Episode Details
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Stop Multitasking and Learn Anything with Lucas Miller
Description
Lucas Miller, a UC Berkeley neuroscience graduate and author of Beyond Brilliance: The Blueprint for Learning Anything, explains how to focus better in a world of constant notifications. His case: the brain can only do one thing at a time, so you manage distractions, change one habit at a time, and work in focused stretches.
Miller cites a study where the time before an office worker or student gets distracted fell from 11 minutes in 2008 to three minutes in 2011, with 70 to 90 seconds projected now. He also covers memory, growth mindset, and four ways to make breaks work: movement, people, green and laughter.
What you'll learn
- Put your phone in another room and wear headphones before you download another productivity app.
- Change one habit at a time, because jumping to 45 straight minutes of focus won't hold.
- Work in focused blocks, then take a full break, since people tire after about 90 minutes.
- Use breaks to move, talk to someone, look at something green, or laugh.
- Batch similar tasks, such as email, so deep work gets its own time.
Chapters
- 1:15 Welcome and Lucas Miller on engineering to neuroscience
- 6:51 Why memory still matters in K-12
- 9:30 Growth mindset and paired learning in classrooms
- 13:49 Why staying focused keeps getting harder
- 18:34 Why multitasking does not work
- 23:35 Focused work cycles and real breaks
- 27:34 Four ways to make breaks work
- 32:35 Two things principals can do this week
Times are for the episode without ads. Your player may be off by the length of any ads.
Questions this episode answers
Does multitasking actually work?
Miller says no. He says the brain can only do one thing at a time. He cites a Stanford researcher who found that self-identified good multitaskers scored lower on memory span, sustained attention and filtering out irrelevant information. The more people think they multitask well, the worse they are.
How can I focus better when I am constantly distracted?
Miller says to manage distractions, since they aren't going away. Put your phone away, even off, because having it nearby is a reminder of the stimulating world. Add headphones, and change one habit at a time before building up to 20 or 30 minutes.
What should I do on a break to renew my energy?
Miller names four factors: movement, social connection, seeing something green, and laughter. He says sitting shuts you down, talking lowers stress, green soothes the brain, and laughter lowers stress and gives you dopamine. He starts school talks with a video of babies laughing.
About Lucas Miller
Lucas Miller is a UC Berkeley neuroscience graduate based in the Bay Area and author of Beyond Brilliance: The Blueprint for Learning Anything.
Links and resources