The Multitasking Path to Health: Matt Robinson on ADHD, AFib & Brain-First Living

Matt Robinson: Hi everybody, I’m Matt Robinson and I’m eager to be healthy.

Michael Scott Eger: On this show we have Matt Robinson.

Matt: Well, that would just be the start of it. I’m primarily a writer and a writing teacher, but I also teach boxing. I’ve been involved in the fitness industry for years, and health has inspired a lot of the work that I do, including both of my books. I also talk about food and healthy food trends on iHeartRadio out of WBZ in Boston. So a lot of the things that I do have to do with health and wellness, and that’s why I’m really glad to be here.

Michael: Matt, do you have a day job?

Matt: Well, I teach two days a week at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, which is the jail outside of Boston. I’ve been a teacher for thirty years at all levels, from kindergarten to college. And other than that I’m a freelance writer, contributing pieces on health and wellness, elder issues, education, and arts and culture — really pretty much anything except tech and politics. And then I teach boxing once a week, and I work out and meditate every day, and I’m always trying to learn new things, expand my skills, and connect with new people.

Michael: And the boxing — do you do that in or out of the prison system?

Matt: That’s out of the prison system. It’s a private gym near where I live.

Michael: Okay. So we have interesting interests. Let’s get to business. Have you always been healthy?

Matt: Well, unfortunately I have atrial fibrillation, but it’s genetic. When I was diagnosed, my doctor said, “You’re the strangest diagnosis I’ve ever seen, because you eat well and exercise and take care of yourself.” But it’s just a bad roll of the genetic dice. And my late father had dementia — he passed from dementia — so I’m very aware of what I eat and how I take care of my stress levels and my cortisol because of that. So in general I’m healthy, but I have to keep an eye on things.

Michael: Have you always been happy?

Matt: More or less. Especially working in the prison system, you realize how lucky you are, so I really try to be grateful. Freelancing is not easy, and it hasn’t always been incredibly lucrative, but I’ve had a lot of fun doing it, met some incredible people, and had opportunities like this. So for the most part, things are good.

Michael: What brought you into working in the prison system?

Matt: I had been teaching at various colleges in Boston while freelancing, and then one of the schools basically told me that even though I was technically filling in for someone, that person wasn’t coming back and I had job security. So for the first time in twenty-five-plus years, I stopped looking for more work. And apparently I tempted fate, because on the last day of the semester the person I was filling in for decided to come back, so I was let go. Having nothing lined up, and living near the sheriff’s office, I called their programming director and asked if he had anything. He said, “Yeah, you can volunteer — we’d be happy to have you.” So just to keep my teaching chops up, I started as a volunteer. A few months later he called me into his office and said, “The guys love you. Let’s do a second class — and how’d you like to get paid?” I’ve been doing it for over three years, and I absolutely love it.

Michael: Let’s frame it, because not many people who are law-abiding have ever been in a prison system. When I lived in Massachusetts, I did some IT work for the Hampden Sheriff’s Department, and that was very interesting — especially looking into the eyes of some of these individuals. Some were good people who made bad choices, and in others you could see the darkness.

Matt: That’s a fair assessment. Most of my students made a bad choice and are dealing with it, but the fact that they come to my classes and get engaged really shows they’re actively trying to improve themselves and their situation. In fact, I now teach a class called Thinking for a Change, which is basically dialectical behavioral therapy, which I’ve studied for years. It’s about how, when you come to that fork in the road again, you choose the other path this time. A lot of profound learning goes on in that class, because they realize they made a mistake and don’t want to make it again. They’re actively engaging with new options and new possibilities, and that’s really gratifying to see.

Michael: For people who haven’t spent time in the mental health world, could you explain that technique — the dialectical piece?

Matt: Basically it’s looking at the relationships between your thoughts, your emotions, and your behaviors. When you realize the end result of a scenario wasn’t productive for you, you try to figure out where in that triangle you could change direction if the situation comes up again. For example, when I was starting out as a freelance writer, I thought pretty highly of my talents. So when editors said a story wasn’t right for them, I’d sometimes get frustrated and try to convince them they were making a mistake — which wasn’t productive. Now I’m much more likely to look at the larger picture and say, “Okay, maybe this idea wasn’t right for you, but what can we do together?” Thinking about the larger relationship has been much more fruitful. That’s the personal example I use a lot in the class.

Michael: Does word choice or framing come into this technique?

Matt: Absolutely. We did a class a couple of weeks ago called “virus language,” where your inclination is to use blaming words and exaggerate in order to protect your ego. Physiologically, we’re all out to protect ourselves, and unfortunately that can conflict with keeping the peace and having productive relationships. So that’s the part a lot of the inmates and I have to keep looking at: what is our role in what didn’t go as well as it might have, and how can we be better prepared the next time something similar happens?

Michael: Let’s explore how this affects your mental health. What’s the payoff for you?

Matt: Just knowing there are other options, better choices, and situations that end with less regret and self-recrimination. Rejection still hurts — I still have colleagues and supervisors telling me my idea won’t work for them, and that’s still somewhat painful. But keeping an eye on the larger relationship and on how to grow it has borne much more fruit and allowed me a less stressful, more productive life. The changes have been worth making. Occasionally there are back-steps, occasionally you go back to old familiar habits, but they’re fewer and further between. It’s kind of like watching the stock market — you might have little downturns, but as long as the general trend is up, you’re healthier in mind, and hopefully in body too, because there’s less stress.

Michael: So what are you doing for your health?

Matt: I’ve tried a lot of different modalities. I stretch and do yoga pretty much every day. I’ve been doing online Tai Chi classes. If I feel some anxiety coming on, I’ve been doing EFT tapping, because that’s a quick turnaround for me. Gratitude journaling, and then really just my diet. I’m constantly reading about the latest studies for the brain, especially because, being a creative, my vocabulary is paramount. My father was a lawyer, and watching him lose his vocabulary and not be able to do his work was very painful. So I eat pretty much a plant-based diet, not a lot of sugar, not too many additives, organic fruits and vegetables when I can afford them. I try not to do anything too extreme — just being aware of what’s going into my body, and what it needs in terms of food, sleep, and hydration, especially in the summer. I’ve even encouraged an inmate who’d been feeling down and gaining weight to get up in the middle of class and do some squats and toe touches, just to build the habit. Where I can, I try to share what I’ve learned so people can live better too — without being draconian or bossy about it.

Michael: You’re using a lot of techniques for your mental health. Can you rate them in value?

Matt: I’ve really been liking the tapping. Even if it’s partly a placebo, even if the act of tapping on different parts of your body is only a distraction, it still works — it lets me stop thinking about whatever was agitating me, and it calms me down. I’m a big proponent of that. I also exercise every day and take a walk in the park near my apartment every morning to get sunlight in my eyes. There’s a little path through the woods, quiet and secluded, especially in summer. I don’t take my phone. I just do deep breathing and think about my priorities for the day. And at night I listen to different soundscapes for calming down and muscle relaxation — there’s even one for AFib I put on if I’ve noticed my heart rate was up that day. It’s a way to turn my mind off, which is hard as a freelance writer, because there’s always more to do. I try to stop watching TV after eight, stop eating after eight, and bring myself down instead of jumping back on the computer with new ideas. I keep a notepad by my bed — if something’s really important, I write it down and deal with it the next day. Those morning and evening rituals have been really useful.

Michael: Content creation is freaking addictive — especially with my ADHD. I have thought fragments, so I put them into an electronic note system, and every time I have writer’s block I go through the abandoned ideas and pick one to work on.

Matt: This is the only writer’s block I have. I’ve been lucky to always have enough assignments that if one gets stagnant, I flip into another and come back. It took a while to get to that point, but that’s a blessing of my career now.

Michael: What are your writing projects like?

Matt: Most of my work is still for other people. But I have my two books. When my late father, who went to Brown, was diagnosed with dementia, I started writing a book on the Ivy League. It’s not about how to get in — it’s fun facts. It’s called Lions, Tigers, and Bulldogs: the chicken nugget was invented at Cornell, the Dartmouth bell tower plays the Smurfs theme on request, plus the history of the league, the firsts, and famous graduates. The second book, which I’m working on a new version of, is called Pete’s Beat — it’s kind of autobiographical, about a kid with nervous energy who taps on things, gets in trouble at school, and ends up channeling that energy into music. I’ve presented it at a couple of music therapy conferences, which was really rewarding. I also do a monthly column for 50Plus Advocate, a Massachusetts publication, where I interview notable people over fifty — Sanjiv Chopra, the head of hepatology at Harvard; Robert Pinsky, the former poet laureate; Tony Levin, the bassist known for King Crimson and Peter Gabriel. And my TV show, which airs once a month, is turning into a podcast, so I’ll be able to interview authors from all over the world.

Michael: You mentioned ADHD. Do you have that yourself?

Matt: I still absolutely do. When I was diagnosed I thought, “Yeah, no kidding.” My mother and grandmother used to pay me to sit still when I was on the phone — back when the phone was attached to the wall. I’d walk around and wrap the cord around the furniture, so they’d give me a penny a minute to sit still. I was always bouncing my knees and tapping my pencils. Now they say fidgeting is actually good for you — it keeps your blood flow moving — but at the time it was frowned upon, and that’s part of what inspired the Pete’s Beat stories.

Michael: Do you do anything to manage it?

Matt: Being a freelancer, there are always multiple projects going on, so there’s a dovetail between my frenetic energy and the diverse projects I can attend to. But at the beginning and end of the day, I really try to center myself. I have a reminder on my calendar to take a meditation break midday and refocus. I have a chin-up bar over my office door, so I do five pull-ups every time I go in and out of the room. Having everything fit in among everything else — exercise, water, eating, meditating, working — has been helpful. In a way the ADHD helps, because I’m redesigning my website and calling it Intellectual Party Planner. I’ve worked in so many fields as a writer that I can cross-pollinate ideas and connect people really well. I’ve tried to turn a potential curse into a blessing and lean into it. And I keep an even keel through meditation, deep breathing, and food — I don’t drink coffee, I keep caffeine and sugar way down (now for the AFib too), and I don’t drink much alcohol. That way, when I’m on a project, I can be clear and focused.

Michael: Managing different workflows is something I’ve always struggled with. Having a night job — I work nights so I can create and interview during the day — actually gives me focus, because it reduces the time available for my passion projects.

Matt: That’s important context.

Michael: The point is that having the primary job reduces the time I can be distracted, and that reduction gives me focus. This show is my outlet to be creative and talk to cool people like you. So — we’ve got the teaching in the prisons, and the writing you do for other people. Is that ghostwriting, or is your name on the books?

Matt: I’ve done some editing, but not a full ghostwrite yet — I’m open to it. Most of my writing is in newspapers and magazines, so my name is on it. I also do website copy and press releases for nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and startups that I don’t put my name on. I’ve published nine thousand pieces; I don’t really need my name on everything anymore. I like to use my skill to support other people — especially sole proprietors and startups who are focused on building a business and don’t have time to write about it.

Michael: And there’s your genetics — the AFib and the family history of dementia — which really shape your health choices. I watched my dad die, so I know diabetes is on my father’s side. My father’s side scares me the most, so I’m dealing with avoiding that potential future. One thing we haven’t talked about is the boxing.

Matt: That started in college. I was in a freshman seminar, and another student came up to me one day and asked, “Do you like boxing?” I said, “Sure, why?” He said, “There’s a class on the other end of campus on Thursday nights — come meet me.” I went, met the coach, and we became instant friends. We’re still very close thirty years later. I became captain of the team and helped get it recognized by the school, which was a big accomplishment. My grandparents got me my varsity leather jacket, and I’m still very proud of it. I’ve been teaching off and on for about thirty years. Now, because I’m a little older and slower, I work a lot with children, high school students, and seniors. It’s been a wonderful way to meet people and take care of my body while helping others take care of theirs. In fact, I’m teaching about an hour after we finish this interview.

Michael: And how do you protect your head?

Matt: I have headgear, but when I teach it’s pretty much non-contact, because I’m either working with students whose parents won’t allow them to get hit, or with elderly people who don’t want to either. We hit the hand pads or the bag, but we don’t hit each other. My coach was very safety-first, and I’ve taken on his teaching philosophy.

Matt: You’ve been very comprehensive. Like I said, I do a lot of things, and I’d like to think that not having a standard, same-every-day job has been good for my brain and body. It’s stressful sometimes when there’s not enough work, or too much, but I’ve learned that when things are slow it’s a good time to work on my own projects or take a class, and when things get busy it’s about prioritizing — figuring out what’s due tomorrow versus next week. I’ve gotten better at reaching out to friends and colleagues for support instead of being so on my own about it. I’m very fortunate to have great friends and colleagues, and I love my students at the jail. I’m actually working with a colleague to create an online education system for recently released prisoners and people in shelters and halfway houses. New, fun things pop up all the time. It hasn’t always been this way — it’s taken a lot of work to get here — but I think I’m happier despite the AFib, which is under control through medication and lifestyle. Living in Boston, I have great medical care, which is fortunate. I feel better than ever.

Michael: It took me a long time to find an area with medical care as good as Massachusetts. I’m just down the street from NIH — you’d think we’d have premier providers, but you really have to look for them.

Matt: Research is different than practice, though.

Michael: Yes. And not all the studies are ones I want to volunteer for. Anyway — if someone wants to reach out to you, where should we send them?

Matt: I’m developing a new website, intellectualpartyplanner.com, but it hasn’t launched yet. The best way is my personal email, which is MatthewS.Robinson@mac.com — Mac like Macintosh, Robinson with two T’s. They can say Michael Scott sent me, and I’ll get back to them. My TV show, The Writer’s Block, is on YouTube out of the Needham channel in Needham, Massachusetts. My food website is currently matts-meals.com. My Ivy League book is at lionstigersbulldogs.com, and Pete’s Beat will be back soon — I won’t send people there right away because it’s on hiatus while I do the revamp. A lot of ways to reach me, and I’m happy to help. I just hope everyone remembers your health is most important. It’s not the money — you’ve got to take care of yourself and the people who take care of you, so you can all keep growing and be around for whatever comes next.

Michael: With great gratitude, I want to thank you for coming on Eager to Be Healthy. I wish you the best.

Matt: Thank you. This was great. Thanks, Michael.