Build It On Paper First

The Tutor Podcast

Neil focuses on the crucial topic of personal organisation and time management for tutors, teachers, and coaches. Drawing from his extensive experience in business and education, Neil emphasises the importance of planning your day to reduce stress and enhance productivity. He shares his own journey with time management, including the use of a simple paper diary with Plan A and Plan B columns to adapt to changing circumstances. Neil encourages listeners to perform a "brain dump" of their thoughts and tasks to better manage their time and responsibilities, ultimately leading to improved sleep and reduced stress.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Importance of Personal Organisation: A lack of personal organisation is a common issue among tutors, teachers, and coaches, which can lead to increased stress and decreased success. Planning and managing time effectively is crucial for achieving goals.

2. Daily Planning Strategy: Utilising a paper diary with two columns (Plan A and Plan B) can help individuals prepare for different scenarios throughout the day. This method allows for flexibility and ensures that there are alternative activities ready if plans change.

3. Brain Dump Technique: Performing a brain dump of all tasks and thoughts can help clear mental clutter. This technique allows individuals to categorise tasks as do, ditch, or delegate, leading to better sleep, reduced stress, and increased productivity.

4. Preference for Paper Over Digital: While digital tools are popular, using a paper planner can be more effective for some. It provides a tangible way to track tasks, reduces distractions from technology, and offers a satisfying sense of accomplishment when tasks are physically checked off.

5. Encouragement of Communication: Engaging with others about their organisational strategies can provide new insights and methods. Sharing experiences and techniques can foster a community of support and improvement among tutors and educators.

BEST MOMENTS

"Controlling your own personal environment and your time isn't really covered in schools or universities... it seems to be a clear differentiator between highly stressed and people who were not stressed at all."

"Time is your most precious resource. And why wouldn't you plan to use wisely your most precious resource?"

"I always ask clients or students what plans they have for their days. It turns out that almost none of them do."

"I think it's a massive bonus. Now, I've shared my own organiser pages with lots of people over the years, and it's certainly helped them to get their schmuzzle together."

"If I can get addicted to doing good stuff, I'll take that."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

www.Neilcowmeadow.com

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HOST BIO

Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!