Episode 122: Getting Work Done at Work

Welcome to the Sustainable Clinical Medicine Podcast!

In this special episode, Dr. Sarah Smith joins forces with Dr. Priyanka Venugopal from the Unstoppable Mom Brain Podcast for a deeply insightful conversation all about reclaiming time and creating more sustainable clinical practices.

Together, they dive into the real-life struggles physicians face when it comes to finishing work at work—and not letting charting and paperwork spill into precious family time. Dr. Smith shares her own journey of burnout, the “aha” moments that changed her approach forever, and the practical strategies that helped her—and now hundreds of other clinicians—conquer endless documentation and interruptions.

This episode is packed with actionable gems, from simple mindset shifts to rethinking workflow, delegation, and team dynamics. Whether you're a physician, a professional working mom, or anyone craving more balance between career and home, this conversation will inspire you to rethink what’s possible. Tune in for tangible tips, relatable stories, and a whole lot of encouragement to create those “bucket loads of time” you’ve been searching for.

Here are 3 key takeaways from this episode:

1. Redesign Your Workflow—One Small Step at a Time:
   Challenging your status quo doesn't require a massive overhaul overnight. Dr. Smith emphasizes starting with one thing you wish were different, then getting curious about how to make that change—whether it’s charting as you go or setting clearer boundaries for finishing tasks before heading home.
2. Choose the 'Goat Track' over the 'Superhighway':
   Our brains crave familiar (often inefficient) routines. Breaking those habits will feel awkward and slower at first, but staying consistent creates more “bucket loads of time”—those open evenings and weekends we all crave.
3. Teamwork and Delegation Create Freedom:
   Whether you have a team or work solo, look for ways to delegate, systematize, and create assets that make recurring tasks easier. Training others (or even your future self!) means you spend your best energy on what truly requires your expertise.

Episode 102: Burn Stress. Lose Weight. Podcast (Formerly the Unstoppable Mom Brain Podcast)

In this episode of the Unstoppable Mom Brain Podcast, I have Dr. Sarah Smith sharing her journey from being a rural family physician to becoming an expert in optimizing work-life balance for physicians, particularly focusing on completing tasks efficiently during clinical hours. Dr. Smith's transformation from struggling with work-life balance to finding simplicity and joy in her professional and personal life is inspiring. Through her coaching, she helps physicians reclaim their time, reduce stress, and prioritize their well-being while excelling in their careers. Tune in to this episode to unlock valuable insights and actionable strategies that will empower you to achieve greater balance, joy, and success in your professional and personal life.

Sarah Smith is the Charting Coach for Physicians and clinicians and a practicing Rural Family Physician in Alberta. Sarah is the founder of the Charting Champions Program helping more than 150 Physicians in the specific area of getting home with their charting done. 

She has a passion for reducing burnout and overwhelm resulting from the administrative burden of clinical medicine. Using evidence-based coaching to help Physicians find their most simple solutions within the clinical environments that they work in.  

Sarah is married to her husband of 21 years and has two sons and lives on her small farm. Evenings and weekends are for enjoying pursuits such as farming, exploring, reading and coaching.

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Would you like to view a transcript of this episode? Click here

**** Charting Champions is a premiere, lifetime access Physician only program that is helping Physicians get home with today's work done. All the proven tools, support and community you need to create time for your life outside of medicine.

Learn more at https://www.chartingcoach.ca

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