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Curious about the secret to increased productivity? Hint: It's not multitasking! In this week's Monday Morning Episode, I'm picking the brain of Dr. Alan Mead, diving deep into why multitasking isn't necessarily the powerful tool it's made out to be. Dr. Mead deconstructs the myth of multitasking and shares why focus could be your most underutilized asset. We'll learn how to identify these moments in our own lives and redefine our work habits in a world brimming with distractions.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Step right up, heed Alan's advice, and propel your week towards productivity and concentration. Let's debunk the myth of multitasking together!
You can reach out to Dr. Alan Mead here:
Website: https://meadfamilydental.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanmead
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/very_dental_podcast/
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My Newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/
The Dental Marketer Society Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2031814726927041
Michael: Hey, Alan. So talk to us. What's one piece of advice you can give us this Monday morning?
Alan: So when I got your invite, I wanted to make sure that I, I came up with something maybe a little different than what I've said before. so podcasters and people who listen to podcasts. are the only real people I think that, that can actually do multitasking in real life.
So, my, my, uh, my advice is to, to stop trying to multitask. And I'll tell you, multitasking is actually a myth. I, it's not talked about as much now as it used to be, but I remember probably 10 years ago, man, it was all about, multitasking. You have to be doing, you know, 10 things at once all the time to be productive and all that stuff.
But what's really interesting is when you think about what multitasking is, it's like one person that's able to do or think about or whatever, multiple things at the same time. computers are really good at this, right? Like that's why we invented computers. They can run different processes all at the same time.
And the more processing power, the more things you can do humans, because we only have so much focus really are not good at this. what we're really doing is we're just switching our focus really quickly. And what happens in my experience is that it's just tasks switching rather than doing multiple tasks.
And it seems like for tasks that, okay, you can do this. A little bit when you are, when one of the tasks is something that's already automatic, for instance, why can you listen to a podcast and totally concentrate on it when you're driving to work? Because you've driven to work a million times and you know, you've been driving for how many years and it's just kind of automatic.
And so you can actually concentrate on the thing. But if you try something like I, I, this is my classic thing. I'll get on the phone with a friend and then I'll sit down at my desk and I'll try and answer emails while I'm having a conversation. I can't do it. what I ended up having to do is say, you know what?
I'm distracted as heck. I got to call you back because I got to get this thing done. I can't do it at the same time. And if you think you can, you're probably doing both of them really poorly. I mean, that's the, you know, so, so the only real multitasking I think is if you're able to listen to something while you're like driving or doing exercise or yard work or something like that.
And thus as podcasters, we kind of love that because We can actually kind of participate in, in the only real multitasking, but like for tasks that require real focus, I don't think it's possible. I don't know. You might push back on, I just don't think that there's such a thing that you can really do well.
So the trick is to, understand that as human beings, we only have so much focus at one point and kind of protect that focus as best you can. What do you think about that? You think that's a good tip or do you think that's garbage? No, I think it's
Michael: good. I, I, I. 100 percent agree. I think we just are really good at managing distractions
Alan: Or not good at it as the case may be. Yeah. There you go.
Michael: Not good at it because a distraction comes up. We're like, Oh, we got to do that. Oh, another thing comes up. I think we've transformed the word priority to like priorities and there's no such thing as that. It's just like, you got to put that one thing in the forefront and do it.
Yep. But then we're like, we're gonna multitask at the same time and then that's when you are just distracted at the time. So then how did you help yourself with that? Like, uh, or how did you come to that conclusion?
Alan: You know, I've heard about it. When you asked me to come up with something, I realized that I do that quite a bit with the phone thing.
Like, I think, okay, I'm just on the phone. Okay. So, like, I love talking. If I'm going to talk to a friend on the phone, I like to be driving and I have a commute. I got to drive. 40 minutes, one way to work. So I have a lot of time to either listen or talk on the phone or whatever, because that the other things, the automatic thing, but then sometimes I'll get home or I'll get to work and have something I'm going to try and do and still be on the phone.
I can't do it. I can't do it. And, and, and I realized that that both things I'm trying to do, I do more poorly. and so I've come to realize that that focus is just for me, it's not even a really hard thing for me to come to grips with. I think I really am just not any good at the thing, but what I have to realize, I have to understand that I'm trying to do two things at once.
That's the thing. So lately I've really understood. So what, what is my focus need to be on at this moment? And I mean, mind you. As a dentist, that's not hard for me to, you know, the focus is on the patient, the procedure, what's next, that sort of thing. That's, but, but a lot of times it's like, as you know, uh, producing content, podcasts and stuff, you're sitting at a desk
I have, the entire internet in front of me if I want it. so it's really hard sometimes to focus on what you need to get done versus what's, what's available on the screen, you know, so you have to really, and I'm not great at that all the time, but it is funny when I, particularly when I'm editing podcasts, um, I get into a flow state a little bit.
I I'm able to, to, once I get into it. I usually am into it enough where the other stuff kind of goes away and I'll like look up 30 minutes later. I'm like, wow, I got a bunch done. And I didn't amazingly didn't look at my, you know, my email or something like that. So it's just understanding how focus actually works, I think is, is the big tip for me. to
Michael: you, when you talk about your state of flow and you're productive, like the most time that you're productive, do you realize like Oh, I'm most productive when I'm this time of the day or this time of moment or
Alan: it's
funny. I,
not really because I am not great about saying I'm setting aside this time to do this.
I should be. I really should be having done this for as long as I have. I really should be, but I don't a lot of times, a lot of times I still put myself on a deadline where I'm, I'm, I'm right up to it. I kind of know in the back of my mind, once. Once I dive into it, once I actually commit to doing it and, you know, literally open up the software and start going, I'll fall into it.
I know that I will. so I'm not, there isn't a particular time of day, although I'm not worth much in the evening at all to tell you the truth. So if I'm doing anything, I do it in the morning. I went to a three day, three clinical days. with the idea that I was going to use my Mondays is sort of doing the admin and podcast stuff. that's worked out somewhat as you know, a lot of times when you open yourself up to interviewing at X time, you know, especially when it's during the day, which is when I'd like to do it rather than, you know, after I put my kids to bed or whatever, lot of times people can't, can't do it then. So you still have to be kind of flexible with that.
But yeah, I mean, I, if there's a particular time of day, it's probably morning, but, but the reality is it's. It doesn't always work out that way.
Michael: Gotcha. So then switching over to this, when it comes to your life now to like clinical work and you managing the practice and everything like that. Yeah. How does that translate to that? Uh,
Alan: it all kind of, it's funny because, um, I think people, particularly people who love clinical dentistry or who, who kind of focus on clinical dentistry, the admin stuff is so easy to procrastinate on. But what I've always, okay, this is the classic thing. What I've noticed is once I procrastinate to this day, I'm I'll go for a while where I'll have all my stuff done early in the month and I get it off and I feel great about that.
And then there'll be a month where I just didn't jump on it. And so it gets bigger in my head, the big, the admin stuff that I have to do. And it's so, and honestly, it's, it's causing me pain for longer because I'm putting it off. Cause you know, once you get into it, you just start going with, if you can put your focus on this stuff, knowing you have to get, and sometimes it's fine.
If you break up in pieces, if you know, you don't have time to do all of it at once, if you can break it up in pieces and put your focus on that and get it done, I have to say the, there's a, the sense of accomplishment of getting it done earlier, rather, rather than letting it torture you over the month or whatever is. Really great. But I, it's, I'm, I'm a slow learner and a fast forgetter because I, like, I, I sometimes forget how great it feels to have the stuff, the monthly stuff, let's say done early in the month rather than holding on to the last second. but like I said, once you understand your focus is your focus, uh, I, I think that, works better that way.
Like you can kind of fall into it and get the job done and keep the fricking browser windows closed when you're doing that. Just do what you got to do, you know?
Michael: Yeah, and I think that's the tough part, like, especially if you're like, okay, I know I focus really well if I wake up early, don't have my phone with me, have the, but, man, I'm not gonna lie to you, like, maybe 8 times out of 10 I'll do it, you know what I mean, and then, like, the 10th time.
Well, yeah, so,
Alan: because the story is, you're, you're, uh, All this admin stuff that you do a lot of times is already in a browser. So it's like, you're already kind of like, wow, I got to use a browser. So it's, it's a, and so you get kind of sucked into stuff, you know, like let's say I'm, I'm working on financial stuff and QuickBooks online and then I'll have a bank, I'll be in the bank website.
And then in, in the stories, like it, all it takes is one button to click and you're, you're doom scrolling somewhere else. It doesn't, you know, in, I'd love to say I'm super, uh, super disciplined about it, I'm not, and actually. Sometimes you want to give your brain a break when you've been, particularly with numbers, if you're, uh, give yourself a break, but it's, you got to make sure you reel yourself back in.
You can't give yourself too much time because time gets away from you when you're doing that stuff. Yeah.
Michael: Do you find yourself like What is the biggest time suck for you where you're like, my gosh, like I, I just spent like as you're waiting something to render or like you're waiting for yours or anything.
You're just like on your phone. What do you feel like that is
Alan: Instagram is deadly because it's all visual. It's all pictures and videos. I can lose myself. And I mean, anywhere between, you know, Mountain bikes, cooking and cat videos. And, you know, Instagram is just literally it's, it's invented to try and take time away from what you should be doing.
And, and honestly, I, most people use their phone. I'm Instagram on a browser is pretty great. Like it's even bigger. so most people use their phone. Of course, it's much easier to post stuff on your phone, but you can, you can consume it pretty well on a browser. So that's, I have to, I have to put that stuff away.
All right. Or I get sucked into it.
Michael: If you do it on a browser, I think that would be. Because on the phone, I feel like you can take it. You know? They even need that. You take it anywhere. Yeah. Yeah. Uhhuh, they have a, a thing now where it's like another app, but you make your whole phone black and white and great.
Alan: Right, right. Yeah. I, I've done it. I've, I have the app. Guess what? You can also turn that off. , . I mean, I paid for the app. I paid for it, and it was helpful. It was helpful, but I also, like you got, you gotta be committed to keeping the app like that. It's, it's not a forever thing. Like, and, and I'm not quite willing enough.
This has been a journey over some years. What I tell myself is like, there's not enough good, there's more bad than good with, with that because of the time suck and all that stuff. I still haven't quite been brave enough to, to get rid of it completely. Cause I, cause I really do like it. I enjoy it. And I, and I interact with a lot of my friends on those apps too, so.
Yeah.
Michael: Interesting. Why'd you turn it back on?
Alan: Oh God, because, because here's the thing I was using, like, let's say Instagram. I was using Instagram. Anyhow, I would just do the workaround, what, what happens is it lets you do it, but you have to search for it. So it's not like it doesn't, you can make it so you can't open it, but if you can still open it, you're just doing the workaround.
Well, after a while, you're just like, okay, the workarounds pain. So you just go away from it. But like, if you're, if you're in a good spot, It's probably good to have it. And I have to say, I am not drawn to my phone as much as I am a browser. I'm, I'm much more likely to be on a computer. If you can see my office right now, I literally have a, my screen is, is literally, it's the width of three giant computer screens.
It's like, so I'm a browser guy, big time. That's in. So the reality is, you know, I make my phone do all that stuff. I'm still going to jump on a browser anyhow. So, yeah, yeah,
Michael: yeah, that's good, man. That's good. Well, so moral of the story is. Distractions, right? Or
Alan: multitasking, multitasking distractions and understanding you only have so much focus.
Yeah.
Michael: Okay. And then that multitasking is basically a myth.
Alan: Yeah, it is a myth. It absolutely isn't. Actually, you can look into, there's a fair amount of actual peer reviewed research that proves it as much too. But all you have to do is try and answer your email while you're talking to someone that you actually want to talk to.
You realize it's a myth. You can't do it. It doesn't work. Yeah.
Michael: So when we see like on a resume, I'm great at multitasking.
Alan: Yeah. No, you're not. You're, you're, you might be good at switching back and forth really fast, but you're not good at multitasking unless you're a computer. Yeah.
Michael: No. Awesome. Alan, I appreciate your time.
Thank you so much for being with us. If anyone has further questions or concerns, or they just want to reach out to you, where can they find you?
Alan: Oh, probably. I mean, I'm on Facebook and Instagram is very dental podcast or myself. that's your best bet. Actually, actually, after I told you to not use Instagram, find me on Instagram at the very dental podcast.
That's, that's your easiest way, probably.
Michael: So guys, that's all going to be in the show notes below and Alan, thank you so much for being with me on this
Alan: Monday morning. You bet. That was great. Thank you.