Excerpt from The 6As  by Zachary S. Brooks (Dr. Z) – Academics As you are reading this you are likely distracting yourself. You may have read that, in fact, we humans are not good at multitasking, but you work to disprove that science daily. If you are like me, you have two browsers open with at least 20 tabs. While you are reading you are quickly toggling between apps on your phone and/or your computer. Does this mean that the process of learning differs from previous generations? Yes and No. Yes. Blasiman, Larabee, and Fabry (2018) studied the effect of six distractions on learning (folding laundry, playing a computer video game, texting on a cell phone, engaging in conversation, watching a low-arousal video, and watching a high-arousal video). Students were asked to learn a task while distracted, then tested on what they learned. How do you think they performed compared to when not-distracted? They scored as low as 62% and as high as 87% on tests. Think about it. A brilliant learner, when distracted, can demonstrate only 62% of his or her ability when distracted. No. There have always been distractions to learning and the tonic for distractions? Concentration is repeatedly demonstrated to improve Academic performance. When it comes to learning in the age of distractions, the formula is simple. Reduce distractions and increase concentration.   About Dr. Z Zachary S. Brooks, PhD, or as his students call him, Dr. Z is an author, speaker, and podcaster. In his book, The 6As: a practical philosophy for living life with meaning and purpose, Zachary shares his secrets to life success. Dr. Brooks played soccer in college and in Europe and regularly competes in international competitions, travels the world and has learned four languages and his working on his fifth, finished his doctorate studying bilingual decision making at the University of Arizona, acted in Hollywood (imdb.com), serves a Board Director for the World Transplant Games Federation, and he’s keenly fascinated in helping the world through the 21^st century as a two-time kidney transplant recipient from his father and mother.

Dr. Z finds the most fulfillment when he is engaged in one of the 6As of life – Athletics, Adventure, Academics, Art, Advocacy, The Human Algorithm and in his first book of the 6A series he launches his philosophy and brand.