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Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

For two decades, I've been developing tools that have improved my practice in medicine, dentistry, and scientific research. Join me every Friday to discover a new tool you can integrate into your workflow as a doctor, a scientist, or both. I believe in sharing knowledge, embracing automation, boosting productivity, and finding joy in the process.

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From Digital to Analog: Why I Returned to Books, Pens and Notepads

From Digital to Analog: Why I Returned to Books, Pens and Notepads I now devote 25% of my research time to creative thinking. During this stage, no phones or computers are allowed. Friday's Digest #152 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Stuff Life Update A couple of weeks ago, I devoted the newsletter to the concept of "Mind Management, not Time Management." It was based on a book by David Kadavy with the same title. The book essentially discusses how to plan your schedule to...

The 4 Stages You Undergo Before You Become an Expert (or: Why Failure is Better Than Success) Many consider themselves “experts”. But only a few reach the highest level. Spoiler alert - those are the ones who failed. Friday’s Digest #151 Table of contents Story Time! Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Story Time! I'm in high school. 10th grade. A few days ago, we took our final physics test. I love physics. Before this test, I even helped my classmates study for it. We used to stay after...

Should I Continue Writing This Newsletter? After 150 issues, it's time to look back on 3 years of writing this newsletter. Friday's Digest #150. Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week, a manuscript of mine got published. In short— it's about using small pieces of tumor (that was just resected) to predict a response to treatment. Long version— my goal is to develop treatments for Head and Neck Cancer that utilize our immune system to beat...

What to Do When You Have Zero Motivation (and: Why Some People Don't Mind "Wasting" Time) What do I do when I've run out of motivation? And why do some people not mind standing in a slow line at the grocery store? Friday’s Digest #149 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week I was again sleep deprived 🥱. Having been in this situation more times than I can remember, I'm used to what it entails. Aside from feeling tired, it kills my creativity...

The Power of Reading Less (and: How Rotating My Computer Screen 90 Degrees Changed Everything for Me) I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before! I recently flipped my computer screen from landscape to portrait. This is why you should, too. Friday's Digest #148. Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Last weekend I had some alone time and decided to catch up on my reading. Not scientific reading. Leisure reading. With scientific reading, I want...

Happy Birthday! (and: The Little Things During Wartime) Even during wartime, there are the little things. Also: How should I celebrate my birthday? Friday’s Digest #147 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Today is my birthday! It's funny— it always takes me a moment to remember exactly how old I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm not having trouble remembering my age. It's more like: "I'm 45. No, wait. 44. No, no. 45. It's 45." I assume there's a...

My "End of Day" Ritual: The Habit That Stops Work From Invading My Home Life How do you separate your work life from your home life when you’re job is so demanding? I do these 3 things. Friday’s Digest #146 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week, a manuscript of mine got published. If there's one thing I absolutely hate, it's the "author's proof." This is when you look for last-minute mistakes that need correction— misspelled words, grammar...

3 Things I Do to Increase My Productivity (and: “Is There a Doctor on the Plane?”) Everyone wants to be more productive. But it usually means giving up on something or working harder. But there’s another way. Friday’s Digest #145 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update Last week, I came back from Singapore after attending an international conference for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Flying was never something I liked, and this flight was no...

The Annoying Question of “How Many Publications Do You Have?” The doctor-scientist path has evolved substantially over the last decade, but Universities are too slow to adapt. Friday’s Digest #144 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update If there's one thing I regret in my life right now, it's not running. I've always been able to accomplish what I set my mind to. But somehow I can't find time to run 🏃🏼. I simply do too many things. This has got to...

Have We Lost The Ability to Read Books? Not long ago, we read books and newspapers. Nowadays, everything is bite-sized. But is that necessarily bad? Friday’s Digest #143 Table of contents Life Update Tools and Tips Readers’ Favorite Stuff Life Update This week I'll be visiting Singapore for a conference. A nice opportunity to meet my friends and colleagues from abroad and catch up. However, packing and preparing for the flight is a headache. This one in particular. You see, at these...