Is this book bullshit? Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Proactive

Apr 13, 2025

The hosts hilariously recount their COVID struggles while dissecting personal productivity. They dive into intriguing dynamics from 'Married at First Sight' and share thoughts on proactivity from a famous self-help book. The chaos of academia meets personal anecdotes about restoring a cherished dinghy and the impact of AI in education. With a touch of humor, they also explore the balance between personal values and professional challenges, all while engaging listeners in a lively conversation.

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ANECDOTE

Jason's First COVID Experience

Jason was struck down by COVID for the first time.
It was a severe experience, leading him to believe he might die.

ANECDOTE

Inga's Busy Period

Inga had a busy period with teaching boot camps and the election.
She also got involved in a local political campaign.

ANECDOTE

Academic Mean Girls Controversy

A controversy arose at ANU regarding an anonymous article about feminism.
Inga was mistakenly identified as the author and wrote a blog post to clarify.

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The Voice Within

Amy Lanci

Striking Ore: The Rise and Fall of Union Power in the Pilbara

null

Alex Vasiliou

Alex Vasiliou's "Striking Ore" delves into the history of union power in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The book examines the rise and fall of union influence in the mining industry, exploring the social, economic, and political factors involved. It provides insights into the struggles and achievements of workers in the region, highlighting the impact of unionization on their lives and the broader community. Vasiliou's work offers a critical analysis of the dynamics between labor, management, and government in the Pilbara. The book provides a valuable historical perspective on the role of unions in shaping the region's development.

How to Level Up Your Essays

null

Inger Mewburn

Inger Mewburn's "How to Level Up Your Essays" provides practical guidance and strategies for improving essay writing skills. The book covers various aspects of essay writing, from planning and structuring to argumentation and style. It offers techniques for developing strong arguments, using evidence effectively, and crafting clear and concise prose. Mewburn's approach emphasizes critical thinking and effective communication. The book is a valuable resource for students seeking to enhance their essay writing abilities.

Data Visualization

A Handbook

Andy Kirk

Andy Kirk's "Data Visualization: A Handbook" is a comprehensive guide to the principles and practices of effective data visualization. The book covers various aspects of data visualization, from choosing the right chart type to designing visually appealing and informative graphics. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience and the message to be conveyed. Kirk provides practical advice and examples, helping readers create clear and compelling visualizations. The book is a valuable resource for anyone working with data, from students to professionals.

How to Become a Straight-A Student

The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less

Cal Newport

In this book, Cal Newport shares insights and strategies gathered from interviews with high-achieving college students who maintain excellent grades without excessive studying. The book emphasizes the importance of effective time management, focused study sessions, and smart note-taking techniques. It introduces the 'Straight-A Method' which is based on four pillars: knowledge, control, strategy, and balance. Newport argues that by using these methods, students can avoid procrastination, optimize their study time, and achieve academic success while maintaining a balanced life[1][2][4].

A System for Writing

Bob Doto

Team dog

How to Train Your Dog--the Navy SEAL Way

Mike Ritland

In *Team Dog*, Mike Ritland shares his 15 years of experience in accessible and direct language, explaining the science behind gaining a dog’s trust and achieving obedience. The book uses entertaining examples and anecdotes from his work with dogs on and off the battlefield, along with tips from the Navy SEAL guidebook. It teaches dog owners how to choose the perfect dog, establish themselves as the 'team leader,' master 'command and control,' employ 'situational awareness,' and solidify their dog’s position as the family’s ultimate best friend.

Enemy Feminisms

TERFs, Policewomen, and Girlbosses Against Liberation

Sophie Lewis

The presentation of self in everyday life

E Goffman

1st Edition Goffman

Erving Goffman

In this landmark work, Erving Goffman uses the imagery of theatre to portray the importance of human social interaction. He argues that individuals manage their self-presentation to control the impressions others form about them, treating social interactions as performances with settings, props, and audiences. Goffman's dramaturgical approach highlights the fluid and consciously maintained nature of human character, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a coherent definition of the situation in social interactions. The book is considered one of the most important sociological works of the 20th century, receiving the American Sociological Association's MacIver award in 1961 and being listed as the tenth most important sociological book of the 20th century by the International Sociological Association in 1998.

4000 Weeks

Oliver Burkeman

A book about time management and how to live a more fulfilling life.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R Covey

This book, first published in 1989, outlines seven habits that are designed to help individuals become more effective in their personal and professional lives. The habits are grouped into three categories: Private Victory (habits 1-3), Public Victory (habits 4-6), and Renewal (habit 7). The habits include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand and then to be understood, synergizing, and sharpening the saw. Covey emphasizes the importance of personal integrity, effective time management, empathetic communication, and continuous self-improvement[2][5][4].

The 80/20 Principle

Richard Koch

The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch introduces a powerful paradigm that suggests 80% of our outcomes result from just 20% of our efforts. The book explains how this principle, also known as the Pareto Principle, can be applied in various aspects of life and business to increase effectiveness and efficiency. Koch provides practical examples and strategies for identifying and focusing on the most impactful 20% of efforts to achieve significant results with minimal time and resources. The book emphasizes the importance of concentrating on high-impact activities and eliminating or outsourcing less important tasks to enhance productivity and happiness[2][3][5].

Can't be bothered with email or speak pipe? Text us!

We're back! It's been six weeks - sorry about that!

Jason was finally struck down by covid... for the first time. Yes, really! Now he finally understands what everyone is complaining about. There's a lot to catch up on: the election, a digression into 'Married at first sight' and what happens to a sander when you use it for 6 hours straight on your boat hull.

We get half way through a very full mailbag, before getting on to our dissection of chapter one of Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. This is the third time we've talked about this book, and we're only now doing Habit One: proactivity ... look, we have a lot to say! Check out episode 17, where we discuss how the book is really Mormonism pretending to be productivity, and chapter 38 where we talk about chapter three.

Be warned - it gets very deep and meaningful. In fact, we get so into it that we forgot to do a two minute tip! We'll make it up to you, we promise.

Things we mention

Previous discussions of 7 Habits: episode 17 and chapter 38
Academic Mean Girls
Inger reckons Andy Kirk is your go to for Data visualisation
Back to Zero - the paper
Book: The voices within: the history and science of how we talk to ourselves
Book: Team Dog
Book: The presentation of self in everyday life
The Valley of Shit (blog post about Jason when he was doing his PhD)
Book: Striking Ore: the rise and fall of union power in the Pilbara
Book: Enemy Fe

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