A Mug of Insights

037: The Quickest Way To Master Any Skill

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

On this episode, we'll challenge the idea that we have to start from the basics and learn progressively. We'll also give you the one key to mastering any skill without falling into paralysis by analysis.

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/were-never-prepared-enough-to-learn-a-new-skill/

Join the latest members' workshop: A Complete Guide To Analytical Reading here: https://www.amugofinsights.org/session-2-a-complete-guide-to-analytical-reading/

Subscribe to the weekly newsletter from A Mug of Insights for free weekly bonuses: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

This episode was produced and published under the imprint of © Literary. Publication. Our design consultant for the show is Victoria Aitken, and the intro/outro music, 'Armchair Expert' was composed and performed under the music project 'The Woods' by © Johnny McFadzean.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

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036: Anyone Can Enjoy The Classics, Here's How

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:47:55 GMT

On today's episode of Coffee Wednesday, we'll discuss why there's such an intimidating aura around books in the Classics section of a bookshop, why people have trouble understanding them and how to develop the reading skills to appreciate & fall in love with them.

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/why-are-the-classics-so-hard-to-read/

Join the latest members' workshop: A Complete Guide To Analytical Reading here: https://www.amugofinsights.org/session-2-a-complete-guide-to-analytical-reading/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for free weekly bonuses: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

035: On Setting Sustainable Reading/Life Goals

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

On this episode, we'll discuss why most resolutions fail and why ambitious goals tend to crash & burn, alongside a mindset shift to help you set sustainable visions for 2026.

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/the-missing-piece-in-your-new-years-resolutions/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Also, we've just launched our new series of members' workshops: The Sessions, featuring monthly tutorials & protocols to supercharge your lifelong learning journey. Check out the first session here: https://www.amugofinsights.org/tag/sessions/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

034: Why Mindless Entertainment Won't Replace Reading

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this week's episode, let's talk about why reading will not and cannot be replaced by other forms of entertainment & why you should implement more reading in the new year.

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/reading-cannot-be-replaced-heres-why/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Also, we've just launched our new series of members' workshops: The Sessions, featuring monthly tutorials & protocols to supercharge your reading life. Check out the first session here: https://www.amugofinsights.org/tag/sessions/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

033: The Missing Piece In Your Lifelong Learning Journey

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Today, we'll cover a foundational concept called mastery and tackle the 3 main problems that are stopping people from becoming lifelong students.

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for 1 big idea and two journal prompts to master your lifelong learning journey: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

We've also launched our new series of workshops: The Sessions, and you can claim an early-bird entry here: https://www.amugofinsights.org/tag/sessions/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

032: How To Enjoy & Understand Poetry

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we'll talk about how to start enjoying poetry with 3 simple steps. Also, there'll be a channel update for the first 7 minutes of the video to set the tune for our content heading into 2026 (see timestamps).

Join the Analytical Reading Waitlist to receive an early bird offer:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/arwlist

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

031: A Two-Step Plan To Make A Reading Routine STICK

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Most people struggle to find time and stick to a daily reading routine. So, in this week's episode, we'll give you a 2-step practical plan for making time & sticking with a daily reading goal.

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

030: Why Reading Intimidates Us, Fiction vs. Non-Fiction, and How To Start A Book Club

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Thank you for all your amazing questions! This week, I scoured the community post section and offered my advice on how to start a book club, how to stop feeling intimidated by books, battling reading fatigue and more.

Sources mentioned in the video:

Don't let your TBR hold you hostage:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/do/

The two building blocks of a daily reading routine:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-dont-put-your-life-on-hold-to-read/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

029: Stop Wasting Time On Note-Taking

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

What if taking fewer notes made you a better learner? In this special segment of Coffee Wednesday, we'll return to the basics and explore the Field Notes mindset — a practical approach to capturing ideas, not just information. Learn how to think more clearly by writing less.

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

028: The Power of A Digital Declutter

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this episode, I traced my steps and came up with three steps that have allowed me to reclaim my life from social media & find deeper meaning in intentional hobbies.

Books mentioned in this episode:

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

If you're enjoying this show, consider signing up for a paid subscription to my newsletter and gain access to the three-part series on rescuing your attention span from my newsletter:

Part 1: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-1-willpower-isnt-enough/

Part 2: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-2-reclaim-your-free-time/

Part 3: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-3-join-the-attention-resistance/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

027: How Great Readers See Books Differently

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this week's episode, let's talk about the one trait and habit all exceptional readers share, and how to practise it in our lives.

Sources mentioned in the video:

Toward A Psychology of Being: https://archive.org/details/towardpsychology00masl

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

026: How To Stay Informed Without Going Insane

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

This week, let's talk about how to keep tabs on the world without letting the news take over our lives.

Read the latest 1-2-Read issue in my newsletter for free:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-how-to-stay-informed-without-going-insane/

And if you're enjoying what you're reading/watching, consider taking out a paid subscription to the newsletter! This is a direct way to support the show so that we don't have to rely on sponsors to keep it going.

Sources mentioned in the video:

https://www.opensourceceo.com/p/strategism-nytimes-games

Mark Manson's article on quitting the news:

https://markmanson.net/why-you-should-quit-the-news

Cal Newport's episode on TikTok's algorithm:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-372-decoding-tiktoks-algorithm/id1515786216?i=1000729057142

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

025: How To Read 6 Books A Month

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this week's episode, I'll share 5 reading lessons that have allowed me to get through 6 books in the month of September, alongside some recommended practices for you to optimise your information consumption.

Read the three-part series on rescuing your attention span from my newsletter:

Part 1: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-1-willpower-isnt-enough/

Part 2: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-2-reclaim-your-free-time/

Part 3: https://www.amugofinsights.org/1-2-read-protocols-for-rescuing-your-attention-pt-3-join-the-attention-resistance/

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/how-to-read-6-books-in-a-month/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

024: Do You Need An English Degree To Read Well?

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:00:00 GMT

In this week's episode, let's talk about the value of an English Degree and whether you need one to become a better reader. On top of that, you'll also learn about the degree's unique history and how it still impacts our perception of literature today.

Sources mentioned in the video:

History of the English Degree from Peter Barry's book: Beginning Theory. https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.28799978

Professing Criticism by John Guillory https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/P/bo181442592.html

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/are-universities-ruining-the-pleasure-of-reading-and-how-to-get-it-back/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips: https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes: https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing: https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

023: A Defence of Long-Form Reading In Our Distracted Age

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:00:00 GMT

This week, let's get beyond the headline and examine how our relationship to long-form reading has changed, and what we can do to rescue our attention through a digital diet.

Sources mentioned in the video:

The 2017 estimate of how many words we read daily:

https://askwonder.com/research/words-average-smartphone-user-reads-per-day-compared-users-vision-problems-adhd-ntzomu34l

The 2023 study on The Reverse Flynn Effect:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289623000156?ref=amugofinsights.org

'On Ultra-Processed Content' by Cal Newport:

https://calnewport.com/on-ultra-processed-content/?ref=amugofinsights.org

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/how-i-trained-my-attention-to-read-again/

Links & Goodies:

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Legal:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

022: Reclaiming The Joy of Reading From Our Productivity Culture

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:00:00 GMT

On this episode, we'll address the problems with productivity systems and how they might be ruining the joy of reading, alongside a practical tip on how to slowly rebuild it in the age of content saturation.

Sources mentioned in the video:

Cal's newsletter on the power of email: https://calnewport.com/email-is-most-useful-when-improving-a-process-that-existed-before-email/?ref=amugofinsights.org

The Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done: https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-rise-and-fall-of-getting-things-done

Companion article for this episode:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/dont-let-note-taking-get-in-the-way-of-enjoying-a-good-book/

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

This episode was produced and published under the imprint of Literary. Publication. Our design consultant for the show is Victoria Aitken, and the intro/outro music, 'Armchair Expert' was composed and performed under the music project 'The Woods' by © Johnny McFadzean.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

021: Reading Advice For High School & College Students

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:49:34 GMT

In this episode, we'll answer an email question from Kade, who brought up some excellent questions around how to be an effective reader in high school & college while still engaging with other aspects of campus life. If you want to send a question to the show, email support@amugofinsights.org, and we'll feature your question on a show!

Links and goodies:

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

020: What Makes A Book Life-Changing?

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:45:30 GMT

Welcome back to season 3 of our show, and we'll resurrect a long-lost segment called Coffee Wednesday. And as the pilot episode of the season, we'll kick it off with an important question that's usually overlooked: what makes a book life-changing? Nowadays, it's difficult to look beyond the hype of 'life-changing' promises and find information that will benefit us. So, how do we go about searching for these books in the age of information overload? Join us in this episode and find out!

Links and goodies:

Want more food for thought and deeper insights for your reading life? Subscribe to my newsletter for free here for weekly bonuses and tips:

https://www.amugofinsights.org/

Download the digital notebook I use to organise ideas for these episodes:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/your-syntopicon

My classes on rediscovering the joys of reading & writing:

https://www.rcwaldun.com/classes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IG6UBvhnU3607AuOtCYFq

Website: https://www.musicfromthewoods.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

019: The Future of Online Political Discourse with Alice Cappelle

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:00:20 GMT

Today, we'll sit down with YouTuber, writer and essayist Alice Capelle known for her insightful political commentaries and book: Collapse Feminism to discuss the urgency of social issues, creating content in the marketplace of ideas and the future of our political discourse on the internet.

You can find Alice's work here:

Collapse Feminism-The Online Battle for Feminism's Future: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/collapse-feminism-9781915672018

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AliceCappelle

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alicecappelle

Website: https://www.alicecappelle.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

018: Is Personal Growth Possible In Our Polarised World? with Cole Hastings

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 03:05:38 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with YouTuber, writer and video essayist Cole Hastings to discuss the topic of personal development and self-help in our polarised world. The episode started with a deep dive into Cole's content creation philosophy. It gradually turned into a discussion on the role of social critique in personal development, begging the question: is personal development still possible when everything seems so hopeless and negative on the news?

Find Cole's Work Here:

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@thehastingsharvest

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ColeHastings

Second Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CoalHastings

Self-Mastery School: https://cole-hastings.com/selfmastery

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017: Tools For Reading Difficult Books with William Dozier

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 05:41:53 GMT

On this episode, I sat down with the author of FUMES and Instagram/TikTok sensation William P Dozier known for his excellent book recommendations. We discussed tools/strategies for tackling intimidating book titles, how to improve our taste in literature and how to have the courage to live first and write later.

You can find Will's work below:

Buy FUMES here: https://www.amazon.com/FUMES-William-Dozier/dp/B0CDNGMDF7

Website: https://williamdozier.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williampdozier/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@williampdozier

Bindery: https://wpd.binderybooks.com/about/

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016: Books That Made Us Who We Are with Ruby Granger

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:52:38 GMT

On this very special edition of Small Talks, I sat down with the wonderful YouTuber, writer and founder of Pumpkin Productivity: Ruby Granger in Oxford and discussed everything from the double-edged sword of Dark Academia, rare manuscripts that we've handled as bookworms and why you should never feel guilty about quitting a book when it bores you.

Find Ruby Here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6a8lp6vaCMhUVXPyynhjUA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rubygranger/?hl=en

Website: https://rubygranger.com/

Pumpkin Productivity: https://pumpkinproductivity.co.uk/

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015: Leaving Academia to Become A Sommelier with Clementine

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 10:34:41 GMT

On this episode, my friend, who is a certified sommelier and wine writer, sat down with me for an in-depth conversation about wine tasting, why people are overpaying for subpar bottles and why Clementine decided to drop out of her Master's Degree to pursue a life as a sommelier.

Fine Clementine here:

Wine with Clementine on Substack: https://winewithclementine.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dellasacre

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014: Understanding Film vs. Literature with Hano Lokman

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 02:38:54 GMT

On this episode, we launch the show into season two with a brand new segment: Small Talks that attempts to capture those lightning-in-a-bottle conversations you wish you had recorded. Our first guest is my dear friend Hano Lokman who goes by @writtenanddirectedbyhano on his socials. He is a filmmaker, director and the brain behind the short film: Why Can't We Have Nice Things as well as many philosophical/cinematic dialogues on Instagram and Tiktok. Make sure to check out his work here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writtenanddirectedbyhano/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu3DFXuHlJZJWy-VCfLQ-Qw

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013: How To Turn Knowledge Into Action

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:39:06 GMT

In this episode, we'll explore the dangers of reading too much or taking too many actions. And we'll discuss how to balance theory and practice and turn what you've read into concrete actions.

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012: How To Quit Scrolling And Free Up Your Time

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 09:21:53 GMT

In this episode, we'll discuss how to free up time (with a simple tool) we've wasted on social media and why we're facing a temporal crisis in our society, followed by an update from Robin on why he's heading to Oxford around early February.

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011: Being Well-Read Doesn't Mean Reading More Books

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

On this episode we’ll discuss what it means to be “well-read” and why it doesn’t necessarily mean reading more books.

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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010: Tips For Reclaiming Your Attention Span

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 09:02:16 GMT

In this episode, we discuss the four essential mindsets for developing your attention span and regaining your ability to enjoy long-form books and content.

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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009: The REAL Reason Why College Students Struggle to Read Books

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:00:00 GMT

An episode discussing the recent article by The Atlantic on why elite college students are struggling to read books and why attention span alone is not the real problem.

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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008: How To Build A Consistent Reading Habit

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 06:10:54 GMT

On this episode, we'll talk about how to develop a consistent reading habit and the future of this podcast.

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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007: Listen To This Before You Start an Arts Degree

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 04:01:23 GMT

Show Notes:

Link to original article:

https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/a-word-of-caution-5-common-myths

Link to Angelene’s article:

https://angelenekala.substack.com/p/your-sign-to-defer-uni

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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006: How Critique Became The Mood of The Internet

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 14:02:33 GMT

Submit a question for the QnA episodes here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/amugofquestions

Link to the original article:

https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/the-myth-of-being-surrounded-by-idiots

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005: Balancing Passion and College, Being Single In Your 20s and Substack Writing Advice

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 03:45:29 GMT

Show Notes:

Submit a question to this show: https://www.speakpipe.com/amugofquestions

This week’s article: https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/arent-you-a-little-young-to-read

Deep work by Cal Newport: https://calnewport.com/deep-work-rules-for-focused-success-in-a-distracted-world/

The Agony of Eros by Byung-Chul Han: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262533379/the-agony-of-eros/

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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004: In Praise of Cafés and Inactivity - From The Archive

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:47:59 GMT

Introducing the monthly segment where I read out a piece from the archive of A Mug of Insights. This month, we’ll start with a piece on why doing nothing is the best thing you can do for your creativity.

Link to the full article with reading lists/citations:

https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/doing-nothing-is-the-best-thing-you?utm_source=publication-search

Submit a question for me on the weekly QnA show:

https://www.speakpipe.com/amugofquestions

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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003: Future of The Humanities, Reading as a Hobby and Tools for Finishing a Difficult Book

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 06:52:17 GMT

Show Notes:

Submit a question via Speakpipe here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/amugofquestions

New piece from the Newsletter: I Hate Networking Too, But…

https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/i-hate-networking-too-but

Books Mentioned:

The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-righteous-mind-9780141039169

Hooked by Rita Felski: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo58870481.html

More About Lydia Davis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Davis

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002: Dealing With Too Many Interests, Information Overload And How To Handle Academic Anxiety

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:40:00 GMT

On this episode of A Mug of Insights, we'll address three questions on dealing with multiple interests, tips for being a more effective student and how to manage academic anxiety & carve out the time to think.

Show notes:

Weekly Recap:

Latest newsletter on the five myths about studying an arts degree

https://amugofinsights.substack.com/p/a-word-of-caution-5-common-myths

Tips on how to read academic texts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKFlWdVXYIg&t=40s

Recommendations:

The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell

https://russell-j.com/beginner/COH-TEXT.HTM

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001: Dealing with cognitive overload, morning routines and how lifelong learning makes you more productive

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 07:50:05 GMT

In this episode, we answered three questions from our readers about dealing with an overwhelming amount of information, the impacts of a flexible morning routine, and how lifelong learning influences our productivity.

If you want to submit a question, follow me on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/r.c.waldun/?hl=en

and send me a DM. Once I've approved the request send a voice recording of your question and you just might hear your voice on an episode.

Show notes:

Caitlin's Newsletter: Ruminations

https://caitlinellis.substack.com/

Cal Newport's brilliant books that changed my life (Pay Attention to Deep Work and How to Be A Straight-A Student)

https://calnewport.com/writing/

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000: Spreading The Words

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 03:14:42 GMT

For additional information about the show and premium episodes, head to https://amugofinsights.substack.com/ for more.

Welcome to this brief introduction to this podcast! In this episode, we covered what this podcast is about, potential upload frequency and what you can do to support this project. If you have any potential requests and suggestions, please leave them in the comments down below (future AMA segments?).

For now, take care, and goodbye!

Get full access to A Mug of Insights at amugofinsights.substack.com/subscribe

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