There’s an endless amount of advice out there that claims becoming more productive means fully buying into hustle culture. But this week, clinical psychologist turned writer Alice Boyes joins the podcast to tear down many of the acknowledged notions we have about productivity, efficiency, and mental health. Alice is the author of Stress-Free Productivity: A Personalized Toolkit to Become Your Most Efficient and Creative Self, which helps readers identify their productivity profile and gives them the framework to create their most effective and efficient self. On the pod, Alice talks about the value of productivity highs and what habits to cultivate for a more stress-free sense of productivity. Conversely, Alice talks about what mindsets weigh us down and can reduce productivity, including the long-held ideals of peak efficiency.

Democracy is integral to America’s story, but recent book banning efforts from across the country may be a red flag. Author and English literature professor Azar Nafisi joins the podcast to talk about the power of fiction to challenge tyranny and preserve democracy. As a witness to the Iranian Revolution firsthand, Azar has explored the subversive power of literature in her bestselling book Reading Lolita in Tehran. On the pod, Azar talks about her new book Read Dangerously, which draws from her experiences as a woman and voracious reader living in the Islamic Republic of Iran, her life as an immigrant in the United States, and her role as literature professor.

After retiring from a military career that thrust him into the intelligence community, Kenneth Earl knew he had to put his story into writing. Written under a pseudonym, Kenneth’s memoir Illegitimate Sun chronicles his life journey from a difficult upbringing to becoming a high-ranking member of the US Navy. On the pod, Kenneth talks to Jon about his secret work as a cryptologist for the US intelligence community, why he decided to self-publish his memoir, and helpful tips for others who are curious about the process.

After retiring from a military career that thrust him into the mysterious spy community, Kenneth Earl knew he had to put his story into writing. Written under a pseudonym, Kenneth’s memoir Illegitimate Sun chronicles his life journey from a difficult upbringing to becoming a high-ranking member of the US Navy. On the pod, Kenneth talks to Jon about his undercover work as a cryptologist for the US intelligence community, why he decided to self-publish his memoir, and helpful tips for others who are curious about the process.

Bad habits can be the biggest obstacles preventing us from reaching our writing goals. This week, Anne Rochell Konigsmark joins the podcast to shine light on those habits so that you can replace them with better ones. Anne is a former journalist turned teacher who is also the host of Cocktail Party Takeaways, a podcast that gives listeners a whirlwind tour of classic novels they may not have understood the first time around. On the pod, she and Jon discuss how different habits negatively affect writers. Anne also touches on letting go of her unhealthy mindsets, and how reframing her identity as a writer has helped her adapt a healthier perspective to her work.

We are obsessed with the idea that we need to be more productive at all times, and that we’ll be happier people if we just figure out the best way to optimize our productivity. This week, Madeleine Dore joins the podcast to blow up this toxic mindset towards productivity. Madeleine is the author of the book I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt, which dismantles aspirational routines in favor of the joyful messiness and unpredictability of life. On the pod, she talks to Jon about our complicated relationship with productivity, as well as other self-doubting habits we need to break. She also discusses what we should focus on instead, and how to form a healthier mindset towards creating a meaningful life.

Whether your work is in person or remote, dealing with a jerk in the workplace sucks. Social psychologist Tessa Went has dedicated time researching the difficult coworkers we encounter in the office and actually found seven common archetypes that exist among them. Her book, Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them is a guide to dealing with the overbearing bosses, irritating coworkers, and all-around difficult people who make work and life miserable. On the pod, Tessa talks about the types of jerks we find at the workplace, as well as some ways to address their irritating behavior. She also touches on some habits we can develop to make work more enjoyable for everyone.

In the age of the internet, writers have to get creative if they want to make a living. For journalist Dorothy Pomerantz, witnessing the rise and fall of print publications over her 15-year career as a staff writer for Forbes got her to see where the future of journalism was headed — and she knew she needed to adapt. In 2015, she became the managing editor of Fitch Ink, a company that helps businesses and innovative leaders write content. On the pod, Dorothy and Jon reminisce about the good ol’ days of journalism and how the shift from print to online has changed the way journalists operate. Dorothy talks about what it’s like using her journalistic skills to aid her business clients, and whether she thinks she’s “selling out” or not. She also touches on the truths young journalists need to realize when entering the industry, and what subject areas journalists should consider.

Writing a good whodunit can be a bit of a mystery, but master crime novelist Elizabeth George has figured it out. Elizabeth has spent more than three decades delighting audiences with her Inspector Lynley crime novel series. This week the author joins Jon to talk about the captivating genre and her brand new book, Something to Hide. On the pod, she talks about becoming a mystery author after a career as a public school teacher and how she drummed up her BBC-adapted crime series. Elizabeth shares how she came up with the people in her books, as well as her useful strategy for coming up with complex characters. As a U.S.-based author, she also discusses why she decided to write novels based in the U.K., and how to write about cultures different from your own.

“Write what you know” is a piece of advice you’ve probably heard many times throughout your writing journey. For author Lan Samantha Chang, that meant drawing from her experience growing up in one of the only Chinese families in a small Midwestern town. Chang drew from these experiences to write The Family Chao, a modern-day Brothers Karamazov that centers on the story of an immigrant family in the rural Midwest. Chang is also the director of the renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In this episode, she talks about her heritage and how her upbringing impacted her journey as an author. She also talks about pivoting to writing as an adult, and dealing with struggles such as financial difficulties and pigeonholing from the industry.