RQ 8
1-Briefly discuss the strategies you can use to manage your time better. Elaborate on if you are using these strategies now or are these strategies you plan to implement in the future. Provide examples of how you plan to implement these strategies.
Managing time should be a key priority managers and employees alike, and yet most of us find it very challenging. Proper time management enables us to control the content and timing of what we do and also accommodate the demands to our available time. Some of the strategies that one can use to manage their time better include:
Time audit: this entails identifying how you use your time that is, establishing where your time goes. It involves keeping a daily log of your daily activities such as phone calls, breaks, and time spent reading e-mails.
Setting goals and prioritizing: This involves giving preference to the most important activities so that you allocate more time to these. Failure to have goals means that you could end up partaking in activities without a defined purpose. This could lead to time wastage. I can honestly say that I rarely implement these strategies to manage my time. Consequently, I end up spending more of my time on less-productive activities, something that could have been solved by having time audits and prioritizing on important activities. I Plan on developing a daily time log where I will account for all my activities. This way, I can prioritize important activities and reduce time spent on less important activities.
2-Define Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and discuss why this concept is important in management and leadership. Also discuss in detail your own level of EQ; do you have a high or low level, how would you go about improving your EQ?
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to control, express, and be aware of one’s emotions, and to deal with interpersonal relationships empathetically and judiciously. Effective managers and leaders are noted to possess a high level of emotional intelligence. Leaders or managers with high levels of emotional intelligence are self-aware and hence acknowledge emotions as they happen. This enables them to get a better understanding of their weaknesses and strengths. Emotional intelligence also enables leaders to manage their emotions, which is crucial in decision making. Besides, they can also communicate effectively with other individuals owing to their emotional awareness. Upon taking an IQ test, I recorded an IQ level of 120, which is high. I plan on improving my EQ by being honest in assessing how I respond to various emotional situations. I also intend to enhance my listening skills so that I can empathize with the situation facing others.
3-Briefly discuss a number of ways in which you can develop a positive self-image. Elaborate and provide examples of your ideas.
Developing a positive self-image is vital for our improved happiness and satisfaction with life. One way of developing elf-image is by through positive thinking. One should learn to change negative self-criticism and negative thoughts to more positive and realistic thoughts. This can be done by avoiding exaggerations in our internal voice, accentuating the positive and accepting imperfections. More it is also important that we learn not to feel guilty about matters that are not within our control.