Podcast
Freedom Matters
Hosted by Freedom · EN
The Freedom Matters podcast explores the intersection of technology, productivity, creativity and society.
Our collaborators are the leading productivity, digital wellness, and creative voices of our time. They share their powerful stories and guidance on how to nurture productivity and reclaim control over technology.
This is not another ‘productivity’ podcast which puts more pressure on listeners to obtain unrealistic life goals. Our stories are real, and the advice is pragmatic, authentic, and designed to support a healthier, happier and more productive life.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Power of Calm – Chris Bailey
Jul 26, 202300:36:36Tap to summarizeChris Bailey is an author and lecturer who explores the science behind living a deeper, more intentional life. He is the international bestselling author of How to Calm Your Mind, Hyperfocus, and The Productivity Project—which have been published in 35 languages around the world. He is also the author of the Audible Original, How to Train Your Mind. Alongside his wife, Chris is the host of the podcast Time and Attention, and writes a weekly column at ChrisBailey.com, which is read by tens of thousands of people every week. In addition to his writing, Chris speaks to organizations around the globe on how they can become more productive, without hating the process. His latest TED Talk, How to Get Your Brain to Focus, has been viewed over 13 million times. However, it took an on-stage panic attack for productivity expert Chris to recognize how critical it is to invest in calm at the same time that we invest in becoming more productive. Productivity advice works—and we need it now more than ever—but it’s just as vital that we develop our capacity for calm. By finding calm and overcoming anxiety, we don’t just feel more comfortable in our own mind—we build a deeper, more expansive reservoir of energy to draw from throughout the day. Today we dive into his most recently book, How to Calm Your Mind, to understand the difference between anxiety and calm, why calm is so powerful and importantly, how crucially, how to find it. You can find out more about Chris here: https://chrisbailey.com Purchase the book, How to Calm your Mind here: https://chrisbailey.com/how-to-calm-your-mind/ Or purchase the burnout assessment here: A Two-Minute Burnout Checkup Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare
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Generative AI: Fact or Fake? – Henry Ajder
May 19, 202300:35:33Tap to summarizeIn this episode we speak with Henry Ajder, a globally recognised advisor, speaker, and broadcaster working at the frontier of the generative AI and synthetic media revolution. Henry’s work has transformed society’s understanding of deepfakes and generative AI. He has led pioneering research at organisations including MIT, WITNESS, and Sensity AI, influencing international legislation and corporate AI strategy. A "deep fake cartographer", henry's work has mapped the emergence and evolution of generative technologies and the impact that they have on our lives. In this episode we discuss: the current fear around how these technologies are evolving, many of the use cases of Generative AI, and the consequences of those use cases, some of the technological solutions for managing generative AI platforms, what users can do to ensure that they use the tools in a productive and reliable way. More about Henry: Henry presented the BBC documentary series, The Future will be Synthesised, and regularly features in global media including The New York Times, MIT Tech Review, CNN, Reuters, and The Financial Times. He has been published by outlets including WIRED, The Next Web, NYU, and The World AI Summit. Previously, Henry led Synthetic Futures, the first initiative dedicated to ethical generative AI and metaverse technologies, bringing together over 50 industry-leading organisations. An established keynote speaker and guest expert, Henry has spoken at venues including SXSW, CogX, The University of Oxford, and Adweek and advises organisations on the opportunities and challenges these game-changing technologies present, including Meta, The European Commission, BBC, The Partnership on AI, and The House of Lords. Henry Ajder BBC Radio 4 - The Future Will Be Synthesised Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare
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Digital Wellness in the Workplace – Tyler Rice
May 2, 202300:23:02Tap to summarizeOver the past decade, companies have invested more and more in employee wellbeing. And yet, in recent years, employees perceptions that their companies care about their wellbeing has fallen rapidly. Why is the increase in spend not translating to improved employee wellbeing, and what can be done about it? This week, I'm in conversation with the Tyler Rice, who is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of the Digital Wellness Institute. As a leading digital wellness innovator, Tyler’s work focuses on designing new tools, training, and data measurements to drive awareness of the importance of digital wellbeing for enterprise clients. Today, we'll be discussing workplace wellbeing, and how to create a culture where digital wellbeing can flourish. We explore: investment in wellbeing and why that hasn't paid off, how to put in place changes to encourage workplace wellbeing, and we touch on the implications of generative AI for the way we work. If you want to learn more about the digital wellbeing institute, then support us and them on Digital Wellness Day, on the 5th of May, by joining our free virtual co-working session, powered by Caveday. You can register here: https://www.caveday.org/freedomcave Find out more: Digitally Well Workplaces: https://www.digitalwellnessinstitute.com/workplaces Digitally Well Workplace Certification: https://www.digitalwellnessinstitute.com/certifiedworkplaces Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare
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Generative AI and the ARC of Happiness – Dr Paul Marsden
Mar 30, 202300:25:06Tap to summarizeIt is impossible to ignore the rapid rise and adoption of Generative AI programs, like chat GPT and Midjourney. At Freedom, we are fascinated with the conversation about whether these tools will support or undermine digital wellbeing and productivity, and the impact that they will have for the future of work. The likelihood is that it will depend a lot on how thoughtfully we use them. In this episode we welcome consumer psychologist, Dr Paul Marsden, to discuss this very issue. As a positive psychologist, he believes that technology should be designed to support the ARC of happiness, and that there is huge potential for the positive application of generative AI. We are no longer in a situation where AI will simply replace menial, repetitive tasks; it is being proven to be incredibly creative. We discuss: Autonomy, Relatedness and Competency in technology The rise of generative AI, it's creative applications and how it is beating humans How generative AI provides insight into the human psyche The place for generative AI and how we can use it for good. Dr Paul Marsden (CPsychol) is a consultant psychologist specialising on the psychological effects of technology on we think, feel and behave. Paul works with businesses to help them understand how tech transforms people’s expectations, relationships and experiences. Paul appeared as himself in the 2022 award-winning movie ‘I am Gen Z’ - a documentary film on teens, tech and wellbeing, and has recently completed a study for WPP digital agency, SYZYGY, on how people feel and respond to new AI technology like ChatGPT. Learn more about Paul and his work: Imagine: Public Perceptions of Generative AI in Germany (Survey on the Public Perceptions of Generative AI in Germany - SYZYGY GROUP)I am Gen Z: I Am Gen Z (I Am Gen Z)Website: digitalwellbeing.org Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare
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Silence – Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz
Mar 16, 202300:32:22Tap to summarizeSilence isn’t just the absence of noise. It’s a presence that brings us energy, clarity, and deeper connection. In this episode, we meet with Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz, to discuss just this. Their book, Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise, explores the meaning of silence and the art of finding it in any situation. The book reveals how to go beyond the ordinary rules and tools of mindfulness. It’s a field guide for navigating the noise of the modern world—not just the noise in our ears, but also on our screens and in our heads. Drawing on lessons from neuroscience, business, spirituality, politics, and the arts, Marz and Zorn explore why auditory, informational, and internal silence is essential for physical health, mental clarity, ecological sustainability, and vibrant community. In this episode we discuss: what silence means to an individual why it is so important how to find silence in your life and work. Justin Talbot Zorn has served as both a policymaker and a meditation teacher in the U.S. Congress. A Harvard- and Oxford-trained specialist in the economics and psychology of well-being, Justin has written for the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Foreign Policy, Wired, CNN, and other publications. He is cofounder of Astrea Strategies, a consultancy that bridges contemplation and action, helping leaders and teams envision and communicate solutions to complex challenges. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife and three children. Leigh Marz is a collaboration consultant and leadership coach for major universities, corporations, and federal agencies as well as a longtime student of pioneering researchers and practitioners of the ritualized use of psychedelic medicines in the West. In her professional work, she has led diverse initiatives, including a training program to promote an experimental mindset among teams at NASA and a decade-long cross-sector collaboration to reduce toxic chemicals in products in partnership with the Green Science Policy Institute, Harvard, IKEA, Google, and Kaiser Permanente. She is the co-founder of Astrea Strategies. Leigh lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and daughter. You can find Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise at Amazon, Bookshop.org or anywhere you buy books. For audiophiles, we highly recommend the Audible audio book —read by Prentice Onayemi. For recent media and articles written by Justin and Leigh, go to Golden Media. If you’d like to learn more about Justin and Leigh’s consulting work with Astrea Strategies—helping individuals and organizations address challenges and communicate solutions from a deeper place of attention and centeredness—you can find them at astreastrategies.com If you’d like to learn more about Jarvis Jay Masters, a primary teacher in the book, and his appeal for his freedom—please visit freejarvis.org. Host and Producer: Georgie Powell Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare
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Attention Spans – Gloria Mark
Mar 2, 202300:37:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode we speak with Gloria Mark. Gloria is Chancellor's professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in Psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people's lives. Her new book, Attention Span is the culmination of years of research, understanding attention, distraction, and how to live with digital devices. In this episode, we discussed the important arguments of her book: that there are different states of attention controversially, that a flow state is not always optimal nor achievable that different people are more or less susceptible to distractions, and, that it's not just our devices that are degrading our attention spans. Finally, we discuss a number of ways in which we can reclaim control over our valuable attention. Find out more about Gloria and order her book here: www.gloriamark.com Follow her on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriamark/ @gloriamark_phd Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO
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AI and Creative Writing – Amit Gupta
Dec 15, 202200:26:13Tap to summarizeAmit Gupta is an optimist, a science fiction writer, and co-founder of Sudowrite, the AI-powered creative writing app. He is also an uncle and a son, and a friend to all dogs. He previously founded and sold Photojojo. In this episode we discuss: - Some of the challenges of creative writing - How writing has lagged other creative pursuits in terms of the availability of technology to support creativity (there is no photoshop for writing) - How AI can be a support for creative writing - Some of the considerations to prevent the misuse of tools like Sudowrite - Why flagging too many of the issues with future technologies may hold us back Sudowrite https://www.sudowrite.com/app Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO
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Sounds for Deep Work – Dan Clark & Phil Amalong
Dec 1, 202200:34:26Tap to summarizeDan Clark is CEO of Brain.FM, which creates music for the brain, to help you unlock your best self, by focusing, relaxing and sleeping better. Phil Amalong is the VP Marketing of Freedom, and audio producer and music composer for Freedom Matters. They both love music, and have lived and breathed how music can change the way we function and work. In this two part episode, we speak firstly with Phil. We talk about how he builds the soundtracks for our podcast, about his career history as a musician and entrepreneur, and why focus sounds have become an important part of the Freedom product. Focus sounds exist in Freedom, in part due to Brain.fm. Brain.fm's CEO, Dan, explains the science behind how focus sounds work to align the vibrations in our brain so that we can think more clearly and stay focused for longer. Dan has spent years hacking his life to improve his focus, and believes there is still so much to learn when it comes to sound. Websites: freedom.to brain.fm Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Phil Amalong | Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO Music in this episode: - Predictions by Brain.fm - Freedom Matters Theme - composed/produced by Philip Amalong - Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 109, Mvt 3 excerpt - performed by Philip Amalong - Arc - composed/produced by Philip Amalong - Apex by Brain.fm - Moon Cycles by Brain.fm - Pando by Brain.fm - Predictions by Brain.fm
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The Tools of Our Mind – John Mack
Nov 10, 202200:35:48Tap to summarizeJohn Mack is an American artist, photographer, author and founder of Life Calling. A frequent speaker at conferences and universities on the subjects of technology, awareness and consciousness, Mack’s examination of these topics recently culminated in A Species Between Worlds: Our Nature, Our Screens, an interactive visual art experience and month-long Forum exploring humanity’s current migration from the natural world to the virtual world. It was live in New York through September 2022. In this episode we discuss "A Species Between Worlds" and the moral lessons that it shares. We cover the role of technology tools in our lives, and how it distorts our relationship with nature. We also discuss how our psyche is also a tool, which shapes our lived experience. Mack argues that the only way to reshape our relationship with technology is to first reshape the relationship that we have with ourselves, so that we can live fully, uninhabited by the preconceptions of our mind. Mack was born in 1976 in New York City. Under Life Calling, Mack recently published Notes to Selfie: Bits of Truth in a Phoney World, a volume of thoughts and aphorisms, and a collection of poetry, A Land Between Worlds: The Shifting Poetry of the Great American Landscape. He was an honoree of The Explorer’s Club 50: Fifty people changing the world who the world needs to know about. Mack has also served as an adjunct lecturer for the Graduate program at IADE in Lisbon, Portugal. For years John has expressed concern over the effects on humanity in the wake of the rapid proliferation of smart-devices. A vanguard in advocating research, activism, and awareness around their unmitigated use, John founded Life Calling, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help us all live fulfilled lives in the Digital Age while retaining our humanity and personal autonomy. It aims to empower humanity through a dynamic series of activations, campaigns, exhibitions and public programming, to help generate a more balanced, nuanced and thoughtful perspective for us all in the Digital Age. For more from John: www.life-calling.org For more on A Species between Worlds: www.ASpeciesBetweenWorlds.com Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO
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Is the Tech-Tool Always Best? – Tanya Goodin
Oct 27, 202200:28:03Tap to summarizeTanya Goodin is an author, broadcaster, pioneering thinker and campaigner on digital wellbeing and tech ethics - founder of the digital detox movement Time to Log Off and host of the ‘It’s Complicated’ podcast. Her game-changing books on our relationship with technology, ‘My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open’, ‘Off’ and ‘Stop Staring at Screens’, are published in ten languages worldwide. In this episode we discuss many of the lessons that she has learnt about the costs of using technology. We discuss: - The elephant on the zoom - Technoference - Tech-life balance - And one very important question - is technology always the answer? She hasn’t always been a ‘digital canary’. As an award-winning digital entrepreneur and instinctive trend spotter, Tanya spent two decades running one of Britain’s first digital businesses. Her mission now is to make today’s tech issues accessible to users and consumers, so they can consciously manage their digital lives. Tanya is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a graduate of the University of Oxford, and currently researching for a Masters in Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics at the University of Cambridge. Websites: www.tanyagoodin.com and www.itstimetologoff.com Twitter handle @tanyagoodin Book link My Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open: How to Untangle Our Relationship with Tech Podcast: Digital Detox Resources, Research and Retreats | Time To Log Off Freedom Matters Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/ Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO
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