Time Management by Steve Pavlina and Its Usefulness - Essay Example

 I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, raised by an average, middle-class family. While I was not an only child, the age gaps between me and my siblings prevented me from becoming attached to either of them. My personality, however, was described differently by Jung’s Typology Test – I was classified as type ESTJ (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking and Judging). Amusingly enough, I did rather well at school when I first entered – something I attribute to my fairly adaptable learning style. In fact, I had my fair share of honors and awards while in elementary. This early exhibition of academic aptitude even showed in one of my recent test, which showed me as having good results in all the areas tested: teamwork, communication, problem-solving, information handling, numeracy, information technology, and business awareness. This being the case, I do my best to extend help to my more problematic peers, especially some of my friends who are not quite as academically-oriented. I am not exactly bookish, although I do know well enough to hit the books once in a while. And seeing what rewards that reaped me, it turned out to be a good call on my part. Not to mention, I somehow managed to cultivate a social life of my own; while I am hardly a party animal, I do have a closely-knit circle of friends who I can lean on for support. My streak as an achiever ended when I got to high school, though. As all of us have learned, that happened to be the period where I suddenly experienced a degree of freedom like never before. And while I managed to avoid getting completely carried away, it did serve as quite the distraction from my studies. My buddies and I specifically enjoyed reading novels, playing online/LAN games, and just plain goofing around in each other’s company. Whatever the circumstances, each of us was around to bail the other out, whether in academic concerns or otherwise. I myself played this role more than a few times. Finally, college – I just started studying here this year, but this isn’t my first college. I actually got a scholarship 3 years ago, for a degree in one of Bournemouth’s language schools. But since I failed that, I transferred to Leeds to repeat my first year, this time taking up business and management… And I ended up failing again. Looking back I think it was because of the necessary adjustment phase: just a year into college, and I’d already transferred schools. Unfamiliarity with my surroundings coupled with a new, unfamiliar atmosphere and a new crowd mucked up my first year, and my fairly low self-confidence did nothing to help. Coupled with various visa problems I had to take care of, it’s safe to say that the first year was rather uneventful for me. And to my disappointment, my grades reflect this accurately; I failed my first first year, and the second one was still rather hard. In fact, of my entire student life, it was the last sem in particular that influenced me most in coming up with my PACE objectives. Specifically, the various tests I took helped me identify some aspects of myself I’d only been marginally aware of: my learning style, my skills and specialties, my time and stress management, and my lack of proficiency in English. I believe that all these factors contributed in some way to my less than exemplary performance last sem, and that if I address these issues, my overall performance will improve. My PACE goals are likewise based on these areas. Point #1: Time management According to Mayland Community College’s SOAR Program (2002), it is study habits, rather than raw intelligence, that set achievers and underachievers apart. Not that I slack off – far from it – but more often than not, just getting by is enough for me. And among my study habits, it is my time management that needs the most work. Time management, as noted by Steve Pavlina (2006), boils down to deciding what to do and then doing it, all in the best possible way. This then has the most noticeable benefit of allowing one to maximize the work he puts out within a fixed time frame. At the same time, though, the time spent managing one’s activities is inversely proportional to the benefits gained from the increased levels of output. Needless to say, time management has to be done properly: not too rigid, but not too lax. Equally important is the outlook of the one doing the time management – he has to believe firmly that what he is doing will only benefit him. The Mayo Clinic (2010) likewise attests to the usefulness of time management, saying that it lessens stress and improves the quality of life for those who exercise it well. There is in fact more than a bit of truth in this: when we manage our time wisely, we are not idle – we do whatever it is that we need to do. In short, there are less deadlines to panic over, less last-minute scrambling over what one failed to account for, and, overall, less headaches. And in the long run, one who employs good time management in his day-to-day activities will find that his days are a lot less bothersome than they once were. This is probably the most problematic of my study habits. All too often I get caught up in something that isn’t that important in the long run. Other times I confuse urgency with importance; that is, I tend to rush at doing certain tasks, only to realize too late that they weren’t actually that important. The first and probably most important test I took relating to this area is the Urgency Index. As described by Jeff Wolf and his associates (2010), this should help one to assess and address his time management behavior by judging each test item based on the frequency with which it occurs: 0 means it never does, 2 means sometimes, and 4 means it always happens to him. The total score would then determine how high or low one’s urgency mindset is. I scored 46, which indicated a high urgency mindset. The test says that a sense of urgency in itself is not a problem, but that it is something to watch out for when it, rather than importance, is the dominant factor in our lives. Apparently, the old maxim ‘first things first’ refers to urgent things and not important things. This means that the things we are hell-bent on accomplishing first may not be that important in the long run. We end up asking ourselves, ‘was that really worth it?’ – but when it comes to that, it’s usually too late. The next one, the Time Balance Activity, allows one to ascertain how many hours he spends doing certain tasks. As for me, I spend approximately 20hrs studying per week, 40 doing support activities (read: chores), 60 for rest and recreation, and finally 68 just sleeping (around 8-10hrs per night). I left the part for work blank because I don’t have a job right now. And until I get used to my current environment, I’d rather not. As can be observed, I spent the least time per week studying. The 20hrs per week – which translates to 2hrs and around 50mins per day – only amounts to 11.9% of my weekly time. In contrast, I spend 35.7% for rest and recreation – in other words, more time than I should. The first step, in my opinion, is to divert 7-8 hrs from my leisure and/or idle time to studying. Even if the time difference is only over 1hr per day, it will still go a long way. Point #2: Stress management Next on the list is stress. This is of course normal for college students, considering the immense amount of workload we tend to receive from our professors, although some tend to get more stressed than others. As for me, tests in this area helped me pinpoint the things that stressed me out most, as well as the current stress level I’m experiencing. The first test, adapted from Payne and Whittaker (2006), involved rating stressors. Situations were listed, with the options varying depending on how strongly we agreed or disagreed. Among the given scenarios, disorganization was the one thing that barely if ever caused me stress; I’m not too touchy about whether my surroundings and belongings are messy. I scored neutral on items such as academic pressure, being taken for granted, physical fitness (although I somewhat disagree with this one), ill health, and physical environment. That is, while they do affect me somewhat, I can usually shrug off the stress; that is, these things rarely get me down. Meanwhile, situations such as poor time management (as already mentioned), self-imposed demands, inadequacy, unfulfilled needs and desires, concern for those close to me (and my relationships with them), a poorly-balanced lifestyle, and unclear career plans all moderately stress me out, although the stress only hits me at certain moments. One subject, however, is my biggest source of stress: financial pressure. It probably doesn’t help that, as earlier mentioned, I spend a good chunk of my time on recreational activities such as playing online games; consequently, I would end up spending a good chunk of my money there, too. A possible solution to my financial stress would be applying for a part-time job. The second stress test, the Rating Scale for Life Events, was developed by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe (1967) as the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, and entails checking one’s past 6 months for events that brought on particularly strong emotional upheavals, with each event having a certain score value. The sum of these scores then determines how great the toll recent changes to one’s life have taken. Specifically, among the events listed, I experienced the death of a close friend, failing modules, someone getting sick in the family, changes both in my school and in my financial status, increased workload, my first year at my university (twice over, even), outstanding personal achievement yet at the same time, lower grades than expected. All in all, I got a score of 382, meaning that I’ve had a LOT of drastic changes happen to me recently, which could somehow have played a part in my being stressed out. Point #4: Self-confidence As already mentioned, I have confidence issues that need to be addressed. For one thing, I’m away from home, trying to adjust to my school and my general surroundings, which I’m very certain factored into my failure of my modules. Not to mention, while I have a pretty decent social life, I find something lacking in it; neither does it help that I have trouble meeting and befriending new people. I then thought that it might help if I started working out to boost my self-perception – after all, it helps a great deal if you feel good about yourself. This statement is in fact backed up by a number of sources. For one thing, the Mayo Clinic’s staff (2010) and Utah State University (2010) both attest that regular physical activity comes with quite a few benefits that improve one’s quality of life, such as guarding against sicknesses, faster weight loss and better quality of sleep – as well as others which I will discuss in detail. For instance, exercising helps improve one’s mood and outlook on life by means of stimulating various brain chemicals and neurotransmitters related to one’s feelings. Not only that, but since physical exercise will of course improve one’s physical being, this also indirectly results in self-esteem going up. This increased health and confidence will also improve one’s mental health (SimplifiedFitness.com, 2010) – accurately summed up in the maxim stated above. And considering how this can and often does serve as motivation for one to keep up his exercise routine, physical fitness is its own reward in many ways. A statement in a fitness guide for Navy SEALs confirms this (1997), saying that it even cuts risk for physical injuries. In addition, regular exercise also cuts one’s risk of contracting chronic diseases – heart ailments and high blood pressure, for example. This happens because regular physical activity counteracts the formation of fat in one’s arteries, which would have blocked blood flow and placed unnecessary strain on the heart. Cholesterol also benefits, since exercise promotes the formation of HDLs – high density lipoproteins, the good cholesterol, in the process decreasing triglycerides. Certain diseases, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers, also become less likely to occur. And of course, exercise helps to burn off excess weight. Since crash diets help very little in reducing calorie intake, seeing as how those advocating such diets tend to binge after a while (based on personal experience), exercise is arguably the most reliable way of burning calories. It doesn’t even have to be a dedicated workout for it to work; while going to the gym will no doubt end in substantial calorie burn, even something simple as a few laps around one’s neighborhood will go a long way. Development Plans/Objectives (concrete objective / abstract objective; P/A/CE) Objective #1-2: To gain a good grasp of ICT / To acquire at least 6 months’ job experience in said field; career effectiveness-oriented This first objective should be somewhat self-explanatory. Since I already have quite a fascination with computers and online gaming, I could probably get a part-time job at an internet café or a computer repair shop, experience in which will help me land a job in the field of ICT later on. According to TechTerms.com (2010), the term ICT encompasses anything and everything relating to computing technology: hardware, software, and of course the internet. Not to mention, these terms can also refer to the people involved in such lines of work: programmers, technicians, and even call center agents, and last but not least to the millions of users worldwide. ICT’s omnipresent and arguably omnipotent influence on our daily lives fits, considering we live in the information age. In fact, such a development has also been noticed by the business sector as a whole, as every company today has some kind of IT department. TechAmerica (2010) even goes so far as to state that America’s ICT industry is the main factor behind productivity growth and job openings. Klaus Schwab (2009), Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, notes that, with its tremendous ability to promote growth and development, ICT is fast becoming a primary component of business strategies worldwide. It is said to become more important as companies make technological advancements, since constant development is needed to remain competitive. Alexander Styrhe (2002) notes how previous issues that had to be taken into account, such as the law of diminishing marginal returns and scarcity, are gotten around via ICT-based management. And of course, in an age where the internet has become more accessible than ever before (International Telecommunications Union, 2009), it is through these technologies that information on their products and services gets around most effectively. The company’s resultant productivity will then help the company’s home country’s economy, ultimately leading to more job opportunities for the labor force. And considering the current economic recession at hand, such things will no doubt be very beneficial to everyone involved. Objective #3-4: To keep physically fit / To boost confidence and overall performance within 6 months; personal This objective may at first seem tangential to my primary goal as a business student. However, I would like to point out that working out helps a great deal in boosting confidence which will be useful in other aspects of his life such as his career. In Latin, the appropriate saying is “mens sana in corpore sano” – a sound mind in a sound body. And since we all know how vital confidence is in ensuring success, physical fitness should somehow be incorporated into our everyday routines. Objective #5-6: To achieve better grades and/or honors at the end of this sem; academic Of course, even with the first two goals, I am not about to let my academic life go to waste. Even with the earlier objectives mentioned, my overall target is still to graduate business school and have access to a respectable monthly paycheck. That being the case, I think it the best course to improve further on my grades and, if possible, acquire honors this semester. Since I’d like to think I have a fair bit of intelligence if I was able to make it in this school, my personal evaluation of myself says that my study habits are holding me back. References About TechAmerica 2010, TechAmerica. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://www.techamerica.org/about-techamerica Coaching & Professional Services from Wolf Management Consultants Inc. 2010, Wolf Management Consultants. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://www.wolfmotivation.com/business_services/w-time_mang_descrpt.htm Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity (2010) Mayo Clinic Official Website. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676 Time Management: Tips to reduce stress and improve productivity 2010, Mayo Clinic Official Website. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/time-management/WL00048 IT (Information Technology) 2010, TechTerms.com. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 http://www.techterms.com/definition/it Health and Physical Fitness 2010, SimplifiedFitness.com. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://www.simplifiedfitness.com/healthandphysicalfitness.html Pavlina, S. (2006) Time management. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/time-management.htm Schwab, K. (2009) Preface. The Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009: Mobility in a Networked World. World Economic Forum. Switzerland: SRO-Kundig, Geneva. Styrhe, A 2002, Information and communication technology and the excess(es) of information: An introduction to Georges Bataille’s general economy. Ephemera, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 28-42 Introduction (2009) Measuring the Information Society: The ICT Development Index. International Communications Union. 1. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/idi/2009/material/IDI2009_w5.pdf Fitness: Food Sense Nutrition Education (2010) Components of physical fitness. Utah State University. 4-5. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://extension.usu.edu/fsne/files/uploads/lessons/Fitness/Fitness%20and%20Exercise%20LESSON%20SCRIPT%20B&W%2010.06.pdf Becker, D.E., Giebner, S., Walters, K.C., Singh, A., Deuster, P., Thorson, L., Bennett, B.L., Moore, J., Hughes, J.S., and Butler, F.K. Jr. (1997) The Navy Seal Physical Fitness Guide. Department of Military and Emergency Medicine Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 1 Developing Effective Study Habits (2002) Mayland Community College SOAR Program. [Online] Accessed 20 April 2010 from http://www.mayland.edu/academics/aca111/StudyHabits.pdf Payne, E and Whittaker, L 2006, Developing essential study skills, 2nd ed. Financial Times Prentice-Hall. Pearson Education Limited. Holmes, TH and Rahe, RH 1967, ‘The social readjustment rating scale’ Journal of Psychosomatic Resesarch, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 213–8. Read More