Enhancing Time Management And Conflict Resolution Skills: A Self-Evaluation

Objective and specific strategies for improving time management

What are you going to learn (objective) How are you going to learn it? (specific resources and strategies you need to learn) Target date for completion How are you going to know that you have learned it (evidence) How are you going to prove that you have learned it?

Time management I have decided to work on my time management skills because I mainly face problems with timely completion of my projects. For this, I have decided to follow a certain number techniques and strategies. I have decided to finish my tasks in a priority-based manner. I will fist complete the immediate task that is in my hand and then I will begin other tasks. I have also decided that I will not take up unimportant projects or projects that do not interest me. Given a chance to choose I will take up projects that I know I can do and manage on time. I have realised that I have a bad habit of procrastination. I have decided to get rid of it in systematic manner. Getting out of the procrastinating habit will solve most of my time management issues. Moreover, I have also decided that I will not spend much time on the small details of a project. Instead of becoming a perfectionist, I will rather be a timely finisher of projects.

In the first three weeks, I will concentrate on getting rid of my procrastinating habit and try to finish the projects that are given to me on time. This will help me solve my time management skills. For the remaining weeks when I will need to take up new projects, I will make a routine, allotting particular amount of time to each activity and follow the routine strictly. I will also keep a track of my progress on a self-made chart. Following the routine will prevent me from getting distracted and help me finish my tasks timely.

Given the fact that I have made a routine as well as a self-progress tracker, I can clearly track my growth in the time managing issue. I have noted that in the last few weeks I have got a steady control over my stipulated time of finishing a task. I have significantly reduced my procrastinating tendency and this has helped me in managing my time management goals. I have also noticed that I am never late to my classes now, which used to be a problem earlier. My rate of missing deadlines have reduced significantly and by the end of the ten weeks, I believe I will reach at a proficiency level where I will not miss a single deadline. Moreover, because of my enhanced time management skills I am getting ample time for other things too that interest me. Moreover, I make my routine for the whole week in a go and follow that strictly. This also proves that my skills of managing time has enhanced. I have also improved on my choice of tasks and do them in a way that helps me to stay ahead of my own schedule. Basing on these changes in me I can say that I have skilled the strategies of time management.

Progress and evidence of improved time management skills

I have learnt the importance of time management and I think that is very essential. Now, I have come up with a plan and arrangement to finish my project work. First of all i have made a routine of the based on the sub divisions of the project work and I have allotted time to myself. I have made this routine on a sticky so that it is always in the front of my eyes. However, at first I was not able to fulfil the requirements of the project within the promised time. This was my major drawbacks. Hence, practical work will help me to prove my knowledge and to show my newly adopted skill. I have gained the confidence that I can do my work within the deadline. Through doing the practical work I can prove my skill. By taking challenges I will be able to prove my knowledge and my strength. By applying the time management skill I am able to accomplish my work before deadline, which ensures my skill.

Organising skills I have decided to work on my conflict managing skills also, as I often find myself in situations where I get in arguments with my fellow students and cannot resolve it. The first thing that I am doing in order to improve my skills in conflict management is accepting the fact that each individual is different from the other and there are bound to be conflicts in situations where people work together. I have also devised a few other strategies to help me enhancing my conflict managing skills. I am working on keeping stress at bay while being in a conflicting situation. I also try to keep calm and counter the argument with logic rather than with bias feelings. I have understood that because conflict arises from difference of opinion it is important to be logical in order to resolve a conflict. I am also working on controlling the way I behave when in a conflict as behaving in a hot headed way will not solve the conflict but rather encourage it more. I have realized that to solve a conflict in a healthy way I must be respectful to the views put forward by the other person even it is completely different from my views. In this way, I will be able to deal with conflicts that will rise in the course of the project.

Challenges faced while enhancing time management and ways to improve next time

For the first two weeks, I will work on my ability to control my emotions while having a conflict with my fellow students. I will sharpen my logical skills also because logic is one of the most necessary ways to resolve a conflict properly. In the given ten weeks, time I will work on my stress managing skills and also on keeping my calm while having an argument or conflict. I will also work n my tolerance level as in order to solve a conflict I must respect and pay proper attention to the opinion presented by other people.

Given the fact that I have started working on my conflict resolving issues in a strategic manner I can understand that my skills in resolving a conflict is getting better than before. In the last few weeks, I have noticed that I can keep my calm in conflicting situations and also present my argument in a logical way rather than being driven by emotional biasness. I have also noticed that I am getting on better with my fellow students and it has worked in favour of the projects given to the group. Due to the enhancement in my conflict, managing skills the tasks given to the group are being completed smoothly. My control over my temperament has helped me to become more tolerant and understand the arguments and points of views of my fellow team members. Moreover, I have noticed that over the past few weeks, my problem solving skills have also been enhanced simultaneously with my conflict resolving issues. Due to the fact that I can now hear to the opinion of other people with patience and respect my team members, feel free to give out their opinion on a problem which ultimately works in benefit of the group. Basing on my role in a conflicting situation now, I can say that my conflict resolving skills are definitely getting better.

This is a continuation of time management, as i have recognised the skills that are my strengths and the skills that are my weaknesses. I have to use the strengths in order to overcome my weaknesses. In order to organise the skills it is important to fist recognise the skills that I need to incorporate in my daily life.  I know that my communication skill is better and effective but i have issues with written communication hence I have thought that I will ask for help from my friends who excel in writing. Conflict management is another skill that I have to work on is conflict management. I can prove that I have learnt it by making sure that the number of conflict issue have reduce form my life. The feedbacks form my friends and family is also proof that I have organised my skills.

Objective and specific strategies for improving conflict resolution

Reflection: I had faced some hurdles while working on the two skills and enhancing them. While working on improving my time management skills, initially I had found it difficult to stick to the routine I had made. I used to get distracted by a number of things, which prevented me from finishing my projects on time. Another problem that I had faced while working on my time management skill was my habit of getting every small details of a given project. This also prevented me from finishing the within the stipulated time. While working on my conflict management skills I had initially found it difficult to keep my cool and argue in a logical way without getting involved emotionally with the topic of the argument. It had also been difficult for me to keep my stress at bay while having an argument. At the beginning of my attempt to enhance my conflict managing skills I used to lose my temper easily which further complicated the situation. I had problems with respecting the views put forward by other people, which served as a hurdle in my process of enhancing my skills of managing a conflicting situation.

What will I do better next time: Given another chance to work on my skills of time management and conflict resolving issues, I will try to work in a more focused manner. In the ten weeks of time of this assignment, I have tried my best to enhance my skills in the mentioned sections. However, I believe that if I am given another chance to work on the same issues I will do better than I have done this time. I will make a better routine, which will be easier to follow and would not put much stress on me as the routine that I made this time did. I faced a number of problems while following the routine this time, which will not happen again if given a second chance. I will enhance the process by which I have worked on my conflict resolving skills. I will start with meditation if I am given another chance to work on my argument solving skills. I have learnt that meditation helps to keep stress at control and also prevents the temperament from getting high. Meditation will help me keep my cool and argue without any stress. Thus I will begin my procedure of enhancing my problem and conflict solving skills with regular meditation given another chance. However, I must mention that though there are certain changes I will make in my next routine while working on the same skills, following my present routine has also brought me success and helped me enhance my skills.

References:

Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.

Grissom, J.A., Loeb, S. and Mitani, H., 2015. Principal time management skills: Explaining patterns in principals’ time use, job stress, and perceived effectiveness. Journal of Educational Administration, 53(6), pp.773-793.

Leffel, A., Hallam, C. and Darling, J., 2016. Enhancement of entrepreneurial leadership: A case focusing on a model of successful conflict management skills. Administrative Issues Journal: Connecting Education, Practice, and Research, 2(2).

Whetten, D. and Cameron, K., 2014. Developing Management Skills: Global Edition. Pearson Higher Ed.

White, S.M., Janeslätt, G., Holmefur, M. and Lidström-Holmqvist, K., 2017. Assessment of Time Management Skills: Psychometric Properties of the Swedish Version (ATMS–S). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(4_Supplement_1), pp.7111500040p1-7111500040p1.