October 2010 - Issue 76 - www.clareevans.co.uk

Hello ,

It's already October and we're into the last quarter of the year. How have you been doing? What have you got planned for the remainder of the year. Dust off your business plan and give it an update.

I spent the first week of this month in Turkey - nothing quite as expected but a welcome break and a fascinating country. Not only taking the time to relax but a good time to take stock and think about future plans.

Whether you're a freelancer or not - take a listen to my recent podcast over on Freelance Advisor. Part 1 of my Top 10 tips.  The second part will be coming out next month.

I'd like to hear from you - what are your time challenges?
- What gets in your way or stops you from getting things done.
- Are you spending too much time at work or feeling under pressure with all the demands on your time?

Use the contact form on my website or just click reply and send me a brief message.

This month's media mentions:

- A short contribution in the FT - How to prioritise.
- A brief mention in October's Prima magazine.
- If you're a Royal Mail Business customer my article made it into their UnLtd magazine which went out at the end of last month.
- Also, look out for a mention in the December issue of Men's Health magazine.


Keep in touch with what I'm up to and get extra news and tips from my blog or Follow me on Twitter.

Enjoy the rest of this month's newsletter.

Clare

P.S. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues.

We all have different ways of learning and taking in information. At school we're taught in a very linear way through the use of words - often written.

Many people carry on learning throughout life - through our own personal development, continual learning, studying for work - certification, exams etc.

There are several styles of learning and we use them in different ways at different times. Some people may have a preference for one way of learning over another. The more styles and senses you can involve in the process, the more you'll retain.

The main styles are:

Visual - use images, pictures, diagrams, colours and maps. Good at visualising plans and outcomes, good sense of direction. Sees words in their mind's eye and gets bored when listening for too long. Distracted by movement or clutter. Remembers faces rather than names. Prefers to meet face-to-face. Uses visual words when speaking - "I see ... I imagine ..."

Auditory - sound and music. Good sense of pitch and rhythm. Sing, play an instrument, awareness of music and sounds. Sounds out words, enjoys listening and keen to talk. Distracted by noise. Remembers names or what they talked about. Prefers using the telephone. Likes to talk things through. When speaking uses words like - "I hear ... I think ..."

Kinesthetic - use your hands and touch to learn. Good at sports and exercise. Use exercise as a time to think, sort out issues and ideas and problem solve. Prefer to get on and 'do' rather than read instructions. Distracted by activity. Remembers people by what you did. Fidget if sitting for too long. When speaking uses gestures and words like "I feel ..."

Understanding your learning style and that of others can improve the information you take in and how you communicate.

Other styles that compliment the above are:

Verbal - use of the written and spoken word. Good at expressingin writing and verbally. Love reading and writing. Enjoy word related puzzles and games.

Logical - logical and mathematical reasoning. Recognise patterns and connections. Classify and group information to understand. Create procedures, agendas, itineraries, to-do lists. Scientific approach - use examples and statistics. Work out strategies using simulation.

We also have a preferred learning environment:

Social - communicate well with people both verbally and non-verbally. Good listener, sensitive to emotions. Prefer learning in groups - bounce ideas off others. Work through issues, ideas and problems with a group.

Solitary - concentrate well, private, introspective and independent. Think and analyse thoughts and feelings. Spend time alone, quietly working through solutions to problems. Make plans, set goals.

You probably already know your own preference - try using a different style - either when learning, communicating or taking in information. See what difference it makes to your ability to learn and your effectiveness in communicating.

Give me a call or email me for a free Strategy Session - www.clareevans.co.uk.

Until next month.