Unit - II

Self-Management Skills
Self-management: - Self-management, which is also referred to as ‘self-control’, is the
ability to control one’s emotions, thoughts and behaviour effectively in different situations. This
includes motivating oneself, and working towards achieving personal and academic goals.
In order to do well at work and life, in general, one must be able to manage and improve
oneself in various skills, including timeliness, discipline, problem solving and work habits. To
manage oneself well, a person needs to develop the following.
• Positive thinking: to think that one can get things done and be happy.
• Result orientation: to dream big and achieve the desired or set results.
• Self-awareness: to be aware of one’s personality traits and make the best out of one’s strengths.
Self Motivation
Motivation is defined as the drive required to engage in goal-oriented behaviour.
Motivation is inner urge to do something and self-motivation is ability to do what needs to be
done without the influence or thrust from other people or situations. Self-motivated individuals
are asset to the world, their country, their families and to themselves. Self-motivated individuals
practice righteousness. They do what is required to accomplish their goals. Self-motivated
people have elevated spirit and are full of positivity. For them nothing is impossible. They are
focused on their goals and objectives and diligently achieve their aims.
Self-motivation is important because
• It increases individual’s energy and activity.
• It directs an individual towards specific goals.
• It results in initiation and persistence of specific activities
• It affects cognitive processes and learning strategies used for completing similar tasks.
Motivation and Positive Attitude
Motivation and positive thinking can help us overcome fears and take up new challenges.
Similarly, optimism, which is a mental attitude, reflecting a belief or hope, can lead to positive
and desirable outcomes. It helps us to achieve our dreams, continue working hard towards
achieving success and live a happy life with a positive mindset.
Motivation
Motivation is derived from the word ‘motive’. Thus, directing behaviour towards certain motive
or goal is the essence of motivation. An individual’s motivation may come from within (intrinsic
motivation) or be inspired by others or events (extrinsic motivation).

Finding sources of motivation and inspiration

Following are the sources of motivation and inspiration.
• Music: - Music is the language of the soul. A good inspiring piece touches every heart
and can help create miracles.
• Books: - Books are said to be best friends. They expand our horizon of thinking. They
help us visualize the unknown and unchartered territories beyond our
capacities. Books about heroic acts, inspiring lives and stimulating creativity
help readers move beyond their routine lives.
• Activities: - Engaging in positive and skill enhancing activities keep our spirits high.
Competitions, games, simulations, interviews for various committee
positions are found to encourage, motivate and inspire students.
• Expansive thoughts: - Thinking and discussing big and positive ideas motivate us to
reach our highest potential.
• Living in the present: - Being present where we are rather than where we are not,
brings in peace and calmness in our life. A calm and peaceful mind can
help us achieve wonders. This quality of being aware and conscious of
one’s self in present moment is also called mindfulness. Mindfulness helps
students to pay attention, reduce stress and helps promote thoughtful
approach towards life.
• Dreaming big: - Dreaming big is a journey not a destination. Dreaming big helps us to
be mentally prepared to take that big leap forward. Only when we aim high,
we get motivated to work hard and achieve big things in life.
Positive attitude
A positive attitude makes a person happier, and helps build and maintain relationships. It even
increases one’s chances of success. In addition, it can help the person make better decisions.
People, who maintain a positive or optimistic attitude in life situations and challenges, are able
to move forward than those with a negative attitude. Positive attitude helps improve mental and
physical health.
Ways to maintain positive attitude
It can take a little time and effort to build a positive attitude. Following are some ways that can
help one maintain a positive attitude.
• Start the day with a morning routine. Say positive affirmations, smile often and think
about the tasks to be accomplished during for the day.
• Feed the mind with positivity, read motivating books, listen to music with uplifting
lyrics, watch inspiring movies, etc.
• Be proactive. A proactive person decides how one must feel regardless of what may be
going around or what the day may bring.
• Focus on constructive and positive things. Do not approach life with ‘problems’.
Approach it with ‘solutions’.
• Learn from failures. Think what could have been better and work towards the goals.
• Learn to focus on the present. Negativity mostly stems out from anxiety of the past and
future events.
• Move towards your goals and dreams. Be cheerful and work hard to achieve the dreams.
Here are some more techniques that can help you to maintain a positive outlook in the
long run
• Physical exercise and fresh air
• Healthy diet
• Organise academic life
• Adequate sleep
• Holidays with family and friends
Result Orientation
Result orientation is a term used to describe a person’s ability to recognise what results are
important and the steps needed to be taken to achieve them. It means to focus on the result of
an assigned task. Result orientation describes an individual or organisation that focusses on
outcome rather than the process that has been used to produce a product or deliver a service.
How to become result oriented?
(i) Set clear goals
(ii) Prepare an action plan: - Each action, step or change should include the following
information.
a. What changes will occur after the actions?
 b. Who will carry out the changes?
c. When will the changes take place?
d. How long will the changes stay?
e. What resources are needed to carry out the changes?
f. Who should know and what should be communicated?
(iii) Use the right resources and tools
(iv) Communicate with mentors and peers
(v) Make a calendar
(vi) Work hard
Goal setting
Goal setting helps us to understand what we want, how to achieve it and how do we measure
our success. Writing a goal requires that we should understand its purpose and objective. Let
us try to understand how to define a goal.
• Identify what the goal is about, for example, customer satisfaction, speeding up the
delivery process, etc.
• How the goal would make a difference? For example, will it enhance customer
satisfaction, will it result in an increase in demand of a product or service, speed up the
delivery process and result in better loyalty and quality of the product.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is about understanding one’s own needs, desires, habits, traits, behaviours and
feelings. It is important that we must be aware of ourselves. When one becomes self-aware, the
person starts to become aware of everything and looks at things or situations objectively. It
plays a critical role in how we understand ourselves and relate to others and the world around
us.
Steps towards self-awareness
• The first step for practising self-awareness is gaining a greater awareness of one’s
emotions
• The second step to practising self-awareness is making a habit of tracking one’s feelings.
• The third step for practising self-awareness is expanding one’s practice to areas of life
beyond the person’s feelings.
Stress-Management
“Stress has become one of the most serious health issues of the 20th century and a
worldwide epidemic.” The world Labour report, produced by the UN’s International
Organisation.
 Stress is an emotional and physical damage usually due to our response to pressure from the
outside world. According to Palmer, 1989 “Stress is the psychological and behavioural response
by an individual when they perceive a lack of equilibrium between the demands placed upon
them and their ability to meet those demands, which, over a period of time, leads to ill-health.”
The symptoms of stress are: -
a. Sudden attack or panic.
b. Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness.
c. Increased anger, frustration, hostility
d. Rapid or mumbled speech
e. Difficulty in decision making
f. Light headedness, faintness, dizziness
g. Tremors, trembling of lips, hands
h. Frequent colds, infections
i. Unexplained or frequent allergy attacks
j. Forgetfulness, disorganisation, confusion

Meaning of personality
Personality is relatively enduring set of traits. These traits are made up of emotional, behavioral
and mental set of characteristics. Heredity has been found to be determining personality apart
from environmental forces. Personality is shaped through family, culture, society, education and
other environmental factors.
Influence of personality
Personality affects all aspects of an individual’s performance, even how he/she reacts to
situations in life. Individuals shall set clear goals for themselves and diligently pursue them.
Behavioral tendencies like anxiety, stress, perseverance and conscientiousness reflected in
personality traits can influence academic performance.
Basic personality traits
According to trait theory, combining a set of observable traits into a group forms an individual’s
personality. One popular personality classification is big five. The Big Five, global traits
associated with work. are listed below:
• Extraversion: Gregarious, assertive and sociable. (Opposite reserved, timid, quiet.)
 • Agreeableness: Cooperative, warm and agreeable. (Opposite cold, disagreeable and
antagonistic)
• Conscientiousness: Hardworking, organized and dependable (lazy, disorganized and
unreliable)
• Emotional stability: Calm, self-confident and cool (insecure, anxious and depressed)
• Openness to experience: Creative, curious and cultured (narrow interests)
Common personality disorders
Following are the common personality disorders. If anyone is identified with these disorders,
counselling shall be provided by family members, teachers and counsellors.
• Paranoid: - Feeling extremely nervous and worried because you believe that other
people do not like you or are trying to harm you.
• Antisocial: - Is characterized by a pattern of persistent disregard for and violation of
the rights of others.
• Schizoid: - Is characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships and people tend
to be distant, detached and indifferent.
• Borderline: - Is marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image and
behaviour. These symptoms result in impulsive actions and problems in
relationships.
• Narcissistic: - Is a condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own
importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration and lack of
empathy.
• Avoidant: - Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by feelings of extreme social
inhibition, inadequacy, and sensitivity to negative criticism and rejection.
• Dependent: - Dependent personality disorder is a condition marked by an overreliance
on other people to meet one's emotional and physical needs.
• Obsessive: - Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a personality
disorder that's characterized by extreme perfectionism, order, and neatness.
A. Multiple choice questions
Read the questions carefully and put a tick mark against the correct option.
1. Which of the following is not a parameter to describe an individual’s personality?
(a) Self-confidence (c) Neuroticism
(b) Openness (d) Agreeableness
2. Which of the following is characterised by an extreme feeling of self-importance?
(a) Narcissistic personality disorder
(b) Borderline personality disorder
(c) Dependent personality disorder
(d) None of the above
3. Ravi has feelings of emptiness, abandonment and suicide. What type of personality
disorder is this?
(a) Borderline
(b) Dependent
(c) Avoidant
(d) Obsessive
4. Mona is helping her sister to overcome a personality disorder. What should she do?
(a) Talk to her sister
(b) Engage her in hobbies
(c) Help her build confidence
(d) All of the above

B. Short answer questions

1. Describe the ways you can make positive thinking a habit in life.
2. List the importance of positive thinking. Describe how it can help someone achieve one’s
goals.