183: How to Plan a Productive Week with Shawn Radcliffe

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 183: How to Plan a Productive Week with Shawn Radcliffe   Description: As a yoga business owner, there are so many things to do that we may feel overwhelmed by our to-do lists, and left wondering how to get everything done and where to start. That’s where productivity comes in, and no matter where you are in your yoga teacher journey, we could all use some tips around improving our productivity. Shawn Radcliffe has some tips on how to use a 15-minute planner to get organized and plan a productive week.   Shawn Radcliffe is a health and science journalist based in Ontario, Canada. His work has appeared in a variety of print and digital publications. Shawn has also been teaching yoga since 2009, and offers students a dynamic mix of Hatha yoga and viniyoga, with a special focus on helping people develop mindfulness.   With just 15 minutes a week, Shawn has mastered the art of staying on top  of his professional and personal life. He shares how he first discovered the 15-minute planner, and breaks down how he uses it to keep track of and prioritize all his projects, tasks and activities. He also has some other tips around planning a productive week and working effectively.   If you’ve been wondering how to make better use of your time or how to keep track of all the projects you have going on, this episode is for you.   Key Takeaways: [5:33] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shawn Radcliffe. [6:41] What does Shawn do and who does he do it for? [8:43] When did Shawn start using the 15-minute planner? [11:43] How do you start with the 15-minute planner? The first step is setting aside 15 minutes to plan, every week. [13:17] Shawn explains the concept of the 15-minute planner using the rocks, pebbles, sand analogy. [14:53] Step 2 is to do a brain dump. [17:54] Why is it so important to make a list of things to get done, instead of just doing them? [19:45] What happens after the brain dump? Shawn and Shannon discuss putting the "rocks" into the planner. [24:25] How do you choose the "pebbles"? [27:45] The next step is to put these activities into your calendar. [33:00] Shawn explains what happens to the "sand". [34:59] What has Shawn learned along the way that he would like to share? [36:53] What is Shawn's strategy for dealing with things that just pop up suddenly? [38:24] Shannon shares about the difference between her brain dump and her “idea parking lot”. [39:13] Shawn highlights how different planning methods work similarly, and things to keep in mind when planning. [42:17] What are some things Shawn has been able to accomplish using the 15-minute planner method? [44:16] Get in touch with Shawn via his website, or on Twitter.    Links: Shawn Radcliffe Shawn Radcliffe on Twitter Steph Crowder (Courage & Clarity) - 15-minute Planner Method  Trello Asana The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 122: Productivity for Yoga Teachers with Amber De La Garza The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 123: Habits for Health & Business with James Clear Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy The One Thing, by Gary Keller Crickets to Customers Workshop by Steph Crowder   Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity   Quotes from this episode:   "A lot of times we get so fixated on our to-do lists that we just do things as they come up, and a lot of things that we're doing are busywork - they're small things that aren't really driving our business forward." - Shawn   "Sometimes we don't know what we need to get done, or don't know what we've already agreed to do." - Shawn   "When you just start working, you're not always working effectively." - Shawn   "Being busy feels good, but it's not always effective." - Shawn   "What do I need to do to make my business grow, and survive, and thrive?" - Shawn