
On Deeper Reflection
A podcast on academic productivity, philosophy, and eudaimonia
Latest episodes

Jul 2, 2025 • 12min
ODR 014 - UnBurnable Series - Inner Voice

Nov 25, 2023 • 13min
ODR 013 - Should, Must, & Won't

Nov 12, 2023 • 46min
ODR 012 - Arete, Ancient Wisdom, and Flourishing with Brian Johnson

May 1, 2023 • 25min
ODR 009 - Pardon Me, I Couldn't Help but Overhear or How to go from being an Ass-hole to an AYS-hole on Twitter

Apr 1, 2023 • 27min
ODR 008 – Philosophical & Psychological Diversions Part II - Naive Reality and the Fundamental Attribution Error

Mar 1, 2023 • 22min
ODR 007 – Liberterian Free Will, Blame and Shame
This Article is a Must Read if you Found this Episode on Free Will InterestingThe Lucretian SwerveAttributionsWhile 1% of this episode may be independent thinking, the rest was surely based on influences too countless to cite. Some that clearly remain foremost as inspiration are the article above, Dan Dennett’s work, Sam Harris’ book, the book, Four Views on Free Will, and all by poor undergrad professors that had to put up with the utter annoyance of my stubbornness.One of the Most Critical Articles to Read on the TopicChun SS et al. Unconscious determinants of free decisions in the human brain. Nat Neurosci. 2008 May;11(5):543-5. PMID: 18408715Image by NarcournusNow on to the ‘cast

Feb 1, 2023 • 38min
ODR 006 – Email Part 2 – Tactics & Logistics [Email Part 2/X]
More on Last EpisodeEmail Part 1 – Email is Not the Problem, You Are!The JoyboxDeep WorkNo Email You Don’t Want to SeeTurn off email notifications! ReceivingTouch Once (listen to prior episode)Filter RelentlesslyOne Email Address but many! Add the dots! Then you can filter based on thisAmazon filters to Deliveries AppFilter all messages with the word “unsubscribe” into a separate mailboxDo not mark emails as spam UNLESS THEY ARE SPAMMark Spam Messages as SpamYour Piss Poor Planning is not my EmergencyDo not let your email inbox be someone else’s To Do List — Tiago Forte ProcessingStop Filing/FolderingCan Actually Link Emails to Your Task ManagerTask Management on Calendar will have the linkBetter Yet, Create a Email Forward to Your Task Manager InboxFuture Homer/IkigaiAvoid the Snooze ButtonTriage 2 App on IOSSendingIs this the right mode of communicationCraft a good, useful subject lineBLUF-allows contexual understandingCTA upfront if you are making a pitch,Lose the Steps of Back & ForthUse Autofill and TemplatesSend Later (Boomerang)Emojis / Emoticons b/c tone is tough to relayCompose Better EmailsUse Scheduling ProgramsSend Less emails if you want less emailsOne idea per emailShort is BetterBLUF or TLDRWrite email like you speakNo Reply NecessaryIf it is important, do not put in the sender until ready to sendEnable undo send in gmailDo not CC unless you need toDon’t Reply All and Take it Off DefaultIf you don’t want the staff to respond to all, put them in as BCCPrune Forwards and RepliesWhen the Subject Changes–Change the SubjectFollowing-UpLoop ClosureAuto-Return if no-replyEliminate Email-Induced Anxiety RandomServices MentionedBoomerangSaneboxFastmailLearn Search NewslettersRSSEmail BankruptcyConsider Sending Out a MessageOther StuffHave a strong passwordConsider 2FANever put anything important in your work accountDownload and archive work emailNow on to the Show…

Jan 5, 2023 • 36min
ODR 005 – NonViolent Communication
Discover the power of NonViolent Communication through practical strategies for effective dialogue. Learn the difference between 'giraffe language' and 'jackal language' and how to express observations, feelings, needs, and requests without evaluations. Explore structured communication frameworks and the concept of emergency empathy for better conflict resolution. Dive into the psychological theories behind NVC and the importance of mirroring emotions for mutual understanding.

Dec 10, 2022 • 34min
ODR 004 – Email is Not the Problem, You Are! [Email Part 1/X]
The ODR PodcastOn Deeper Reflection is a podcast on making our lives as happy and productive as possible! Today’s episode deals with the bugbear of many in medicine–email.Part II is now Up as Well1. Understand the TechnologyEmail is an amazing Technology!Async-MailSync-Phone, Telegraph, Text, Chatapps,Email-Asynchronous with instant delivery–but this should not mean instant viewingPhilosophy is wrong, not tacticsBad SolutionsAn article on just keeping emails in inbox misses the entire point. There are only two acceptable solutions and ignoring email is definitely one of them, but inbox zero is the better version of that.Inbox ZeroArrival Rate vs. Departure RateEvery inbox item costs you decision dollarsWe don’t want to make decisionsToo Much Email-No!!!!! Too Much StuffI Just Check Once Per DayVs. I set aside time to do Deep WorkAnalogous to I took Facebook off my phone…2. Email Should Spark JoyUsed to have combined work and homeNever, ever do this!!!! Separate Work and EmailWork Check Once, while at work or every day depending on your jobHorrible human being would email on Friday afternoon with something horrible3. Don’t treat an async tech as syncDon’t expect or encourage real-time useIt is fine to reply right away, but dissuade the belief that you will consistentlyPacing4. Your Email Inbox cannot be your ToDo system5. Just 1 TouchDoItSystemItDelegateItSaveItUnsubIt-goes back to brings joy, true joy–not dopamine hitFilterItTrashit (actually archive)SpamItMaybe-Bringit Back Services6. Archive, Don’t Delete7. Search, Don’t File8. Inbox Elimination to Keep You HonestToo Many InboxesGmail Mailboxes9. Cut out Back & Forth Steps10. For Some Use cases, Are Slack/Basecamp/Teams the Solution?Books to ReadYou need to prune down to what is important!!!Life Changing! We’ll do a book club on this one ASAPNow on to the Podcast…

Nov 16, 2022 • 25min