The Everyday Problems Podcast

Episode 6: Motivation

What is motivation? Do we have enough of it? Do we spend too much time worrying about it?

Given the strange stage we're at in the world at the moment, we thought it was about time we had a good old chat about what's stopping us from getting up and getting on with life. We discuss the science behind motivation and the many complex factors affecting it.

Here are a few of the resources mentioned in the show:

• 5 psychological theories of motivation: https://contactzilla.com/blog/5-psychological-theories-motivation-increase-productivity/

 

• Dr Ian Taylor - motivation: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/staff/ian-taylor/

 

• All In The Mind Podcast: Motivation and procrastination: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005t4x

 

• 2008 California elections experiments: https://www.pnas.org/content/108/31/12653

 

• Adam Curtis: Hypernormalisation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04b183c

 

• Jon Ronson: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed: http://www.jonronson.com/shame.html

 

• Wilfred Zaha news article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53381586 

Don't forget, if you'd like to support the podcast and other projects you can do so at www.patreon.com/tomcorneill where you'll get full details of where your donations are going.

Please email any questions or suggestions to everydayproblemspodcast@gmail.com

Thanks everyone!

 

 

Episode 5: Have we been getting depression wrong? A discussion of Johann Hari's book 'Lost Connections'

If you find this podcast helpful and would like to support it, along with other important projects, you can do so for as little as £1.70 per month Every donation makes a huge difference and means we can continue bringing you great content. Just head to patreon.com/tomcorneill for more info.

This week we discuss Johann Hari's best-selling book, 'Lost Connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression - and the unexpected solutions'.

Hari's book explores the idea that depression is perhaps not down to the 'chemical imbalance' that many of us have come to believe, but is almost certainly the product of something in our lives that is hurting us.

Through a series of studies and interviews, Hari gives compelling evidence that the assumptions we have lived by for decades are largely the result of unreliable statements put out by pharmaceutical companies, and that the good news is we may have a better shot than ever at beating depression. In this episode of Everyday Problems, we discuss some of the key themes from Lost Connections and how the good news might be best put to use. We also debate some of the book's more challenging aspects...

After we've warmed you up, we'd urge listeners to read the book, which you can find both in print (in all good book stores) and as an audio version (via audible.com).

As ever, please email any questions or suggestions for future episodes to everydayproblemspodcast@gmail.com

We hope you enjoy the show.

Episode 4: What is life coaching, and could it help me?

In this episode, Tom speaks to life coach Sally Jennings of Clarity Coaching. We discuss what life coaching means, who it can help and some of the methods used to help you reach your goals.

 

Keeping the show notes simple this week, here are two life coach links for you in case you've decided it's time for you to find out what it's all about:

 

• Clarity Coaching - for sessions conducted internationally (hosted in the UK) and done brilliantly via Skype/Zoom etc http://lifecoachingclarity.co.uk
• Or for those of you also from the Southwest of the UK, a great local coach worth speaking to can be found at Project Self http://projectself.co.uk

As ever, email us at everydayproblemspodcast@gmail.com with any enquiries or suggestions for future episodes. And if you'd like to support the podcast, head to patreon.com/tomcorneilll to find out how as little as £1.70 per month can help us providing great content!

 

Take care.

Episode 3: 5 ways to feel better

If you find this podcast helpful and would like to support it, along with other important projects, you can do so for as little as £1.70 per month Every donation makes a huge difference and means we can continue bringing you great content. Just head to patreon.com/tomcorneill for more info.

Thanks so much for tuning into episode 3 of the Everyday Problems podcast!

We managed to overcome most of the lockdown recording challenges we faced in the last episode and wanted this time to bring you something practical: 5 ways to feel better!

Narrowing our recommendations down to five wasn’t an easy task so you can expect more in a future episode. But for now, have a listen and we hope you find some of our conversation helpful. Here is a list of things we refer to in the session in case you fancy finding out more, and remember if you have any questions for us please send them to everydayproblemspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Mind: Physical Activity and your Mental Health (2019):

https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/2934/physical-activity-and-your-mental-health-2019.pdf

ParkRun: 

https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/2934/physical-activity-and-your-mental-health-2019.pdf

Yoga with Adriene:

https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

Walking: one step at a time, by Erling Kagge:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-One-Step-at-Time/dp/0241357683/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UHMEY98K0KMI&dchild=1&keywords=walking+erling+kagge&qid=1593955469&sprefix=walking+er%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2195464.What_I_Talk_About_When_I_Talk_About_Running

Guided meditation apps available include:

Headspace

Calm

Omvana

 

Interview with Andy Puddicombe (Founder of Headspace):

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/under-the-skin-with-russell-brand/id1212064750?i=1000400296995

https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/russell-brand/under-the-skin/e/52961811

How to Make Sourdough MasterClass with Patrick Ryan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FVfJTGpXnU

And on the topic of life coaching you can easily use the net to search for coaches in your area but our recommendations to get you started are:

Clarity Coaching - for sessions conducted internationally (hosted in the UK) and done brilliantly via Skype/Zoom etc http://lifecoachingclarity.co.uk

Or for those of you also from the Southwest of the UK, a great local coach worth speaking to can be found at Project Self http://projectself.co.uk

 

Thanks for listening, take care till next time!

Episode 2: Tom & Liam catch up and a further exploration into dealing with depression

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Everyday Problems Podcast. We need to point out that as a few everyday problems stopped us from getting this out on time, some references are slightly out of date. It was also the first recording we made during lockdown and we're still perfecting the art of remote recording, so please excuse the dodgy sound quality in some places.

Nevertheless, it was good for Liam and I to catch up after our first recording, published two weeks prior to this but recorded many months earlier. In this episode we touch on depression and ways to combat it, as well as the effects of lockdown, redundancy and a few other bits.

You can support this podcast by going to www.patreon.com/tomcorneill - all donations help towards the cost of running the show (which sadly doesn't happen for free!) as well as supporting other projects you'll read about before subscribing. Every penny is hugely appreciated, we couldn't do this without you.

We discuss meditation and mindfulness, so here are some useful references and links for you:

On the subject of mindfulness, or the art of 'being in the moment', you can find Ruby Wax's brilliant 'A mindfulness guide for the frazzled' here.

And in terms of meditation apps, we recommend Calm, Headspace and Omvana, all of which can be found in the App Store on your phone.

Liam also makes an important reference to the brutal murder of George Floyd and ways in which we're trying to better educate ourselves on how we can combat racism. If you'd like to find out more, you might find these links useful:

There are a number of initiatives and organisations who are committed to combating racism. This is where we’re starting our own education, so may be a good starting point for you too:

 

Black Lives Matter (International)

Black Lives Matter Foundation is a global organisation in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.

 

Stephen Lawrence Charitable Foundation (UK)

As well as campaigning for racial justice and fairness, the charitable foundation does amazing work in the United Kingdom helping young people to transform their lives by overcoming disadvantage and discrimination, supporting them through sustainable careers.

 

This Google Doc being circulated online is an invaluable resource for all. 

 

https://www.huckmag.com/perspectives/activism-2/how-to-be-an-effective-ally-in-the-fight-against-racism/

 

Thanks again and enjoy this episode of the Everyday Problems Podcast.

 

Tom & Liam

Episode 1: Dealing with depression

If you find this podcast helpful and would like to support it, along with other important projects, you can do so for as little as £1.70 per month Every donation makes a huge difference and means we can continue bringing you great content. Just head to patreon.com/tomcorneill for more info.

In the first episode of the Everyday Problems Podcast, we discuss depression and some of the issues that surround it. We touch on how each of us first came to experience, how it was diagnosed, what treatments we've experienced over the years and things we find helpful. 

Depression is a broad, unyielding topic and we don't seek in this episode to solve the problem once and for all but in discussing how we cope with it and how to communicate with people on the topic, we hope to normalise the conversation around mental health and we hope it gives you some ideas too. 

It's a topic we'll return to in future episodes but for now, enjoy listening. 

Introduction

If you find this podcast helpful and would like to support it, along with other important projects, you can do so for as little as £1.70 per month Every donation makes a huge difference and means we can continue bringing you great content. Just head to patreon.com/tomcorneill for more info.

This is just a little introduction to the world of the Everyday Problems Podcast. It's a podcast that discusses challenges we meet as regular human beings and tries to normalise the conversation around some of life's less comfortable topics like mental health. 

Remember to like and subscribe and make sure you keep listening!