How to focus on the individual in front of you.

Practice is busy and full of distractions no matter what volume you see, be it closed room and one on one there is always the thought of that last adjustment that did not go so well, the awkward patient in later or simply what you are planning for lunch!
And in larger volume open style practices there is the patient next to you and the phone going off at the front desk.

I’ve been there and done it all with every practice style and what I know to be true is no matter what the situation there is always a distraction that takes us away. Aside from this being detrimental to the patient, awful for customer service, it also carries the risk to do harm. Put your hands up if you’ve ever broken a rib… that was not too much force alone, it was lack of concentration.

Being focused and engaged with every patient and every adjustment is fundamental to a great practice and key for results and referrals.

So, in a busy and distracted world, what can you do to ensure focus and success?

Here are my top three tips to help you focus.

1.       It all starts with the first question.
“how are you?” is such a bullshit question, it lacks any meaning and has zero connection. You know it, we ask the question then what do we do? Yep, ignore the answer and move on.
The first key to being engaged is to ask a question of meaning AND listen to the answer.
My go to is “what has been the best bit of your day?” In asking this I need to listen and focus on their reply to understand what they have enjoyed and follow it up with recognition.

2.       The talking stops.
When it comes to adjusting the patient, STOP talking. Now is the time for adjusting, for sure you can converse with them during the visit, but when it comes to the physical assessment and adjustment, shut up. Listen to their body not their mouth. Be intentional and present.

3.       Pause.

I teach a 5-step approach to adjusting on my technique seminars and step number 4 of that approach is the ‘pause’. Before you deliver the impulse and after you have set up the adjustment. Pause to focus and engage on the delivery you are about to give. To help you step into this pause and engage your parasympathetics, try a vacant stare. You know the one, when you are looking at something but not really ‘looking’ at it. This engages the parasympathetic and calms the body to focus.

Simple really but think of it as the Art of Being. Staying presently conscious on all that is around you. Learn to be involved and not always in a state of doing.

This I can assure you will increase your results, improve your service, grow your practice, and enable you to have the impact you desire.

With love

Tom