Season 3 – Episode 36: The Myth, the Madness, and the Middle Manager’s Dilemma Work-life balance? Jimmy and James are here to dismantle the corporate fairy tale that you can magically split your life into two neat, equal halves. The hosts, both veterans of demanding jobs, long hours, and the occasional existential crisis, argue that the very term “balance” is a setup. Balance implies precision, equality, and a static state, but life (and work) is anything but. It ebbs, it flows, and sometimes it dumps a truckload of stress on your doorstep. So, what’s the alternative? Optimisation. Figure out what makes you happy: status, money, family time, or becoming an earth mother, and chase … [Read more...]
You Don’t Have a Time Problem—You Have a ‘Saying Yes’ Problem
Season 3 – Episode 19: Overcommitted and Underdelivering? Here’s How to Say No. You don’t need better time management. You need to stop agreeing to things you shouldn’t be doing. Saying no isn’t about being difficult—it’s about protecting your priorities, your sanity, and, ironically, your relationships. In this episode of A Job Done Well, Jimmy and James dissect the art of the polite but firm refusal, exposing why so many of us default to “yes” and the damage it quietly inflicts. From the social wiring that makes us people-pleasers to the hierarchical pressures of the workplace, they unpack the psychological traps that turn us into overcommitted, underdelivering messes. The … [Read more...]
Understand Your Values: Are You Clashing With the Machine?
Season 3 – Episode 015: With Jackie Le Fèvre Ever felt like you’re swimming against the tide at work, but can’t quite put your finger on why? Or maybe you’ve said “yes” to something only to regret it later, wondering why you ignored that gut feeling? Welcome to the world of values—the invisible compass that shapes your decisions, reactions, and even your stress levels. In this episode of A Job Done Well, James and Jimmy are joined by Dr. Jackie Le Fèvre, a values specialist with a PhD in the subject (yes, really), to peel back the layers on what values actually are, why they matter, and how understanding them can transform your work life. Jackie, who started her career as a zoologist … [Read more...]
How to Prioritise Your Work and Increase Your Effectiveness
Season 3 – Episode 6 In today's world, we all face too many demands on our time—where do you start? How can you achieve more? The answer is never to work harder! This week, hosts James Lawther and Jimmy Barber explore ways you can prioritise the demands on your time by focusing on the most essential stuff and making the right choices so you can achieve more and avoid overwhelm and burnout. Stop being a slave to others' priorities and take control of your work. Plus, you can hear Jimmy's latest conspiracy theory and how James is progressing with his next bestseller! Transcript peaker 3: 0:03 Hello, I'm James. Hi, I'm Jimmy and welcome to a Job Done Well, the podcast that helps … [Read more...]
Can You Make Work a Source of Vitality?
Season 3 – Episode 5: With Ben Simpson Do you end each day full of energy or drained and in need of recovery? This week's guest, Ben Simpson, believes that our working lives should be a source of vitality, and not something we have to recover from, and he shares his insights on how to achieve that. Ben is the Chair of the Deming Alliance in the UK and co-founder of VitalOrg, so he knows plenty about what makes organisations and people tick. Plus, you hear from hosts James Lawther and Jimmy Barber to see if their working lives were ever a source of vitality. If that isn't enough, James takes a walk down memory lane, visiting universities with his daughter, whilst Jimmy is just back … [Read more...]