Rana Al-Falaki explores how mastering productivity can help dentists break free from constant busyness and build a more balanced life.
What would you do with more time? As dentists, we are incredibly time poor. Having to see patients back-to-back, spending lunch breaks catching up on admin, writing notes, planning cases, staff meetings; attending courses at weekends and using evenings to complete the compulsory CPD that doesn’t seem to relate to your personal development plan and what you would really love to learn!
Imagine having more time. Not feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do, and instead excited because what lies ahead is everything you want to do. The good news is that it is possible. But to achieve it, you have to master the art of productivity, and it really is an art.
Purposeful action
True productivity is not about filling your diary with endless to-do lists or being so busy you can barely think, let alone be creative. Most dentists think they are productive because they manage to delegate some tasks to their dental nurse or practice managers or bask in a day off every now and again. That is not productivity – it’s sidelining.
True productivity is about effective, purposeful action that energises rather than depletes you. In dentistry – where demands are relentless, decision fatigue is real, and burnout rates sitting at more than 50% – mastering productivity isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
True productivity is about effective, purposeful action that energises rather than depletes you
Yet most professionals approach productivity the wrong way. They mistake busyness for effectiveness. They multitask, over-schedule, or rely on dopamine-fuelled to-do lists. But did you know:
- Only 41% of tasks on to-do lists ever get completed
- Multitasking can reduce productivity by up to 40%, impairing cognitive performance and increasing error rates
- Studies show that productivity is highest when people work in focused bursts, not when they cram more into their day.
Barriers to success
Distractions, procrastination, perfectionism, lack of sleep, and unclear goals are just some of the barriers that sabotage even the most dedicated clinicians. And when left unchecked, the cost isn’t just inefficiency – it’s burnout, disengagement, and declining mental health.
Which brings me to the point at which I started working with Dr GT.
An accomplished associate dentist with a packed schedule, Dr GT was always ‘on’. Patients loved him, the team relied on him, and the practice seemed to orbit around him. But inside, he was running on empty.
He said: ‘I feel like I’m constantly chasing time. I stay late, I do everything myself, and I’m still falling behind. I would love to book a holiday but feel so pressured by being booked up months ahead, and my friends barely ever get to see me!’
He believed that productivity meant being busy. That if he wasn’t working, he was failing. He had longed to be busy at work by having a continuous flow of patients, but he hadn’t quite realised what that wish was going to cost him.
But the truth was stark: his constant rushing left him disconnected from his family, irritable with his team, and too exhausted to enjoy the career he had worked so hard to build, leaving him feeling as if he hated dentistry.
It’s vital to keep in mind that busyness is not a badge of honour, and that productivity without purpose is just motion without meaning.
When we explored his beliefs together, we uncovered the classic productivity pitfalls:
- Distractions and multitasking
- Procrastination masked as busyness
- Negative attitude and poor self-talk
- Lack of clarity or aligned purpose
- Perfectionism and need for control
- Neglecting sleep, nutrition, or exercise
- Inability to delegate effectively
- Poor communication
- Lack of motivation
- Fear of failure – and fear of success
- False beliefs like ‘no one else can do it right’ or ‘I’ll rest when I’m done’
- Poor time management.
The productivity triad
Productivity isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things – at the right time, in the right way, with the right energy.
I introduced Dr GT to the productivity triad (see above diagram) taught as part of NAIL-IT Leadership, which highlights that productivity isn’t about doing more:
Synergy – aligning life, work, and wellbeing so everything flows better together.
Flow – the energised zone where effort feels effortless
Focus – single-tasking with presence and clarity
Seven Ps
Dr GT and I worked together, coaching and training on the seven Ps to productivity:
- Patience – growth isn’t instant. Be kind to yourself and others. Give changes time to take root
- Purpose – anchor your tasks to what truly matters. Meaning fuels momentum
- Passion – do what you enjoy, and energy becomes self-renewing. Flow becomes more accessible
- Prioritise – focus on the essentials and align your activities with your bigger, longer term goals. Prioritise your own wellbeing. You matter too
- Plan – intentional scheduling reduces chaos. Build in space for reflection, rest, and play, device-free time, sleep and food schedules
- Practice – rituals build consistency. Train your mindset, your habits, and your intuition
- Perform – make optimal productivity part of who you are. Show up fully – and sustainably.
The momentum: from burnout to balance
Dr GT’s transformation didn’t happen overnight. Patience is, after all, one of the seven Ps! But after attending a NAIL-IT Leadership event, he experienced firsthand what it felt like to be in flow, focus and synergy.
He finally understood that self-care and self-alignment fuels focus, that purpose drives performance, and that leadership begins with how you lead yourself. He reduced his working days from five to four per week, without a drop in income.
He planned, reprioritised and managed his time more effectively and communicated more openly, freeing him to focus on leadership and clinical work. His confidence increased, leading him to increase his fees and being busy with what he enjoyed rather than just busy and stressed.
Thanks to mastering his energy and attention, he completed his PG diploma in restorative dentistry, something he’d wanted to do – but had always been too busy!
At home, he became present and engaged: even managing some school runs, swimming in the mornings, walking in the evenings, and connecting more deeply with his family and friends. He adopted a healthier lifestyle, not out of obligation, but because it now aligned with who he had become.
The Meddent training he had and his openness to the support and guidance myself and our coaches gave him had allowed him to master his soul set (who he was inside), body set (his physical health), heart set (his emotional health) and mind set (his attitudes and behaviour).
For Dr GT, productivity isn’t about what you do, but rather who you become. It isn’t about how much you can cram into your day. It’s about how intentionally, efficiently and joyfully you can live it.
At Meddent, we don’t just teach professionals how to be productive – we help them become leaders in their own lives. And when that happens, everything changes.
When you stop managing time and start mastering energy, productivity becomes a by-product.
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