025 Global Human Capital Trends report, exploring the balance between an organization's need for agility and an employee's need for stability. Practical advice is provided to help fin…
- EP 61 | From Strong Start to Finish: Keeping Momentum at Work
Niamh Moynihan discusses why strong starts at work can falter and provides practical strategies for individuals and teams to maintain momentum and finish tasks effectively.
- EP 60 | Dealing with Four Types of Difficult Managers
Niamh discusses the significant impact a difficult manager can have on your workday and career. This episode provides practical strategies for navigating four common 'bad boss' archetypes to improve your work life.
- EP 59 | Priority Management and Procrastination
Niamh discusses procrastination on The Better Workday Podcast, differentiating it from prioritization and providing three questions to help listeners identify if they are delaying important tasks.
- EP 58 | September Reset for a Successful End of Year
This episode focuses on resetting goals in September for the final months of the year. Niamh guides listeners through assessing project progress with three key questions to ensure end-of-year success.
- EP 57 | Why you are busy but don't feel productive
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast features Niamh Moynihan discussing why individuals often feel busy but unproductive. She covers strategies like planning, tracking unexpected tasks, and acknowledging completed work to enhance fee…
- EP 56 | Is Your Routine Helping You or Holding You Back?
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast, hosted by Niamh Moynihan, examines how routines can sometimes be restrictive rather than supportive. It offers guidance on balancing structure with flexibility, applicable to various work arrange…
- EP 55 | Defining Success at Work
Host Niamh Moynihan discusses how a limited definition of success can hinder career growth and shares a self-reflection exercise to help listeners redefine their own success.
- EP 54 | Urgent People vs. Urgent Tasks
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast discusses the distinction between urgent people and urgent tasks. By separating the feeling of urgency from actual deadlines, listeners can decrease unnecessary stress and overwork, enabling a foc…
- EP 53 | Lessons from "Attention Span" by Gloria Mark
This episode reviews Gloria Mark's book 'Attention Span,' offering practical advice from the author on managing distractions and improving focus at work. Host Niamh Moynihan shares key takeaways and insights on mastering habits of attentio…
- EP 52 | Finding the Balance in Weekly Planning
Host Niamh Moynihan discusses how to manage weekly planning through seven key questions. This episode explores techniques for balancing solo and collaborative tasks to improve productivity and reduce work-related stress.
- EP 51 | Understanding and Managing Interruptions in Meetings
This episode of The Better Workday Podcast discusses managing interruptions in meetings. Host Niamh Moynihan explores reasons for interruptions, categorizes different types, and shares practical strategies like the 'notebook method' to enh…
- EP 50 | What gets in the way of thinking?
Niamh Moynihan explores common workplace barriers to thinking, such as the guilt associated with 'doing nothing' and the habit of urgency. She highlights the importance of thinking time for productivity, creativity, and leadership, offerin…
- EP 49 | Making Time to Think at Work
Niamh Moynihan discusses the importance of creating space for thinking at work, distinguishing between on-the-job and deep thinking. She provides strategies for fostering thinking, including managing time, place, people, and headspace, and…
- EP 48 | Special Guest - Sinead D'Arcy
Niamh Moynihan interviews Sinead D'Arcy, discussing support for early talent, the changing role of managers, and the significance of mindset. They cover communication, training for new managers, and generational differences in the workplac…
- EP 47 | The 5-Star To-Do List
Niamh shares the 5-Star To-Do List method on The Better Workday Podcast, a productivity tool created in 2018 to help manage tasks, prioritize effectively, reduce stress, and focus on important items.
- EP 46 | Meaningful Meetings
Niamh Moynihan discusses how to make workplace meetings meaningful by focusing on understanding, progress, and trust. This episode of The Better Workday Podcast offers practical strategies to improve meeting effectiveness and create a more…
- EP 45 | Managing Expectations at Work
Niamh Moynihan on The Better Workday podcast discusses managing workplace expectations to prevent stress and burnout. She offers practical strategies for employees and managers regarding realistic expectations, effective communication, and…
- EP 44 | Special Guest Episode: David Burke of Workhuman
Niamh Moynihan hosts David Burke of Workhuman to discuss building human-centric workplaces, the significance of employee recognition, and navigating hybrid work challenges. They explore how celebrating achievements and milestones fosters e…
- EP 43 | Work-Life SOS: Finding Work-Life Balance That Works for You
Niamh Moynihan explores common work-life balance struggles on The Better Workday Podcast, providing actionable advice to manage time, attention, and energy effectively. The episode encourages listeners to identify neglected areas and imple…
- EP 42 | How to manage up and work better with your manager
Niamh Moynihan discusses the concept of "managing up" on The Better Workday Podcast, explaining how understanding your manager's needs can improve your working relationship. The episode provides strategies for effective communication, proa…
- EP 41 | How to Say No at Work
Niamh Moynihan shares a three-step framework for resetting your workday or workweek when motivation or productivity decreases. The episode offers practical methods to refresh your environment and realign tasks for better progress.
- EP 40 | Resetting Your Workday
Niamh discusses the importance of resetting your workday or workweek when motivation or productivity declines. She presents a three-step framework to help listeners step away, refresh their environment, and realign tasks to regain focus an…
- EP 39 | Special Guest Episode: Criona Turley of Capella
Host Niamh Moynihan interviews Criona Turley, CEO of Capella, about technology's impact on workspaces. They discuss hybrid work challenges, intentional planning, and strategies for enhancing collaboration and productivity in modern workpla…