Hello Reader,

From this week's conversation with Dr. Michelle Walter, Palliative Medicine Physician & Professional Organizer

I'll be honest with you – when Dr. Walter told me that half of our leadership struggles come from "this thing" (pointing to her phone), something clicked.

We've all been there: mid-conversation with a colleague, phone buzzing, mind wandering to that email that just came in. Meanwhile, the person in front of us feels unheard, and we wonder why our teams seem disconnected.

The Real Problem: We're Always "On"

Dr. Walter hit the nail on the head: We've created a false expectation that we must be constantly accessible. But here's what I learned – no one actually expects you to respond at 9 PM. We made that up in our heads.

When we're always reactive instead of proactive, our brains ping around constantly, processing notifications, emails, and digital noise. The result? Decision fatigue and lost focus, even when we don't realize it's happening.

Three Game-Changing Shifts

1. Set Communication Boundaries Instead of sending that midnight email (guilty as charged), try delay-send for business hours. Better yet, add Dr. Walter's favorite email signature approach: "My work hours may not be your work hours – don't feel obligated to respond immediately."

2. Time-Block Your Email Choose specific times to check email – maybe 11:30 AM and 3 PM. When you're not checking email, you're fully present for everything else. This simple boundary transformed how I approach deep work.

3. Model the Behavior You Want As Dr. Walter shared from her palliative care experience: if you're on your phone during rounds, you're telling your team that's acceptable behavior. Every moment matters, and your team is watching how you show up.

The Quick-Win Strategy

Feeling completely overwhelmed? Start with "proactive simplification":

• Bulk delete emails from that store you never shop at anymore
• Unsubscribe from one newsletter you don't read
• Archive one folder you no longer need
• Set one boundary about when you check messages

Remember: You can't fix years of digital chaos overnight. But one small step builds momentum, and momentum creates lasting change.

The Leadership Connection

Here's what struck me most: Digital clutter directly impacts your presence as a leader. When you're scattered across multiple apps, notifications, and unfinished digital tasks, how can you be fully present for the people who need your guidance?

Clean digital spaces create mental space. Mental space creates better decision-making. Better decisions create stronger leadership.

Your Next Step

Pick one area of digital overwhelm that's been bothering you. Just one. Take 15 minutes this week to simplify it. Whether it's your desktop, your email subscriptions, or your notification settings – start there.

As Dr. Walter reminded us: elaborate systems don't work. Simple, sustainable steps do.

What's your biggest digital pain point? I'd love to hear about it – reply and let me know what you're working on.

Want more leadership insights? Each week, I break down practical strategies from healthcare leaders who've figured out how to thrive, not just survive.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Podbean, or Amazon Music.

What's inspiring us this week:

Networking on LinkedIn opens up a whole new world of opportunity. Looking forward to sharing with all of you the thought leadership of Amy Lafko, author of People First, on a future podcast. Check out the book! We'll be hosting a free book club in 2026! Sign up here to stay in the know in our medTHRIVE Connect free area!

The Practice: Celebrating Wins

We get more of what we focus on. The practice of gratitude and celebrating the goodness of life is the first step in changing our brains, mindsets, and circumstances for the better.

I facilitated a workshop for critical care trainees this week on finding their leadership signature. A room full of very diverse physicians-in-training had the opportunity to voice out loud their WHY, their STRENGTHS, and hear it reflected back to them from their peer colleagues. It was heart-warming and deeply inspirational. The future of healthcare is strong!

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Stay mindful and keep leading,
Lillian
Founder & CEO

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