Episode 94: Unplugged: A Day in the Life of Dr. Lara in Flow

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Have you ever wondered what ‘coloring outside the lines’ really means in day-to-day life? Dr. Lara Salyer walks us through a day in her life, revealing how she optimizes flow and sparks innovation in healthcare. From her intentional morning rituals to strategic time management, Dr. Salyer shares her personal systems for success!

There are four stages of the flow cycle: struggle, release, flow, and recovery. Dr. Lara highlights the necessity of balancing skills with challenges to effectively achieve a state of flow, explaining how each stage plays a crucial role in the overall experience.

Taking us through a typical day, Dr. Lara acknowledges the diversity of her daily activities as a physician, consultant, speaker, and mentor. She stresses the importance of creating ideal conditions for flow the night before, including practices like bedtime routines, Yoga Nidra meditation, avoiding late-night eating or drinking, and thoughtful calendar planning.

Each morning, Dr. Lara engages in specific rituals to prime herself for flow, such as occasionally taking a cold plunge, delaying caffeine intake, and spending quality time with her family. She discusses creating an optimal work environment, minimizing disruptions, and using focused time blocks to enhance productivity.

Dr. Lara also shares how she incorporates intentional state changes throughout her day, including breathwork and movement, to sustain flow and manage her energy. She reveals her strategies for handling appointments and tasks, and how tools like Boomerang and Trello aid in organization and idea capturing.

Emphasizing the significance of self-awareness in finding one’s unique flow rhythm, Dr. Lara encourages listeners to experiment and learn from their experiences, adjusting routines and systems to maximize flow. For anyone looking to blend flow into their daily life, you’ll get tips on energy optimization, time management, and maintaining balance across various responsibilities.

About The Catalyst Host, Dr. Lara Salyer:

I worked as a family physician for 15 years until burnout changed the trajectory of my career. I realized I wanted to start a holistic functional medicine practice in my rural hometown and made it happen. In addition to practicing functional medicine, I now mentor practitioners who are looking to change their paths in healthcare by using what I refer to as the “Catalyst Roadmap”. I share each step of this framework with listeners so that they may apply it to their careers, relationships, personal goals, and projects.

In This Episode I'm Talking About:

How to blend flow into your daily life
Tips on energy optimization, time management, and maintaining balance across various responsibilities
Strategies for handling appointments and tasks, and tools to aid in organization and idea capturing

Quotes:

“I say the word systems because I like that better than routines. Routines sound boring and monotonous, but systems are designed to support a goal, to support your optimal energy.” (2:34 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“I also like to check in with my body frequently and that is definitely great for flow because flow is about managing what’s going on in your state of your body and your mind and your emotions. So checking in and doing a feelings wheel – what am I feeling? Where is that living? What does it need? Do I need to be still and give it more space? Or do I need to move and work it out? That helps me stay on top.” (16:16 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“I love Trello. It is a great way to just capture any of those errant ideas running around in your head that happen at any moment in your day. It can take you completely out of flow. You could even be in the grocery store having these ideas – you could have them everywhere and what a tragedy it would be if they’re lost.” (17:59 | Dr. Lara Salyer)
“The best part of being a catalyst practitioner is you know how to make an immediate impact with small tiny moments. You know how to control that energy, to protect that energy, to find your flow and honor your own cadence, because then it’s effortless. All you do is a few teeny things and you are a catalyst practitioner.” (19:14 | Dr. Lara Salyer)