That All Terrain Vehicle in Aliens Two and a treatise on Canberra parking problems

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It's our last episode for 2020 (don't worry, we'll be back. Jason
can't get out of it now).

Jason is finishing one job and starting another with a listening
tour. The Jeep just got another upgrade with a lighting bar that
promises to shine like 1000 suns - as soon as he gets the
electrician in. He's looking forward to his holiday in South
Australia because he's exhausted and ready for a holiday, even
from podcasting.

Meanwhile Inger is still running full tilt to the 2020 finish
line, with a Thesis Bootcamp to run next week and a couple of
books to get out the door (if Taylor Swift can drop a second
superb album in 2020, there is no excuse for the rest of us). Mr
Thesis Whisperer is trying to offset the inevitable end of 2020
crash and burn by buying her a Sun Lounger, which has become her
new outdoor office. She then gives Jason a brief run through of
Canberra parking problems (which aren't really problems, but it's
all relative).

In our work problem segment, Jason reflects on what it's like to
start a new job when it's actually your old job, as he prepares
to go back to the RMIT business school after a couple of years
working in a central management role. The pair reflect on the
difficulty of leading complex organisations in a time of Covid
and the problem of 'cultural land mines' that you can set off if
you don't listen carefully to what other people are worried
about.

Jason then wonders why he is so fucking exhausted, and does a
deep dive on the subject of burnout. He points out that most
clickbait articles on the internet frame burn out as a matter of
individual responsibility, but is it really? After reading 6
pages of Jenny Odell's 'How to do nothing' book sent him into the
academic literature about 'work life balance' and finds out some
interesting things about how management style, particularly an
attitude towards competition, contributes to burn out. 
Which leads us to the depressing conclusion that academia has
burn out built into its very DNA.

Inger's 'to be read' pile is too big now, but she is finding time
for romance novels, specifically re-reading Julia Quinn's
Bridgerton series. She's excited the Shona Rhimes series of the
books is dropping on Netflix on Christmas day because Shonda is
hashtag genius. She has big plans to watch the series the day it
comes out, with her twin sister, in her pyjamas. She then shares
Gretchen McCulloch's article “A Mission to Make Virtual Parties
Actually Fun” and describes 'Gathertown' - a hybrid video
game/conferencing software, which The Research Whisperers used to
host a super fun party.

In two minute tips, Jason shares a scheduling hack to make sure
your devices never run out of power and Inger shares how she's pl


Got thoughts and feel pinions? Want to ask a question? You can
email us on

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break).

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