Honing In

Dr. Kate Henry
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Monthly

Honing In is a podcast for creative thinkers where we’ll hone our skills, explore our passions, and nurture our dream projects into being.

  1. 1d ago

    Spiritual Ecology and the Ethics of AI with Philosopher Madelaine Ley

    On today’s episode of Honing In, we’re asking a big question: how can our society address the rapid growth of AI technologies in a way that feels ethically intact? Philosopher of technology, Dr. Madelaine Ley, suggests an explorative approach that invites us to slow down, reflect, and feel, not just to moralize or optimize. Madelaine guides us through how her motivations and interests have developed since pursuing a PhD in Care in Responsible Technology. We also explore Spiritual Ecology as a way to connect with the earth, question the ethics of technological advancement, and become sensitive to the many options available to us about how we choose to engage. If you’re curious about the robot in your local grocery store or have been wondering what sits at the intersection of technology and integrity, this conversation is for you. Together, we hone in on: Philosophy as a generous, curious, and explorative practice How we feel about the emergence of robots in our everyday livesWhat Spiritual Ecology is and the perspective it offers about the morals of technology Starting points for challenging our perspectives about technology and AIContemplative art and making space and time for reflection Gestures: Madelaine’s upcoming project that explores ethics beyond morality Mentioned in this episode:  Nic AntionetteMore From Madelaine: Madelaine’s personal websiteWaySeeing Ethics ConsultancySTIRRINGS (newsletter and podcast)Madelaine’s LinkedInMadelaine in the Weaving New Narratives FilmMore from Kate: ⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry 💌 Sign up for Kate's free newsletter 📚 Download Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio. Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    50 min

  2. May 27

    Why I’m Aiming for Effectiveness Over Efficiency This Season

    School’s out for summer…which means it’s finally time to pick up those projects you’ve been dreaming of starting (or avoiding entirely, whoops). Before you develop a 9-to-5 bootcamp or timeblock your days into oblivion, take a deep breath and consider what an effective approach to productivity could look like for you this season. On today’s solo episode of Honing In, Dr. Kate Henry walks listeners through her process for setting summer goals by referencing her free workshop “How to Effectively Reach Your Goals this Season.” Kate shares that when we aim for effectiveness over efficiency, we make a plan that acknowledges our individual needs around time, energy, and focus. In doing so, we  strategically chip away at our tasks with intention, versus racing to finish, which may cause overwhelm and burnout. Join Kate for her reflections and a-ha moments, then try out the workshop prompts yourself to plan truly effective goals in this season of your life! Kate hones in on: The benefits of using the framework of a “season” for project planning How Kate defined effectiveness this season and set criteria that supports her relaxationThe predicament of balancing personal, creative, and professional goalsAn invitation to bring more compassion to our productivity approach How Kate would update the workshop in 2026Mentioned in today’s episode: FREE WORKSHOP: “How to Effectively Reach Your Goals this Season” Honing In Episode: “How to Set More Realistic Goals” Honing In Episode: “Bringing Our Humanness to the Table with Jen Carrington” Blog post: Jen Carrington’s “The Eight Seasons of Business”Newsletter: “What to Share and What to Keep: Reflections on the Creative Process” Newsletter: “Is Your To-Do List Clear Enough: It’s all in the Verbs” Newsletter: “I Need to Just Do It! Exploring Aversive Tasks” More from Kate: ⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry 💌 Sign up for Kate's free newsletter 📚 Download Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio. Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    40 min

  3. May 13

    Building a Portfolio Career and Advocating for Change Leadership with Taylor Elyse Morrison

    Navigating multiple career paths simultaneously may seem fragmented, stressful, and a nightmare for calendar scheduling, but Taylor Elyse Morrison, a portfolio careerist and PhD student who believes people build identity through action and interaction, is here to show us that it’s quite the opposite. As a neurodivergent, multi-passionate person, the challenge of balancing various projects creates the precise level of interest that Taylor needs to stay fully engaged in her work. Plus, the flexibility of being a portfolio careerist allows for designing a life that supports self-exploration and self-care…both of which Taylor is deeply passionate about. In today’s episode, we explore what it means to build a portfolio career, and how diversifying both income streams and skillsets has created the room for Taylor to pursue multiple degrees and dive deep into what it means to be a leader in today’s social climate. Together, we hone in on: What a Portfolio Career is and how Taylor has intentionally configured hers How building a portfolio career has supported Taylor’s neurodivergence Multical as a solution for overlapping schedules and how Taylor created itThe importance of leaving behind archives as a portfolio careerist What Change Leadership is and why Taylor pursued a PhD in the field  More From Taylor: Taylor’s WebsiteTaylor’s NewsletterTaylor’s LinkedInOn Portfolio CareersMultical (scheduling tool)Women Facilitating More from Kate: ⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry 💌 Sign up for Kate's free newsletter 📚 Download Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio. Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    49 min

  4. Apr 22

    Liberating Yoga and Mindfulness with Harpinder Mann

    Welcome back to Honing In and to my interview with Harpinder Mann. Harpinder Mann, RYT-500, SEP (she/her), is a trauma-informed yoga teacher, Bhakti student, and author based on Tongva land (Los Angeles). Rooted in her Sikh spiritual background and Panjabi ancestry, she shares yoga as a sacred path of remembrance and liberation. Practicing since 2013 and teaching since 2018, she guides students in weaving sādhana and the eight limbs of yoga into daily life to cultivate resilience, meaning, and connection. Her work bridges social justice and healing, honoring collective liberation. Her book, Liberating Yoga: From Appropriation to Healing, invites readers to reclaim yoga as a practice of integrity and wholeness. Here are some of the things Harpinder and I discuss: Challenging the packaging of yoga and mindfulness as relentless self improvementWhy working with students and clients doesn’t feel like a project to HarpinderDecolonizing yoga through honoring where practices have come fromHarpinder’s book journey and the sense of responsibility she felt while writing Liberating YogaGiving yourself space between projects to allow ideas to come to youThe many ways we can deepen and practice yoga Resources & Links: Harpinder’s websiteEvents with HarpinderHarpinder’s book, Liberating Yoga: From Appropriation to HealingHarpinder’s InstagramHarpinder’s Podcast (we referenced Episode 3: Understanding Yoga Exclusion, Fatphobia + Racial Trauma with Leah Saliter)Books mentioned: Edward Said’s Orientalism and Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score. SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE THINKERS⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry💌 Sign up for Dr. Kate's free newsletter📚 Download Dr. Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio.Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    1 hr

  5. Apr 8

    How to Take a Sabbatical and Prioritize Projects that Resonate with Amelia Hruby

    Welcome back to Honing In and to my interview with Amelia Hruby. Amelia Hruby is a feminist writer, educator, and podcaster with a PhD in philosophy. She is the founder of Softer Sounds podcast studio, and the host of Off the Grid, a podcast about leaving social media. Her new book, Your Attention is Sacred Except on Social Media is out now. Here are some of the things Amelia and I discuss: Amelia’s 2026 sabbatical as a way to set boundaries with her work and spark creative energyHow our academic training affects the way we think and make sense of thingsValuing theoretical and embodied knowledge when it comes to business and marketing Big questions folks are asking about social media, big tech, and AIAmelia tells us all about "COME TO CLASS: How to teach & sell online with confidence & care" (see you there!) Resources & Links: Amelia’s websiteAmelia’s bookAmelia's interview with the APA about feminist public philosophyOff the Grid podcastOff the Grid AI seriesOff the Grid business predictions: Predictions for Social Media and Predictions for Marketing Trends Softer Sounds podcast studioCome to Class info + waitlist SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE THINKERS⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry💌 Sign up for Dr. Kate's free newsletter📚 Download Dr. Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio.Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    55 min

  6. Mar 25

    Building a Generative Culture Around Conflict with Shivani Mehta Bhatia

    Welcome back to Honing In and to my interview with Shivani Mehta Bhatia. Shivani Mehta Bhatia is a facilitator, advisor, and writer based in New York City. She works with senior leaders at justice-rooted organizations -- especially queer folks and women of color -- helping them use conflict as diagnostic information about power, culture, and what needs to change. She came to this work after a decade inside public health, crisis response, and community-based care, where she kept noticing the same pattern: the most persistent strategy problems were almost always relational ones, rooted in power, story, and unaddressed conflict. She is also the writer and host of Intimate Practice, an ongoing research project on tending, thresholding, and what it means to move through transition. Here are some of the things Shivani and I discuss: Shivani’s background as a facilitator in public health focused on birth, sex, and deathWhy learning to disagree better is key to building the world we deserveAccountability as an invitation into deeper relationship, not moral judgmentHow systemic dimensions of privilege and oppression live in our intimate interactionsClaiming agency and making meaningful change in this political moment Resources & Links: Shivani’s websiteCody Cook-Parrott’s class, Quilt in a WeekendShivani’s essay, How Conflict Becomes a Design InputSign up for Shivani's newsletter, Intimate Practice SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE THINKERS⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry💌 Sign up for Dr. Kate's free newsletter📚 Download Dr. Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio.Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    47 min

  7. Mar 11

    Commonplace Books and the Material World with Jillian Hess

    Welcome back to Honing In and to my interview with Jillian Hess. Jillian Hess is Professor of English at Bronx Community College, part of the City University of New York. She is the author of How Romantics and Victorians Organized Information, a 2022 book from Oxford University Press about commonplace books, scrapbooks, and albums. She also writes the weekly newsletter, Noted, exploring how brilliant people have taken notes and she is currently writing a new book, "Noteworthy" which uses the history of note-taking to offer an expansive how-to guide to note taking--forthcoming from Penguin Life in the US and Viking in the UK.  Here are some of the things Jillian and I discuss: Jillian’s newsletter Noted as public intellectualism and an extension of her role as a teacherThe experience of writing an academic book vs. one for a general audienceWhy reading creative thinkers’ notebooks humanizes them and empowers usThe iterative and expanding nature of inherited note-taking stylesHow Jillian keeps the commonplace book tradition alive with the Commonplace Book Club Resources & Links: The Noted SubstackJillian's Commonplace Book ClubExplorations of notes by Octavia Butler and Samuel Taylor ColeridgeJillian’s academic book, How Romantics and Victorians Organized Information SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE THINKERS⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry💌 Sign up for Dr. Kate's free newsletter📚 Download Dr. Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio.Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    53 min

  8. Feb 25

    How to Set More Realistic Goals

    Let’s do a deep dive into aspirational goal setting! New Year’s Resolutions not going as well as you’d hoped? Stuck in a cycle of laying out elaborate project plans only for them to get derailed in two weeks? Optimism Bias and the Planning Fallacy are likely be to blame! This solo episode is all about why we set unrealistic goals and how we can use the 3-step Proactive Plans and Acute Actions framework to navigate productivity obstacles. Please enjoy this treasure trove of academic resources and real-world examples! In today’s episode, I cover… Why cognitive biases cause us to set unrealistic goalsWhen Optimism Bias can help us vs. when it causes us to underestimate riskHow the Planning Fallacy can make us underestimate how long a task or project might takeUnique challenges of cognitive biases for people with ADHD and depressionThat time I thought I could do my comprehensive exams in 3 weeksApplying the Proactive Plans and Acute Actions framework with a real-life exampleResources & Links: Neil Weinstein: Unrealistic Optimism About Future Life EventsKendra Cherry: Understanding the Optimism BiasOptimism Bias and Climate ChangeSystemic Effects of the Optimism BiasOptimism Bias and Major DepressionOverview of The Planning Fallacy, including Inside and Outside ViewsThanks to Taylor Allbright, PhD, Executive Functioning and ADHD Coach, for recommending the following resources: ADHD and Time Estimation and ADHD and Reward PathwaysA 17-minute video lesson and guided reflection prompts for the Proactive Plans and Acute Actions framework can be found in my free workbook, How to Build Purposeful Productivity Sessions!SUPPORT FOR CREATIVE THINKERS⭐ Productivity Coaching with Dr. Kate Henry💌 Sign up for Dr. Kate's free newsletter📚 Download Dr. Kate's free Sustainable Productivity Planner Podcast editing and support by Softer Sounds Studio.Theme song by Melissa Kaitlyn Carter.

    23 min
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5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Honing In is a podcast for creative thinkers where we’ll hone our skills, explore our passions, and nurture our dream projects into being.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Kate Henry
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kate Henry
  • Show Website
    Honing In

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