reThink: How you think, work and thrive

Episode 18: Hacking Your Brain with Visuals, with Brendon O’Brien

What if you could turbocharge your thinking just by drawing it out?

In this episode of rethink: the podcast, I’m joined by visual facilitator Brendon O’Brien of Cue Vision to explore how visual thinking isn’t just a creative tool, it’s a cognitive superpower.

Brendon talks us through the science behind how visuals help us remember more, communicate clearly and even rewi...

In this episode, I’m taking you right back to where it all began, 2012, a new iPad, and a conversation over lunch that changed how I think, listen, and learn.

That was the moment I discovered the power of visual note-taking. 

Not just as a fun way to doodle in the margins, but as a strategy that genuinely helped me remember, reflect and make sense of what I was hearing.

I’ll walk you through my 5 Step Method: a simple, visual approach...

Episode 16 Design Your Day: Map Your Time to Match Your Mind

Do you ever get to the end of the day and think… what did I actually do?
Busy, yes. But productive? Not quite.

In this episode of rethink: the podcast, we explore a simple but powerful visual strategy to help you take back control of your day, without the overwhelm.

I’m sharing how visual planning (instead of endless to-do lists) can help you design your day to match you...

Feeling overwhelmed but can't pinpoint why?
In this episode of Rethink: The Podcast, Nicki Hambleton introduces Mood Mapping — a simple visual strategy to track emotional patterns, manage stress and boost self-awareness.
Learn how to plot your energy and mood visually, spot hidden trends and adjust your work and life with more clarity, kindness, and control.
Perfect for leaders, professionals, creatives and lifelo...

The 5 Visual Thinking Myths Busted: Why You're Already More Visual Than You Think

Description:
Think you're not a 'visual thinker'? Think again.
In this episode, we bust five common myths about visual thinking — from the belief that it's only for artists, to the idea that it slows you down.
You'll discover why visual thinking is a power tool for clearer ideas, faster learning, and better ...

Feeling overwhelmed by ideas? Or just joining the podcast now and wondering where to begin? This special recap episode is your chance to pause, zoom out, and connect the dots from Episodes 1 to 12.

In Rethink The Recap, I walk you through the stepping stones we’ve travelled so far, how we’ve moved from chaos to clarity using visual thinking tools, creative strategies and inclusive ideas that spark action.

Each cluster of episodes bui...

Tired of bullet-point overload and slide decks that send your audience to sleep?

In this episode, we flip the focus from listener to leader and rethink how we design and deliver presentations. 

Whether you’re leading a meeting, teaching a class, or pitching an idea, your slides shouldn’t be your script. They should be your support act.

We’ll explore:

• Why reading from slides leads to disengagement
• How to reduce cognitive overload, es...

Episode 11

Do you leave meetings feeling frazzled? Find yourself scribbling furiously only to end up with unreadable notes and a foggy memory?

You’re not alone.

In this episode, I share how sketchnoting became a game-changer for my neurodivergent brain. Not just a creative outlet, sketchnotes helped me learn to listen differently—focusing on meaning, calming the overwhelm, and capturing ideas I’d actually use.

We’ll explore:

• Why all...

Episode 10: Seeing Differently – How Visual Thinking Unlocks Neurodivergent Brilliance

What if the very thing you once saw as a struggle was actually your strength?

In this episode, I share a personal story about discovering I likely have dyslexic thinking and how that realisation helped me reframe not only my challenges but also my greatest gifts. 

From struggling to retain information through spoken word to thriving with colour-code...

Seeing the Big Picture: Visual Thinking Meets Business Strategy

How do you make big ideas stick?

In this episode I talk to Paul Vincent, Global Leader in Service Design, Randstad Enterprise. Paul set himself a challenge: to create 25 Questions for 2025, a series of thought-provoking prompts designed to help leaders, businesses, and individuals rethink the future.

But how do you make complex ideas engaging? That’s where our collaborati...

Bad design is CRAP. 

No, really—there’s an actual design principle called CRAP: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. 

If you’re not using these, your spatial organisation might be working against you.

In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how spatial organisation transforms the way we think, communicate, and design—whether in presentations, learning materials, or even how we arrange our workspaces.

What You’ll ...

Ever struggled to structure your thoughts or explain an idea clearly? What if you could break it down visually—step by step—just like a storyboard?

In this episode of rethink: The Podcast, we explore how storyboarding can transform the way you think, communicate, and bring ideas to life.

📌 What you’ll discover:
🔹 Why storyboarding works for different types of thinkers—from creatives to leaders.
🔹 How breaking an idea into ...

Ever struggled to explain a complex idea? What if you could capture it in a single, powerful image?

In this episode of rethink: the Podcast, we explore how visual metaphors can transform the way we think, communicate, and problem-solve.

📌 What you’ll discover:
🔹 How metaphors help make abstract ideas concrete.
🔹 The power of turning concepts into visual journeys.
🔹 Real-world examples, including my work with Paul Vinc...

Episode 5: Concept Mapping for Better Thinking

Feeling overwhelmed by scattered ideas and messy notes? Ever struggled to pull everything together and make sense of your thoughts? You’re not alone!

In this episode of rethink: the podcast, I explore how concept mapping can transform your thinking, memory, and problem-solving skills by mirroring the way your brain naturally organises information.

🔹 Why mapping works – backed by neurosci...

Ever been in a meeting where only the loudest voices dominate? Thought Threads is a spatial, silent brainstorming technique designed to ensure every idea gets seen and valued—especially for introverts, reflective thinkers, and neurodiverse team members. 

In this episode, we explore how visual, anonymous ideation can turn scattered thoughts into structured collaboration. Learn how to cluster, connect, and amplify ideas using this inc...

🎙️ Episode 3: Drawing – The Superpower for Thinking

Think you can’t draw? Think again! 🎨

Most of us stop drawing around age 7 to 9, the last time we truly enjoyed it. But what if drawing isn’t about art—it’s about thinking? In this episode of rethink, I explore how sketching can boost memory, enhance problem-solving, and clarify ideas.

📌 Science-backed insights:
✅ The Drawing Effect – How sketching helps you remember twice as m...

Episode 1: Welcome to reThink: Unpacking Ideas, Innovation, and Insights
In this first episode of reThink, I introduce you to the heart of the podcast—exploring creative ways to reimagine ideas, improve processes, and gain fresh insights. You’ll learn what the three pillars of reThink—Ideas, Innovation, and Insights—really mean and how they can help you navigate your work, learning, and team dynamics.

I’ll also share a bit about...