Unit 2: Self-Management Skills
Stress:
Stress is one of the important reasons of low productivity in all stages of life.
Stress drains one's energy and impedes the day-to-day work and peace of
mind.
Meaning and Importance of Stress Management
Stress Management refers to focusing human efforts for maintaining a healthy
body and mind capable of better withstanding stressful situations. Occasional
stress is an unavoidable part of one's life. Stress refers to a "physical, mental,
or emotional strain or tension". Small amounts of stress have a positive effect
and they help us stretch ourselves to new level. High levels of stress over
prolonged periods need to be managed.
Stress causal agents can have following origins.
STRESS
CAUSAL
AGENTS
Physical Mental FINANCIAL Social
Mental: Students can be left overwhelmed, if they are unable to handle their
assignment submission deadlines and examinations grades. High
expectations from self can leave one with chronic anxiety and stress.
Physical: As children grow up, they may seek more independence, may
become critically conscious of their looks and have to cope up with hormonal
changes. Issues related to general well-being and health of an individual can
lead to low self-esteem and cause stress.
Social: Discord amongst family members, peer pressure for doing things
which children would generally avoid, maintaining balance in relationships
amongst friends, status show off may lead to stress at times.
Financial: Youngsters may have aspirational financial stress. This may be of
becoming financially independent.
Importance of Stress Management
• Improves mood
• Boosts immune system
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• Promotes longevity
• Leads to burst of physical strength, which is vital for reaching goal
• Complete mental and physical engagement for task accomplishment
• Increases efficiency and effectiveness
• Prevents psychological disorders and behavioral problems.
Stress Management Techniques
Apart from positive thinking, managing one's time across any or a
combination of the following activities aid in stress management.
• Physical Exercise
When stress affects the brain, rest of the body also feels the impact.
Physical exercise in the form of walking, skipping or for that matter
indulging in any sports has been found to relieve stress as they stabilize
mood, improve self-esteem and induce sleep.
• Yoga
Yoga is a school of Hindu philosophy that reduces stress. Yoga includes
a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control
of body and mind.
• Meditation
It is a practice where an individual is supposed to focus his/her mind
on a particular object, thought or activity to achieve a calm mental state
reducing stress.
• Enjoying
Recreational activities like watching movies, attending concerts, playing
games, involving in adventure sports, singing, dancing or even
sketching can help individuals transcend to a happier mental state and
help manage stress.
• Going On Vacations with Family and Friends
Vacations provide an opportunity of taking a holiday from our routine
and appreciate different facets of life. Vacations can be taken up to
friends and relatives' place as well as to far flung attractive locations.
Vacationing helps in de-stressing individuals.
• Taking Nature Walks
Taking nature walks in a pristine environment of a national park or a
sanctuary or a trail in country side/village, brings us a calmness by
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allowing our over stimulated minds a chance to relax and helps us to
relax.
Ability to Work Independently
Importance of The Ability to Work Independently
Following benefits of working independently advocate its importance.
• Ensures greater learning.
• Individuals feel more empowered and responsible.
• It provides flexibility to choose and define working hours and working
mechanisms.
• Failure and success of the task assigned are accounted by individuals.
• Individuals become assets to organizations, groups and nations
• It ensures creativity and satisfaction amongst individuals.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one's own
emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
It is generally said to include at least three skills:
(i) Emotional awareness. (ii) Harnessing emotions (iii) Managing
emotions
Some steps to manage emotional intelligence are as given below.
• Understand your emotions. Rationalise Practise
Enhancing Ability to Work Independently
Ability to work independently can be enhanced by being self-aware, self-
motivated and self-regulated.
Self-Awareness
Having conscious knowledge of your own self, capabilities, feelings and one's
own character is called as self-awareness. It helps individuals to chart their
ways for working independently.
Strength and Weakness Analysis
Techniques for Identifying your Strengths and weaknesses
Finding Strengths (or abilities).
Think of anything that you are always successful at. Think about what
others like in you. • Take out time and think about what you do well.
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Finding Weaknesses Point out the areas where you struggle and the things
you find difficult to do. Look at the feedback others usually give you. Be open
to feedback and accept your weaknesses without feeling low about it. Take it
as an area of improvement.
Self-Motivation
Self-motivated individuals have an inner urge to do something, achieve their
goals without any external pressure. It is a life skill and must be necessarily
developed.
Types of Motivation: 1) Internal Motivation: LOVE
2) External Motivation: REWARD
Qualities of Self-motivated People: 1) Know what they want from life 2)
Know what is Important 3)Are dedicated to fulfill their dreams 4)Are focused
Building Self-motivation: 1) Find out your strengths 2) Set and focus on
your goals 3) Develop a plan to achieve your goals 4) Stay loyal to your goals
Self-Regulation Self-regulation guides independent individuals as it helps
them consider long term consequences rather than just transient feelings. It
leads to a responsible and a value driven behavior.
• Goal Setting
Goals: They are a set of dreams with a deadline to get them, for example,
saving pocket money to buy a favorite mobile phone by a particular date.
How to Set Goals? We can use SMART method to set goals. SMART stands
for: Specific,Measurable Achievable, Realistic, Time bound.
• Time Management
Four Steps for Effective Time Management
1) Organise 2) Prioritize 3) Control 4) Track
Tips for Practicing the Four Steps for Effective Time Management
• Avoid delay or postponing any planned activity
• Organise your room and school desk
• Develop a 'NO DISTURBANCE ZONE', where you can sit and complete
important tasks
• Use waiting time productively.
• Prepare a 'To-do' list
• Prioritise
• Replace useless activities with productive activities.
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