[A.J. Jacobs, practical matters]: Is it possible to schedule when you’ll get your next ideas? Multiple bestselling author A.J. Jacobs says yes Ep 1146

Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

This week I’m talking with the hilarious and sweet writer, podcaster, multiple New York Times-bestselling author, and human guinea pig, A.J. Jacobs. A.J.'s books are a mix of memoir, science, humor, with a smidge of self-help. They include “The Year of Living Constitutionally,” “The Year of Living Biblically,” “Drop Dead Healthy,” and “The Know-It-All,” which chronicled the year and a half A.J. spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z.

He also hosts “The Puzzler” daily podcast, which just debuted its second season, and he's a frequent contributor to NPR's Weekend Edition.

In this first part of our interview, we covered the practical side of his writing career, including:

The very sensible reason he sticks to “method writing”

His amazing origin story that involved impersonating an Oscar-nominated actor—at the Oscars

The daily practice he uses to generate ideas

His viral Facebook post about biblical math

The habit he adopted from Benjamin Franklin after writing his book “The Year of Living Constitutionally”

Why he is a devotee of ‘eating the frog’

The tech gadget he uses to capture his ideas in longhand (and then remember them later because it makes them searchable)

The health tips he’s retained since writing a book about trying to become the healthiest person in the world

The ingenious way he remembers to do push-ups every day

Connect with A.J. at his Experimental Living newsletter on Substack: https://experimentalliving.substack.com/

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Thank you for listening!

And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).

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