Feeling overwhelmed is something most of us have experienced. Too many meetings, tasks, and requests—paired with too little time, clarity, and control—can make work feel unmanageable. In this episode, Helen and Sarah share three practical actions to help you regain focus and reduce overwhelm. They explore how shifting your mindset from tasks to outcomes can bring clarity, help you prioritise what truly matters, and create a greater sense of control in your work. For questions about Squiggly Care...
Mar 11, 2025•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the fifth and final episode of the Squiggly Career Stage Series – 5 days of podcast episodes and practical tools to help you succeed in your career. We’ve focused on 5 stages where we know people need some extra squiggly support and in today’s episode we’re looking at Squiggly Career Continuers, to help people relook at retirement and develop career longevity. Sarah and Helen share their insights on continuing your career into later life and talk to two people to learn from their experti...
Mar 07, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the fourth episode of the Squiggly Career Stage Series – 5 days of podcast episodes and practical tools to help you succeed in your career. We’ve focused on 5 stages where we know people need some extra squiggly support and in today’s episode we’re looking at Squiggly Career Changers, to help people pivot and create new possibilities. Sarah and Helen share their insights on career change and interview three people to learn from their experience; Jenny Black, author of Pivot and Oli Kelly...
Mar 06, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the third episode of the Squiggly Career Stage Series – 5 days of podcast episodes and practical tools to help you succeed in your career. We’ve focused on 5 stages where we know people need some extra squiggly support and in today’s episode we’re looking at Squiggly Career Setbacks, to help people stay resilient when things go wrong. Sarah and Helen share their insights on career setbacks and interview three people to learn from their experience; Amy Schoenthal, author of The Setback Cy...
Mar 05, 2025•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the second episode of the Squiggly Career Stage Series – 5 podcast episodes and practical tools to help you succeed in your career. We’ve focused on 5 stages where we know people need some extra squiggly support and in today’s episode Helen and Sarah are looking at Squiggly Career Returners, to help people build career confidence after a break. Sarah and Helen share their insights on returning and interview two people to learn from their experience; Julianne Miles MBE, Co-Founder and CEO...
Mar 04, 2025•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the first episode of the Squiggly Career Stage Series – 5 podcast episodes and practical tools to help you succeed in your career. We’ve focused on 5 stages where we know people need some extra squiggly support and in this episode Helen and Sarah are looking at Squiggly Career Starters, people who are looking to learn and grow in their first job. Sarah and Helen share their insights on this stage and interview two people to learn from their perspective; Yemurai Rabvukwa and S...
Mar 03, 2025•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Small talk is part of lots of the meetings and moments that we experience at work and most of us don't enjoy it! This week, Sarah and Helen discuss why small talk matters for connection and how to approach it. They share 'small talk starters', the importance of listening to what is said (instead of being distracted by what you want to say) and how to transition from small talk into what needs to come next. To use the PodSheet that supports the episode, head to amazingif.com/listen (00:00) Introd...
Feb 25, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Awareness is a key skill to support your squiggly career but one that can feel hard to improve. This week, Helen and Sarah talk through 3 different types of awareness; self-awareness, situational awareness and relational awareness. They share ideas to assess your awareness and special actions you can take to improve in any area where you might have a gap. (00:00) Introduction (01:07) The different types of awareness (02:27) Self-awareness (09:53) Situational awareness (18:43) Relational awarenes...
Feb 18, 2025•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Helen and Sarah are talking about how to use scenario planning as a tool to increase your career resilience. They work through a matrix that you can apply to your career to spot different situations and take proactive action to mitigate risk and maximise opportunity. (00:00) Introduction (01:25) Benefits of scenario planning (04:57) Part 1: a sample matrix (07:07) a) best case - promotion (08:54) b) worst case - redundancy (10:33) c) unwanted - changing role (13:15) d) hopeful - job-c...
Feb 11, 2025•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Feedback is a powerful tool for career growth, but it can be hard to give and to get. When learning becomes the priority, feedback becomes much easier and more effective. This week, Helen and Sarah explore three ‘stop and start’ practices to make feedback more impactful. Whether you’re giving or receiving feedback, these actions can help you to reset your approach and focus on growth. (00:00) Introduction (00:53) Feedback and learning (03:41) Three stops and starts… (06:38) ad hoc vs alwa...
Feb 04, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the final episode of our Videobook Club series where Helen and Sarah review and reflect on 4 different Videobooks to identify ideas everyone can put into action to support their development. In this episode, Helen talks to Dan Ariely about how his work on decision making can inform our career thinking and help us to make better choices. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobooks, who have given the Squiggly Careers Community access to their l...
Jan 29, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to week 4 of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club. This week, Helen and Sarah are diving into decision making and discussing Dan Ariely’s Videobook, Predictably Irrational. Together they talk about the statements that stuck, what surprised them and the action they are going to take as a result of watching. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobooks, who have given the Squiggly Careers Community access to their library of videobooks for free in...
Jan 28, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is our second episode on Burnout as part of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club series, running throughout January. Each week, Helen and Sarah focus on a different Videobook and identify insights and ideas that everyone can put into action to support their career development. In this episode, Sarah talks to one of the authors Amelia Nagoski about the stress cycle and why we need to find new ways to release the stress in our bodies to prevent burnout. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is b...
Jan 22, 2025•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to week 3 of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club. This week, Helen and Sarah are diving into Burnout: The secret to solving the stress cycle by Amelia and Emily Nagoski. Together they talk about the statements that stuck, what surprised them and the action they are going to take as a result of watching. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobooks, who have given the Squiggly Careers Community access to their library of videobooks for free in J...
Jan 21, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the second episode of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club where Helen and Sarah focus on a different Videobook each week in January and identify insights and ideas that everyone can put into action to support their career development. This week, the focus is on Influence by Robert B. Cialdini. In today’s episode, Helen and Robert discuss his work and how it can be applied to people’s career development. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobo...
Jan 15, 2025•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to week 2 of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club. In our second episode of the series, Helen and Sarah discuss their experience of watching Influence, a Videobook from Robert B. Cialdini. Together they talk about a statement that stuck, something that surprised them, and what action they are going to take as a result of watching. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobooks, who have given the Squiggly Careers Community access to their library ...
Jan 14, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is the second episode of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club where Helen and Sarah focus on a different Videobook each week in January and identify insights and ideas that everyone can put into action to support their career development. This week, the focus is on How to Change by Katy Milkman. In today’s episode, Sarah talks to Katy about some of the key principles in her work that can help people to make the changes that matter to them. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to yo...
Jan 08, 2025•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to week 1 of the Squiggly Careers Videobook Club. In our first episode of the series, Helen and Sarah discuss their experience of watching How to Change, a Videobook from Katy Milkman. Together they talk about a statement that stuck, something that surprised them, and what action they are going to take as a result of watching. The Squiggly Careers Videobook Club is brought to you in partnership with LIT Videobooks, who have given the Squiggly Careers Community access to their library of ...
Jan 07, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Helen and Sarah are ending 2024 with a list of their top 10 things to read, watch, listen and learn from. They share the books that have made the biggest difference to their development, the TED Talks that have had a lasting impact, the podcasts that made them think differently, the newsletters that actually got read and the people they prioritised to follow. If you'd like some learning inspiration for the year ahead, then this will be a great episode for you. More ways to learn about Squiggly C...
Dec 31, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week's Squiggly Podcast episode is a special recording of the Career Collective Live, where Helen and Sarah we joined by fellow podcasters to share their different perspectives on work and personal development. Listen and learn from Bruce Daisley (Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat), Jimmy McLoughlin (Jimmy's Jobs of the Future) and Isabel Berwick (FT's Working It) as they discuss team work, how to get a payrise and what we really need to know about AI. More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers: 1. J...
Dec 24, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Helen and Sarah wrap up the year with 5 quick-fire questions and 3 thoughtful reflections on their personal insights and learnings from 2024. They’ll take you behind the scenes of the squiggly reality of what it’s really like running a company together, sharing the highs, the challenges, and everything in between. You’ll also be able to use the same questions to reflect on your own year, helping you close out your year with clarity and set yourself up for a successful and meaningful 2...
Dec 17, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Being generous with your time and expertise can payoff in lots of ways for your career. You build stronger relationships and feel better about the work you do. However, if you give too much you can be at risk of burnout. This week, Helen and Sarah talk about different types of giver and where risk can creep in. Whether you can be a bit of a people pleaser or have a tendancy to be an adhoc helper, they share practical ideas for you to give without getting it wrong. You can find the PodSheet, PodN...
Dec 10, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Helen and Sarah discuss how to build a healthier relationship with rejection in your career. They share 4 practical steps to help you process rejection, from giving yourself breathing space to creating a full-stop response. Whether you're facing rejection yourself or supporting someone who is, these actions can help you reflect, learn, and move forward with confidence. You can find the PodSheet, PodNote and full transcript for the episode at https://www.amazingif.com/listen/. More way...
Dec 03, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week Helen and Sarah are talking about what to do when you don’t feel like you’re being heard at work. They talk about tactics and techniques that create space for you to speak. From bookending meetings to finding a supporter who can bring you into the conversation, they share 5 practical ideas to help you take action. You can find the PodSheet, PodNote and full transcript for the episode at https://www.amazingif.com/listen/. More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers: 1. Read our latest HBR...
Nov 26, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s episode, Sarah is joined by author and expert Robert Poynton to explore the often-overlooked skill of pausing. Drawing from his book Do Pause, Robert shares insights on how introducing intentional pauses into your day can improve performance, sustain creativity, and help you thrive in your squiggly career. Together, they discuss: The barriers that stop us from pausing How to think of pausing as a “plastic concept” that adapts to your needs Practical tips to fit pauses into the spa...
Nov 19, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Helen and Sarah are getting playful! They talk about why it's important to prioritise play and work and share practical ways to do it individually and as a team. If you're feeling stretched or stressed fitting in small moments of play into your day is proven to relieve stress and increase connection with colleagues. You can find the PodSheet, PodNote and full transcript for the episode at https://www.amazingif.com/listen/ Downloa...
Nov 12, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Taking initiative often feels like a nice idea that people don't quite know how to action. In this week's podcast, Helen and Sarah talk about why it's a skill that matters for squiggly careers and practical ways to increase your opportunity to take initiative at work. They share 4 different ideas including the importance of focusing on minimum viable progress and why you need to know the what and own the how. You can find the PodSheet, PodNote and full transcript for the episode at https://www.a...
Nov 05, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you ever feel like you're not spending your time well at work then this week's episode will be a useful listen for you. Helen and Sarah talk through practical actions to help you be efficient (doing things right) and effective (getting the right things done). They discuss when a focus on efficiency can go too far and how to get the best balance for you and the people you work with. They share 5 ideas to help you to be more efficient with your time, your tasks, your meetings, your emails and y...
Oct 29, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Career complacency happens when you're not intentional about improving your skills or exploring your future possibilities. Even when you're happy in your role, it's important to actively manage your development. Without it, we risk losing relevance and being less resilient to change. This week, Helen and Sarah share 5 ideas to action to overcome career complacency. They discuss how resistance goals can counteract a passive approach to your progression and the benefit of spending time with ...
Oct 22, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Helen and Sarah relook at the topic of career pivots which they first covered on the podcast in 2018. They share a 5 part process to take you from exploring your pivot possibilities to becoming known as someone with pivotability! If you're thinking about doing something different but don't know how to get started, this episode will be a useful listen to help you to action. More ways to learn about Squiggly Careers: 1. Read our latest HBR article: https://bit.ly/3XmAcki-hbr10 2. Sign u...
Oct 15, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
