Just Two Minutes: The Busyness Trap

Bite-sized dental wisdom in under 2 minutes.

There’s a difference between being busy and getting sh*t done.
Most dentists don’t see it—until they look at their production report at 5:00 p.m. and feel personally offended by the number.

You know the kind of day I mean.

• Back-to-back patients

• Skipped lunch

• Hit your step count by 10 a.m.
  … and still somehow barely cleared $3K.

That’s not productive. That’s inefficient.
And it’s a mindset problem.

1. Motion ≠ Progress

Checking boxes and sprinting through hygiene checks feels productive.
But if it’s not tied to an outcome, it’s just motion.

The fix?
Define what a “win” looks like for the day.
It’s not “stay busy.”
It’s:
“Hit $10K today by offering same-day treatment, saying yes to emergencies, and leading with energy.”

2. Focus is a System, Not a Feeling

You’re not tired because you’re overworked.
You’re tired because your day is 90% reacting and 10% intention.

Set a goal. Say it out loud.
Let your team hear it. Let them help you hit it.
People will push the train once they know where the tracks are headed.

3. The “Yes” Mindset is Contagious (and it starts with you)

You want your team to say:
“Yes, we can fit them in.”
“Yes, we can stay 15 minutes late.”
Cool. Then YOU need to say yes first.

Your tone sets theirs.
Grumble about emergencies? They’ll grumble too.
Act like it’s an opportunity? They’ll run with it.

4. Stop Obsessing Over Pennies

This one’s for Associates - if you’re zooming into your paycheck to figure out why it’s $47.80 short, but you just referred out a $1,500 case… we need to talk.

You're not being precise. You're being petty.
Audit less. Produce more.

Final Thought

You don’t rise to your goals. You fall to your systems.
So build one.
Because no one pays you to feel productive.

-Dr. Alex

P.S. In the words of Dr. Spencer Greer, “Let’s take this day by the you-know-whats and let’s just crank.”