“You cannot hold people responsible for results if you supervise their methods” Stephen Covey This is part 4 of 7 looking at the science, or not, of Stephen Coveys ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’. I was walking through the mall once with Ms12, when she yelled out “Mum! Look at those backpacks they come…
Habit 3: Put first things first
This post discusses Habit 3: Put first things first, it is part of a larger series looking at the science (or not) of Stephen Coveys’ 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The science that seems most important here in terms of supporting Coveys’ ideas is the goal hierarchy work discussed in Habit 2: Begin with…
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life? ‘Begin within the end in mind’ is a neat phrase that gets at the heart of goal setting. It is also the subject of this blog, which is part of a…
Habit 1: Be Proactive
This is part of a series on the science (if any) behind the ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ from the late Stephen Covey. This post concerns Habit 1: Be Proactive. Stop the press! When preparing the introduction for this series I had not yet found anything really criticising Coveys ideas. This week I fell…
The 7 Habits: Do they stand the test of time? Will they save us?
Once upon a time, when I was a perky young management consultant/coach, I swallowed ideas on offer at swanky conferences by swanky peeps (especially when the hotel and wine were good).Fast forward a few decades and spending the majority of my early 40’s in the ivory towers (doing a PhD) have taught me to question…
Habits Big & Small: Flossing Investigated
This post is a summary of some research on flossing. Before you yawn and go to sleep there is more here than meets the eye or should I say teeth? The authors open with discussing the importance of automaticity i.e., once we have reached auto-pilot with habits, our conscious mind is no longer engaged, a…
How and when do habits form?
When behaviours are repeated in consistent settings (places, times, with certain people etc.) they become automatic responses, that is, they become habits. But how do habits form? How long do they take to form? How is this different with each person? And how important is reward (or reinforcement) in this process? Rewards: do they matter?…
Changing Circumstance, Disrupting Habits
Habits are automatic How much did you today that was simply a repetition of yesterday? Was your breakfast similar? Maybe it was different but you sat in the same chair or ate it at the same time? What about the order of your morning ablutions? The route you took to work? The irresistible snack you…
The problem with science is, not enough sex!
Fact: Katy Perry has 74.2 million Instagram followers, NASA has 37.6 million. Science is just not sexy enough! Sex sells. Science, not so much. The problem with science is, the baby & its bathwater A terrorist or 10 identifies with Islam and Muslims worldwide are bullied, persecuted and generally hated upon. A scientist or 10…
Part 3 of 4: Vagus nerve stimulation; can you really ‘gag’ your way to good health?
Welcome to part 3 of a 4 part series on the vagus nerve in which I explore whether or not you can gag or splash your way to good health. First, a little background… During my PhD (on the vagus nerve) I noticed online health forums talking enthusiastically about the vagus. It might be like…