logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
20m 30s

How to make boring work feel new again

Fast Company
About this episode

Last week, I had Ellen Pompeo on the podcast and the theme of making something old feel new again kept popping up. She's been on Grey's Anatomy for 18 seasons, so who could blame her? I came across research from Ed O'Brien, associate professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and figured he was the perfect person to help us figure out how to find new ways of tackling something we think is too familiar or boring.

Up next
Jun 10
Why Moby keeps giving music away for free
Moby’s prolific music career spans 35 years, most notably helping to bring electronic music to the mainstream—and perhaps less notably, but still importantly, giving so much of that music away for free. Amid consistently putting out albums, Moby launched Mobygratis in 2005, a pla ... Show More
56m 17s
Jun 3
Creative Control is Back!
The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of th ... Show More
51s
Sep 2023
Creative Control series roundup!
1m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2012
Some Old Segments You Might Like
Mike and Ian are out of the office this week. But we went way back to the early episodes to find the old segments we’re actually not embarrassed of! If you’ve heard every episode, maybe skip this. But if you’re a new listener, we’ll tell you how to act around celebrities, how to ... Show More
21m 52s
Nov 2021
Work 2.0: Life, Interrupted
Many of us spend our workdays responding to a never-ending stream of emails and texts. We feel stressed out and perpetually behind on our to-do list. But what if there was a better way to work? This week, we revisit a favorite conversation about "deep work" with computer scientis ... Show More
50m 16s
Dec 2020
Encore: Why boredom is surprisingly interesting, with Erin Westgate, PhD
We’re taking a holiday break, so we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from this past year. Back in the spring we talked to University of Florida psychologist Erin Westgate about the surprisingly fascinating topic of boredom. What is boredom? Is it always bad to be bored? ... Show More
41m 9s
Sep 2019
The Neuroscientist Novelist | Lisa Genova
Lisa Genova (https://www.lisagenova.com/) graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology, before pursuing her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard with a focus on the brain and addiction. Genova's TED talk—What You Can Do To Prevent Alzhe ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2021
Having Doubts As a Med Student or Resident- The Doctors Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast
Join your host Andrew Tisser in this recap episode of his appearance on The Doctor’s Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast with host Heather Fork, MD. In this episode, Dr. Andrew opens up about his life during his earlier years in residency. As someone who stayed in practice and learned ho ... Show More
33m 16s
Jun 2024
How I Stopped Fearing Boredom
Dr Laurie HATES boredom! Since childhood she's found it so painful that she'll do anything to avoid being bored. She'll watch crappy TV. She'll find extra work to do. She'll snack. But boredom is actually an incredibly useful tool to boost our happiness and creativity.   With the ... Show More
25m 30s
Apr 2022
230 - The Science of Stuck - Britt Frank
Feeling stuck? Can't build momentum to escape all the loops keeping you from moving forward? Our guest in this episode is professor, author, therapist, and speaker Britt Frank, a trauma specialist who treats people with a unique and powerful set of techniques and approaches which ... Show More
50m 41s
Jul 2023
Why do we get bored?
“I’m bored!” We can all relate to the uncomfortable - and at times unbearable - feeling of boredom. But what is it? Why does it happen? And could this frustrating, thumb-twiddling experience actually serve some evolutionary purpose? CrowdScience listener Brian started wondering t ... Show More
27m 13s
Nov 2022
Surgeon Atul Gawande wants everyone to have a coach | ReThinking w/Adam Grant
Atul Gawande was advised by a colleague to say yes to every opportunity until he turned 40. Since then he’s been a renowned surgeon, a public health leader and government policymaker, and a bestselling author and “New Yorker” writer. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, ... Show More
41m 35s
Oct 2021
Dr. Maya Shankar | Change Happens
Imagine being so drawn to a pursuit as a kid, it consumes most of your waking hours, rapidly becomes your identity, and is the thing you believe you’ll devote your life to, and then, in the blink of an eye, it’s taken away. That’s what happened to Maya Shankar, who fell in love w ... Show More
1h 1m