72. Leading Yourself to Focus on Results for Better Productivity

This episode of the Academic Revolution podcast, positioned under the theme of leadership identity, tackles the common issue of feeling overwhelmed and stuck due to juggling multiple tasks. Dr. Inga Hofmann sheds light on the transformational strategy of focusing on desired outcomes rather than the tasks themselves to enhance productivity and leadership skills. Incorporating personal experiences and examples, the episode emphasizes the importance of self-discipline, prioritization, and maintaining a results-oriented mindset for effective self-leadership. Inga encourages listeners to adopt this perspective to overcome procrastination, manage multiple responsibilities efficiently, and achieve significant goals.

00:00 Introduction: The Struggle with Overwhelming Tasks
01:55 The Importance of Focusing on Results
03:43 The Role of Leadership in Task Management
04:40 The Power of Self-Discipline
05:09 Staying Focused Amidst Daily Distractions
06:00 Changing Perspective: Focusing on Desired Outcomes
07:58 Practical Application
10:17 The Power of Motivation and Goal Setting
13:22 The Importance of Prioritizing and Self-Care
14:14 Conclusion: Try Focusing on the Bigger Picture

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Transcript

0:00

Do you ever get bogged down by too many things to do. And as a result, you get overwhelmed and stucked, perhaps you got stuck and lost in too many details. All of this is you. You're not alone. And this podcast episode is exactly made for you. Stay tuned after the music and we will be right back. Well, welcome back to another episode of the academic revolution podcast. And today we're going to spend another lesson in pillar number two leadership identity. And today I want to focus on. How to focus on your results instead of the task at hand. And how does this weedy going to give you an edge in your productivity? Most busy academic physicians have just too many things on their plate and too many tasks to do. And honestly, every single task sometimes feels so overwhelming that it's hard to concentrate on that single task at hand. And get anything done. It kind of freeze and get stuck. I'm not sure if you ever felt that way, but that happened to me a lot. Sometimes he just might not. Feel passionate or excited about completing a particular task? And so you lose momentum, you lose focus, you procrastinate. And put things off. And that you already know is one of the worst things you can do, because that will just lead to more procrastination and for projects really falling behind. And it doesn't feel good, honestly. Right. I, he People struggle with this all the time. In fact, just last week, I talked to a coaching client of mine where this very issue comes up. And Probably. I would say the vast majority, if not nearly a hundred percent of my coaching clients come to me with this issue. Of feeling. The struggle of completing task, getting kind of stuck in the weeds and. Getting overwhelmed about the multiple task at hand, that when they have a single task in front of them, it feels so overwhelming that they just kind of get stuck and frozen in time. And this is, I think we are looking at this issue through a leadership lens versus just a productivity. And performance habit lands can be really helpful. So pod off. Leadership is leading yourself. We talked about this in the last episode. And a huge part off. Developing that. Personal leadership that leadership of oneself. I want one leadership is that we develop discipline that we develop daily habits of discipline. In our own lives that then. We'll develop us into a better leader for our own lives. And do you already know that the hardest person to lead. Is ourselves it's not so much the other people, the hardest one to lead us, really us. And a huge part of that struggle, why this is so difficult is because it is difficult. To lead ourselves because of this core issue of. Having self. Discipline. Do we have enough discipline doing you and I have enough discipline to get a certain task done. Do we get important tasks done even when they don't seem to be too exciting in the moment. Or when a gazillion things get into our way in our daily. Schedules and our daily walks of life with a busy clinic. With maybe a busy clinical responsibilities, administrative interruptions, and so forth. But a key part is that we stay focused. And that we stay focused on task that need to be completed in order to keep momentum going. And again, that within itself, That attitude of I'm going to focus in, Ancona see this through completion. It's a key part of one's Owen leadership. What I've personally found and seen, in pretty much any one of my clients is that it's often very hard. To make progress and to stay focused. If we focus on the single task, at hand. As I alluded to earlier because there are so many tasks. That can be overwhelming. And sometimes the single task is not particularly exciting or perhaps we feel a bit stuck with it. And so we need to find a way around that to change. our vantage point from focusing on a single task, rather focus on the desired outcome. Instead of thinking, well, I need to complete this. Part of my writing section for my grant application today. Perhaps focus on. What is the result that is gonna give me. When I focus on writing this little section today. What is actually going to give me is a grant that is funding my salary and the research project on BD. Passionate about. So a key way to stay focused is to get focused on the result and desired outcome. versus the individual task at hand. It basically means that when you're stuck with that single task That you remind yourself in the moment of the bigger picture of why you are actually doing it. And that could be a huge motivational shift. And actually getting things done. I know it seems subtle and insignificant, but I want you to try that out because I have seen this work over and over and over again. When people get stuck. And that procrastinate on a single task so next time you feel like, well, I'm really having a difficult time here getting these tasks, these priorities on my daily to-do list done. Perhaps ask yourself. What will this completion of this task of this to do item gave me. We have, will the sleet me, if I get this done, where will the sneak me? What will it get me closer to. Or perhaps think about it this way. If I do this one baby step, this one single thing. Will it get me one step closer to my bigger goal. Of maybe getting promoted this year or submitting the grant, your R one or your Koe or whatever might be. Just to give you an example. I am planning a conference for later this year. This is the very first time that I'm planning a retreat for physicians. It's going to be focused on Christian physicians. It's going to be a Christian conference and you're more than welcome. If that interests you. To come to that conference. And I have never planned to conference in my life before I have been on scientific committees. I have chaired meetings. I have organized. Cancer center retreats. I've done all these things in the past. So I have a bit of experience in the scientific world, but I've never organized a. Physician retreat, particular focused on Christian physician. So this will be very different because it will be catering and there needs to be registration page and a web page. And. I need to feed our ticket sales and marketing and promotion. And honestly, I'm super excited and so passionate about this event. But it can feel very overwhelming when I think about it. With all these. Many many, many tasks that are at hand that need to be completed. And sometimes even then a single task that seemed pretty straightforward and simple. fells like. I'm getting stuck. But I have to keep in my mind and in the forefront of my heart and my mind that, why am I doing this in the first place? For me personally, because I'm passionate about. My question faith. And supporting other Christian physicians. As much as I'm happy to support and passionate about supporting academic physicians. And wanted net. To provide a forum a way an environment for them. To all gather B where stored be healed. Be equipped. And be just refreshed and the deepest way from all that we have been going through. And that was the heart and the goal for this conference. So when I now look at that and I look at a single task. I have to remind myself when I'm getting stuck, when I'm like, I don't want to do this task right now. It doesn't feel exciting. Or, Ooh, this feels difficult. I don't know how to do that. I have to remind myself constantly, why am I doing this in the first place? What is my motivation? To gather these physicians and to bring them closer to God. That's my reason in this case. When I hold that in the forefront of my mind, Then it suddenly becomes easier to complete that next baby step. So, this is just a very practical and very personal example from my life, how I apply this principle and say, okay, I need to focus on the result. What do I want here? What's the outcome. And is this little task bringing me one step closer to that. And I think there's this really powerful. It seems so simple, but let not the simplicity of this. Make you think that it is not important or not worth trying really and coach or try it out? Focus on your results that you want to accomplish worse is on the individual or task that feels overwhelming. And I believe when you. Master that more and more. That will be much easier to conquer that task. versus, putting them off another day and another day and hopefully one day someday they will get done. So it's a really practical advice, again, from a leadership lens to say, As a leader. It is most important to me to lead myself first, before I can lead anybody else. And part of leadership. Is making progress, showing productivity, having the self-discipline and the grit to get things done, even when they are difficult. And you have a lot of competing commitments that you understand how to prioritize. And that you understand. Not okay to bogged down by a single task, but to focus on the bigger result and the bigger goal and stat. And I think another thing that opens up when you do that, Is this concept that oftentimes when we don't feel like doing a task. It is a bit of a discomfort to push through. Right. The easiest thing often is let me just get a cup of coffee, or. Let me check my email or let me just scroll through social media. And there is often this. Instant habit off us when we have sort of a mental stretch. To escape and flee in another direction. And best sake, procrastinate and put things off. So what this would do when you focus on the results is really going from the principle that I am willing to sacrifice my discomfort in. Kind of inconvenience. In the moment. In order to. Accomplish that bigger result. That is really important to me. I think it also keeps your mind balanced and give you more wellness overall. Because why are we constantly just trying to put out little fires? And we just constantly focus on these little things in front of us. We often I don't see the bigger picture. And then it's hard to feel good about your work. And when you step back and say, okay, here's the bigger picture, my overall goal and result for this. S X, I want to have, want to get promoted or I want to get this done so I can spend time with my family and don't have to do this on a weekend on evening. Well, that then opens up also a whole better level, a better. Self care. Of saying, okay, I'm going to be productive while I'm here at work. And I'm going to focus on that. Even it is inconvenient. It's kind of stressing me out. I don't want to do it. But I'd rather focus on the bigger picture result. So I know that sounds like a simple thing. And probably you're like, is this gonna work? But I want you to try it out next time you sit and get stuck. And you are having task in front of you on your calendar for that day. Then ask herself. What is the bigger result that I'm looking for here? And then get to work also, by the way, if you don't have it on your calendar or in your schedule and you kind of do it by the. By the seat of your pants. Well then probably this is going to not work so great. So we should talk about that. And there are definitely systems and strategies I recommend to people. To focus on media, putting structure and systems and. Strategies around your work that make you much more productive and really get your sanity back. So have a wonderful day. I hope this served you stay tuned for the next episode.