183: How to Plan a Productive Week with Shawn Radcliffe

08/31/20 • 48 min

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:

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

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

183: How to Plan a Productive Week with Shawn Radcliffe

Description:

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:

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

Quotes from this episode:

"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

Previous Episode

182: Yin Yoga vs Restorative Yoga with Nyk Danu

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

182: Yin Yoga vs Restorative Yoga with Nyk Danu

Description:

Slower styles of yoga such as Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga are becoming more popular as people are seeking balance in their hectic, fast-paced and stressful lives. However, while Yin and Restorative yoga are often used interchangeably, and may even seem similar externally, there are many differences between the two. Yin Yoga expert (and a member of The Connected Yoga Teacher Team) Nyk Danu shares more about these two types of yoga.

Nyk Danu has been teaching yoga for 15 years, and is a Yin Yoga expert and teacher trainer. She is also a Yoga Therapist who helps people with back pain, particularly those she describes as “yoga misfits” - people who don’t feel at home in mainstream Yoga circles. As a teacher trainer, Nyk also offers Yin Yoga modules as a complement to existing teacher training programs and 1:1 Yin Yoga apprenticeships for teachers. She is also currently in the planning stages of an online Yin Yoga Teacher training.

Despite appearing similar, these two practices differ greatly. Nyk shares more about the origins of each of these styles of yoga and the intention behind them, as well as some of the key differences in the length of poses, counter poses, and use of props. Nyk also has some great insights about the internal perspective - physiologically, emotionally, and how each type of yoga impacts the nervous system.

If you are considering taking specialized training on Yin Yoga or Restorative Yoga, or are wondering who each type of yoga is suitable for, or just want to deepen your understanding about these two practices, this episode is perfect for you.

Key Takeaways:

[4:16] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Nyk Danu

[6:19] What does Nyk do and who does she do it for?

[7:34] Nyk shares where her definitions and frameworks for Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga come from.

[9:26] Nyk explains how yin-yang theory ties into Yin Yoga.

[11:32] What is Yin Yoga? What is Restorative Yoga? What is the difference between them?

[16:48] Nyk gives an example of how a post could be done in Yin vs Restorative yoga.

[19:22] What are the intentions of each type of yoga practice?

[21:25] Nyk explains more about the resonance or echo of a pose in your body, which is unique to Yin, and about the meditative elements of Yin Yoga.

[24:39] Who would Nyk recommend Yin Yoga to?

[29:48] Different teachers have different approaches to Yin Yoga.

[32:19] What are the differences in the emotional landscape between Yin vs Restorative Yoga?

[34:15] How long are poses held in Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga?

[35:31] What is the usual duration of classes for these practices of yoga?

[38:34] How long are Nyk's Yin Yoga classes?

[39:46] Nyk explains how she guides students through her Yin Yoga classes.

[41:17] Which practice has more talking through each pose?

[44:04] Does Nyk use music in her Yin classes?

[48:55] Get in touch with Nyk via her website, or on social media.

[50:50] Nyk has a special gift for you, Connected Yoga Teachers!

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

Quotes from this episode:

"Part of understanding Yin Yoga is having a good understanding of yin-yang theory." - Nyk

"When I look at the biggest difference between the two, it's a matter of degrees, and intention." -Nyk

"One of the primary differences between Yin and Restorative, is that in a Yin practice, we are trying to feel sensation. In a Restorative practice, we're not." - Nyk

"It is the intention behind the pose and what the person is feeling in the pose that wo...

Next Episode

184: Is Yoga Cultural Appropriation? with Shailla Vaidya

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

184: Is Yoga Cultural Appropriation with Shailla Vaidya

Description:

It is common knowledge that yoga originated from India, and has been practiced in India and South Asia for millennia. It is only recently that yoga has gained popularity in the Western world. Over time, people within the yoga space have adapted it to cater to different needs and trends, and today, there are many different forms of yoga that exist which can be very removed from the original practice of yoga as it was intended. This leads to the complex question - Is yoga cultural appropriation?

Dr. Shailla Vaidya joins Shannon as someone who is of South Asian descent and was raised in the yoga tradition to share her perspectives. Dr. Shailla Vaidya is a Physician and Yoga Therapist, who practices Mind-Body Medicine in Toronto, Ontario. Shailla teaches medically-informed therapeutic yoga to yoga therapists internationally, and offers a variety of programs that combine the science of Western Medicine with the Eastern Mind-Body practice of Yoga.

In this eye-opening and straight-from-the-heart conversation, Shailla really opens up about her own personal experiences of what it was like to grow up in the culture of yoga and then to step into a Westen yoga class. She also talks about what we can do to honor the tradition of yoga and share it in a way that is respectful of its heritage and history, and the culture it comes from, while acknowledging the challenges that come with it

Being respectful, culturally sensitive and appropriate is something we all constantly need to learn and work on. This interview is a great starting point to think about some of the issues around yoga and cultural appropriation.

Key Takeaways:

[7:16] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dr. Shailla Vaidya.

[8:32] Shannon and Shailla share some context about the situation at the time of recording.

[11:51] Shailla shares a bit about her background.

[18:59] How does Shailla combine yoga and medicine?

[24:55] Where did Shailla's journey begin with the understanding of cultural appropriation with regard to yoga?

[29:38] Shailla shares the experience of when she really felt the pain of cultural appropriation in yoga.

[34:02] Colonization is a part of India's history, and there is trauma carried by people of this heritage and culture, as a result of that.

[36:55] Shailla defines cultural appropriation.

[38:38] Shannon and Shailla discuss why she felt like an imposter in a yoga class and at yoga conferences.

[41:55] What does Shailla wish yoga teachers knew? Shailla shares some of the practices that exist in the Western yoga community that are inappropriate.

[48:45] Un-learning things we have always done can be difficult, but it is something that we need to do. Shannon shares her experience of trying to un-learn saying 'namaste' at the end of a yoga class. We need to always be questioning and learning.

[52:49] It is also important to recognize when we're profiting off somebody or someone's culture.

[56:07] Shannon and Shailla discuss some ideas on how we can be a part of the solution.

[1:01:02] Who should we be seeking to learn from?

[1:07:25] How can we respect and honor the traditions of yoga as we bring it into our lives?

[1:12:13] Shailla shares some of her struggles around how people practice yoga in Western cultures.

[1:18:24] All of us need to do the work as we learn what's okay and what's not okay.

[1:20:22] What are some questions coming up for you after listening to this interview?

Links:

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