MIND MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN VALUES

An experiential course on
VISHVA - CHAITANYA

Under-Graduate Program, Jain University

Conducted by

HUMAN NETWORKING ACADEMY

Jain Group of Institutions

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 MESSAGE
Dear Faculty & Students,

It is heartening to know that the Human Networking Academy, a

distinguished division of the Jain Group of Institutions (JGI), has
prepared a course entitled Mind Management and Human Values along
with suitable course materials to be included in the Jain University
undergraduate programmes. I congratulate the members of HNA for their
invaluable experience, meticulous planning and tremendous energy for such
a course, a reality in a very short time.

In these days of globalisation, it is extremely difficult to convince the

students the need for and the importance of keeping their minds serene,
unpolluted and open, so as to enable them to realize the full potential of
their mental faculties. (Font to be changed to 15)

With a view to equipping the students with the requisite knowledge and
skills to strengthen their mind, the Jain University has introduced a course
entitled Mind Management and Human Values in its undergraduate
course curriculum.

I am happy to place on record my appreciation for Prof. K.S. Shantamani,

Chief Mentor of JGI for her commitment and dedication in planning the
course and taking all the trouble to inculcate human, spiritual and ethical
values in our students.

Prof. N. Sundararajan

Pro - Chancellor
Jain University

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 EDITORIAL BOARD

Late Professor K.S. Shantamani

Chief Mentor, Jain University

TNC Col. Vijayasarathy, VSM (President Awardee)

Chief Programme Co-ordinator, Human Networking Academy,
Jain University

Abhijith Shenoy K
HOD, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

Dr. Swaroop Ranganath

Assistant Professor, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

Shilpa Venkatesh
Assistant Professor, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

Manjula Srikanth
Faculty, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

Divyashree Sampath
Adjunct Faculty - Life Skills, Human Networking Academy,
Jain University

Sumithra Radhakrishnan
Adjunct Faculty - Yoga, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

Yamuna G
Adjunct Faculty - Yoga, Human Networking Academy, Jain University

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 INDEX

1. AWAKENING HIDDEN POTENTIAL

2. COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND KINESTHETICS

3. EMOTIONAL WELLBEING

4. GOAL SETTING

5. LEARNING MADE EASY

6. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

7. TIME MANAGEMENT

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 INTRODUCTION

Chaitanya means consciousness – The source of our life. Our mind is a

limited force, also called as Vyashti-Chaitanya (व्यष्टि-च ैतन्य). Prayer and
meditation connect us to the Universal Mind or Vishva-chaitanaya, the
power that is directing and sustaining all the laws and movements of the
universe. This linking of the Individual Mind with the Universal Mind is
known as YOGA, best symbolized by Namaskāra-Mudra.

Yoga is a comprehensive term which covers different aspects of personality

development. A few aspects which can be enlisted are – being aware of our
thoughts, further, differentiate between positive and negative thoughts and
finally retain positive thoughts and practice a positive lifestyle. Further, it
helps us to fine-tune the body-mind complex. Yoga also enhances our
concentration and memory. In the Bhagavadgītā , several kinds of Yogas
are mentioned. They are all practical paths that lead us to fulfilment of life
by delving deep into the ultimate source of energy and bliss.

“Growth and inner evolution”, “Raise yourself by self-effort” - these are the
empowering watchwords of the Jain Group of Institutions. Our sources of
guidance and inspiration are the wisdom of the Upanishads, life histories of
ancient and modern sages, the techniques of yoga as well the insights of
modern humanistic psychology.

Dr Chenraj Raichand,
Chairman, Jain University

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 AWAKENING HIDDEN POTENTIAL
(The power of the Conscious and Subconscious Mind)

The reason to title the course or the 4 days of soft-skills based orientation
program as ‘Vishva Chaitanya’ – ‘Vishva’ is Universe and ‘Chaitanya’ is
Consciousness. So, Vishva Chaitanya means Universal Consciousness. The
underlying consciousness within all of us is one single energy particle called
by different names by different people. The same energy is called Quarks by
physicists and consciousness by psychologists. The energy within us and
nature is of high potential. Animals, birds and other living creatures
instinctively connect very well with the nature and are extremely sensitive
to the good and bad of nature.

Man, like animals and birds, has within him all the energy to connect with
nature. The inner energy within an individual is called Vyashti Chaitanya
(Individual Consciousness), whereas the external collective energy is called
Samashti Chaitanya (Collective Consciousness). So the goal of every
human being eventually is to connect with the collective energy and attain a
Vishva Chaitanya state!

Unfortunately, Man, due to his negative qualities like consumerism and too
much materialism, has stopped connecting with nature and become highly
insensitive. The reason for such large scale turmoil in the society is because
of the loss of the inherent capacity to connect with nature.

After analysing the problem, now it is important to find the solution. Hence
the question arises - How do we develop such an ability?

The ability to connect to nature can be possessed by an individual, by being

more focussed and curious.

By tapping the conscious and sub-conscious mind power, one can achieve
both personal goals and global goals i.e., making this planet a better place to
live.

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Mind your mind –

The students of a Zen Master noticed that whenever their Master sat on the
shore of the ocean to meditate, the seagulls and other birds would freely and
fearlessly sit on his shoulders and head. The birds seemed to enjoy the
atmosphere of peace and harmony that the Master’s aura created. The
students wondered why the same did not happen when they sat for
meditation.

“We would like to touch these birds and fondle them affectionately just once
for the sheer delight of the experience, Master,” they said, “Please catch one
or two of them when they sit on you. Please Sir, just once.”

The Master agreed to oblige his students. That day to the surprise of both
the Master and the student, not one bird alighted on the Master when he sat
in meditation. The birds seemed to have sensed the intention of the Master.
They did not want to lose their freedom. They hovered round his head and
vanished!

Mind is indeed a very sensitive medium. Our own mind and the minds of
plants , birds and animals are all aspects of the Universal consciousness or
‘Vishva Chaitanya’

Conscious mind has four properties –

1. Atomicity – which means one individual at one given point of time can
execute only one action perfectly. This knowledge regarding the
functionalities of the mind will facilitate us in channelizing all our mental
energy on one goal or one objective rather than spending it on numerous
things and wasting the same.

2. Principle of Calmness and Alertness (SATTWA) – which means the

ability to keep our mind calm and serene. All the bitter and sweet memories
we have collected over a period of time are those which we have gathered in
an alert state of mind. The memories of the rhymes which we learnt during

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our Pre-KG days are still within us, because our mind was alert then without
any dilemmas and problems.

3. Principle of Random Activity (RAJAS) – Our mind is constantly

behind activities. Right from the time we get up early in the morning till we
slip to deep slumber, we indulge into different activities. Alas, these
activities are random and most of the time not performed consciously. As a
result, the activities performed and the memories borne out of them are
short-lived. Hence, the mind in this state is not conducive in achieving our
goals.

4. Principles of Inertia (TAMAS) – Our mind is plugged off from the

normal course of life when we are tired, exhausted and fatigued physically
and mentally. Hence, in the deep sleep state, the mind has no existence. But
when such a state is voluntarily brought in, this is impeding to achieve our
goals. Such an inertia state, which is voluntarily brought in, is the source of
our lethargy, laziness, procrastination, etc. Lethargy turns eventually into
depression, which is an obstacle to achieve higher goals of life.

So, it is important we realize the importance of Principle of Calmness and

Alertness.

The Sub-conscious mind has two properties –

Sub-conscious mind is a very powerful instrument to achieve our goals. It

has to be optimally used and by doing so, one can change his/her attitude
characteristics, behaviour and other aspects on one’s personality.

1. Samskaras – The first property in regard to sub-conscious mind is the

feeding of the sub-conscious mind. When we perform multiple activities,
the sub-conscious mind takes a note of the same. When we do one particular
action for quite a number of times or repeatedly on a regular basis, it
percolates deep into the sub-conscious mind and it becomes our personality.
It is important that we selectively choose good and noble activities and also
activities which will help us to go closer to our goals. The more we perform
such positive activities and make it part and parcel of our life, our

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personality is moulded so. Hence, it is vital to know the role of our
perception, as it matters most. We are what we perceive. ?!

2. Vasanas – This word in Kannada language means smell. But in Sanskrit,

it means ‘Impressions’. In this context, we prefer the Sanskrit meaning and
not the one in Kannada. We create multiple impressions by performing
multiple activities. So, every impression has the potential to shape our
personality. Hence, it is wise to allow positive impressions to go deeper into
the sub-conscious mind, rather than negative impressions, as negative
impressions once formed are hard to erase. When we start to tap the
conscious and sub-conscious mind, we by default in the process also start to
mould our personality. To reach a considerable success level, what matters are
the skills and abilities we possess, but from thereon, it is character.

NEURAL PATHWAYS –

Neural Pathways are created in the brain by repeating a particular action a

number of times. Neural pathways are very much like the pathways in the
forest. Pathways in the forest remain intact, only if they are used regularly.
If they are not used or if no one walks on the same, a pathway simply fades
away. Similarly, neural pathways, once laid by efforts have to be retained in
its original shape by repeating the process a number of times. Anyone can
create any number of pathways in the brain and they can also retain the
same for a long duration depending on the frequency of the usage. Nature is
impartial and has gifted all of us at birth the same human body composition.
Just like the lungs assist everyone in breathing and kidneys and liver work
in a similar pattern in everyone, so does the brain. It works the same way for
everyone. Hence, we need to use our brain by training it to behave in a
particular way. The same brain that can strategize for a surgery can perform
for a robbery as well. We are just what we feed our brain!

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 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Need for communication –

 Provide a basic overview of verbal and non-verbal interpersonal

communication.
 Identify personal obstacles to effective interpersonal communication.
 Define some strategies for improving individual and group
communication.

Definition –

“The interchange of thoughts or opinions through shared symbols”.

Why we communicate?

 Share our ideas and opinions.

 Provide feedback to others.
 Get information from others.
 Develop social relationships.
 Channels self-expression and our culture.
 A message is sent to convey information.
 Information is meant to change behaviour.

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 Channels –

 Words (Written/Oral).
 Pictures Videos.

Forms –

 Upward/Downward
 Vertical/Horizontal
 Internal/External.

Barriers to communication –

 Personal limitations – Physical/Mental

 Time Pressure/Stress.
 Semantics and Jargon.
 Vocal tone or Inflection.
 Hearing – Selective listening.
 Perception – Preconceived notions/Expectations.
 “Knowledge is Power” – Information Hoarding.
 Attention span.
 Emotions or Moods.
 Prejudices or Bias.
 Tradition.
 Conflicting feelings, Goals, Opinions.
 Fear of rejection/Peer pressure.
 Unorganized thinking.
 Others possibly becoming defensive.
 Having to deal with aggressive people.

Ways to effective communication –

 Talk Less, listen more and observe more.

 Decipher the sublime.
 Prepare to listen by focusing on the speaker.
 Control and eliminate distractions.

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  Opportunity to get information, share another’s views and broaden
your knowledge.
 Don’t prejudge the message based on who is delivering it - Focus instead
on the content.
 Monitor the way you listen by asking yourself questions.
 Effective use of Body Language
 Have patience.
 Empathise.
 Ask questions.
 Keep a clear mind.

Characteristics of effective communicators –

 Listen to what other people say.

 Control and manage what they say themselves.
 Aware of the signals their body language gives.
 Read and interpret other’s Body Language.

KINESTHETICS

A Framework for Understanding Body Language

As we approach the end of the twentieth century (21st century now), we are
witnessing the emergence of a new kind of social scientist- the non-
verbalist. Just as the birdwatcher delights in watching birds and their
behaviour, so the non-verbalist delights in watching the non-verbal cues and
signals of human beings. He watches them at social functions, at beaches,
on television, at the office or anywhere that people interact. He is a student
of behaviour who wants to learn about the actions of his fellow humans so
that he may ultimately learn more about himself and how he can improve
his relationships with others.

Charlie Chaplin and many other silent movie actors were the pioneers of
non-verbal communication skills; they were the only means of
communication available on the screen. Each actor was classed as good or
bad by the extent to which he could use gestures and other body signals to

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 communicate effectively. When talking films became popular and less
emphasis was placed on the non-verbal aspects of acting, many silent movie
actors faded into obscurity and those with good verbal skills prevailed.

As far as the technical study of body language goes, perhaps the most
influential pre-twentieth-century work was Charles Darwin’s The
Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals published in 1872. This
spawned the modern studies of facial expressions and body language and
many of Darwin’s ideas and observations have since been validated by
modern researchers around the world. Since that time, researchers have
noted and recorded almost one million non-verbal cues and signals.
According to the social anthropologist, Edward T. Hall, in a normal
conversation between two persons and also as per Albert Mehrabian the
total impact of a message is about 7 per cent verbal (words only) and 38 per
cent vocal (including tone of voice, inflection and other sounds) and 55 per
cent non-verbal. Mehrabian found that the verbal component of a face-to-
face conversation is less than 35 per cent and that over 65 per cent of
communication is done non-verbally. Most researchers generally agree that
the verbal channel is used primarily for conveying information, while the
non-verbal channel is used for negotiating interpersonal attitudes, and in
some cases is used as a substitute for verbal messages. The fascinating thing
is that the human animal is rarely aware of his postures, movements and
gestures that can tell one story while his voice may be telling another.

What is Body Language?

Body language is the unspoken or non-verbal mode of communication that

we do in every single aspect of our interaction with another person. It is like
a mirror that tells us what the other person thinks and feels in response to
our words or actions. Non-verbal communication includes facial
expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and
positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes
or the silence we keep.

Our ability to use body language in a positive way and to read other people's
minds through their body language separates the men from the boys (or

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 women from girls), and can be a powerful tool to our overall personality
development. Imagine creating a great impression at work, business, and
love by being knowledgeable in this not-so-common yet powerful field of
study. It is the unspoken tool to a successful life.

Importance of understanding body language –

Non-verbal behaviour can communicate more powerfully than the spoken

word –

 Impacts your success.

 Makes the most effective and efficient use of your time.
 Attracts attention of others.
 Helps good Impression Management,
 Our ability to use body language in a positive way and to read other
people's minds through their body language can boost our interpersonal
skill.
 Can be a powerful tool to our overall personality development.

Main aspects of body language –

 Eye contact.
 Distance maintained in a group
 Facial Expressions.
 Body Postures.
 Voice, tone and tenor
 Silence.
 Dress sense.

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 EMOTIONAL WELLBEING

Introduction –

Right from their childhood days, children are asked one question –Which
profession do you want to take up as an adult? Most common responses are
– I want to become a doctor, an engineer, an astronaut, a teacher, a lawyer, a
fashion designer and so on!

But, how many children confront questions like – how do you want to serve
your country? How do you become a good citizen or a good husband/wife
or a good mother/father?

We live a professional life for about 35-40 years at the most. But we spend
a larger amount of time as a husband/wife/parent and as a citizen of a
country. Irony is we spend our entire education training ourselves to be a
good at a chosen profession and very less to be a good citizen or a good
wife/husband/parent/neighbour and so on!

To fix this, we need to train ourselves consistently day in and out and
become able in our relationships.

To live a life creatively, dynamically, productively and in a vibrant manner

we need to keep our emotional health in a perfect state. In this context, let’s
see what is required –

Two kinds of realities – Subjective and Objective

The first step needed to neutralize all kinds of negativity from our minds is
to accept this world as it is. The world can be categorized under two kinds –
Subjective and Objective world

Subjective world is a place wherein we nurture personal opinions, feelings

thoughts about things we like and dislike. It is not universal in its
implication. For example, one can see a particular dish as a source of
breakfast and consume it forever. But, any attempts to make a dish of our

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choice as a breakfast for everyone around us, forcibly against others’ wishes
is not advisable. Subjective world is good so long as it is not harmful for
self and others. Addictive substances like tobacco, alcohol and drugs,
though claimed to be a personal choice is harmful to self and people around
us and those depending on us. When we understand that people around us,
like each one of us are a collection of subjective thoughts, feelings,
emotions, belief systems Etcetera, thereby accept and respect them, life
becomes beautiful and the world becomes a better place to live and flourish.

Objective world is a place wherein there are rules, policies, principles,

protocols and fixed frameworks that can help us derive wonderful things.
To manufacture mobiles, cars mixer grinders, washing machines and all
kinds of these useful objects, we need certain set parameters that help us in
getting perfect results.

How a fridge is manufactured is objective and where we place that in the

house for aesthetic purposes can be subjective!

Our life is a mixture of subjective and objective realities. We use emotions

more in a subjective world and less in the objective world.

Three kinds of expressions we attach to the usage of emotions –

Emotions are used at three levels by each one of us. To understand this let’s
plunge deep into the world of animals.
 Baby monkeys will cling onto the mother. Apparently this looks like
the younger one is in some pocket-like place of the mother monkey.
However, in reality the younger one has held on to the mother so tightly that
the mother is now jumping from one branch to another branch or one place
to another place at will. Here it is the responsibility of the younger one to
stay firm and strong. It is independent and all responsible.

We express emotions in places like offices, unknown social gatherings very

thoughtfully and responsibly. We measure each word before we speak. We
don’t take anything for granted. We are all too aware and conscious of what
we do and what we don’t. Herein we resemble the child of the monkey. It is

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we, who are supposed to hold onto the situation and situation doesn’t accept
our loose or naïve behaviour. Hence, we express such a behaviour which is
appropriate to the situation. The awareness levels are very high and we
don’t take anything lightly or causally. We are afraid of being judged, hence
exercise tremendous amount of caution.

 Tiger cubs are treated differently. The tigress holds the cub by her
teeth safely without causing any damage to the cub. Here the cub is free and
purely dependent on the mother. Tigress takes up all the responsibility of
the cub and keeps the cub free from any kind of danger.

We express certain emotions differently in places where there is absolute

freedom. In front of parents, relatives and friends, the familiarity is higher
and we express ourselves freely and even push others to accept us the way
we are. We at times throw tantrums and anger without caring what the other
person thinks. We even become aggressive, mean and casual. We take them
for granted and yet not worry about the consequences of the relationship.
Herein, we express such emotions and such behaviour sometimes even
inappropriate to the situation as we are relatively free in such atmosphere.
There is less awareness on our thoughts and its patterns.

 We see yet another pattern in the nature, in the relationship between a

crocodile and an Egyptian Plover bird. Generally crocodiles swallow the
prey and the food breaks down in the stomach. However, the flesh sticks
around the mouth and gets stuck between the teeth. The Egyptian plover
bird comes to the rescue of the crocodile and of course gets a wholesome
diet. It cleans up all the food stuck between the teeth and also remains alive
in spite of being in the mouth of the crocodile. In place of an Egyptian
plover bird, any other bird sitting in the mouth of the crocodile would have
become the crocodile’s prey!

Such is the interdependence of the relationships that we largely live a life

like this in most situations. If we can use such emotions and such behaviour
patterns that are pleasing to both involved in a conversation, across all kinds
of relationships, life becomes enjoyable. Interdependence is key to

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existence. Such emotions which will lead to higher levels of harmony and
cordial coexistence will make life fulfilling and cherishing.

 It is in the context of interdependence of mutuality that we need to

understand human emotions. An emotion which leads to exhibition of
dominance or violence is raw, crude and primitive. An emotion that leads to
exhibition of slavery, sycophancy and submissiveness is an obstacle to the
growth of the self and nourishment of self-esteem. The middle-path that
gives importance to both the parties in any relationship, are the emotions
that need to be developed, nourished and established in the world.

 The first step in understanding mutuality and interdependence is the

role that we have to play in different situations of life. Generally people
who are low on emotional intelligence show the same behaviour in all
situations and all circumstances. Life gives us not one role or not one
responsibility. Our roles change as per our responsibility. A husband can
also be a father; also be a son; also a boss; also a colleague; also an
employee; also a neighbour; also a mentor and what not? To express same
kind of a personality across all these roles would make him unpopular and a
misfit in those roles. Each personality factor requires a distinctive
behaviour. This discovery of amicable behaviour in varied roles we play in
life is what makes the use of emotions an intelligent task. Hence, today,
emotional intelligence of people is measured and used as a parameter to
assess his/her effectiveness. Achieving higher scales of emotional
intelligence helps us achieve a great sense of well-being.

 The first tool to achieve a greater sense of well-being is to become

introspective. Introspection is an art to analyse the actions we perform.
Human beings can be defined by the actions they perform - Good, bad or
ugly. Introspection is an art different from self-criticism and mere self-
awareness. If self-awareness is knowledge of one’s strengths and
weaknesses, self-criticism is being critical about one’s weaknesses.
However, introspection is when one develops the ability to convert one’s
weaknesses into one’s strength and opportunities. Once, one develops this
kind of an attitude, curiosity about life only becomes deeper and wider.

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 For those who have a greater curiosity of life, the first question
perhaps, one asks is – what is life? Physics, biology, chemistry, sociology
and many other branches of science define life from different perspectives
and angles. However, if life has to be seen from the standpoint of emotions
– we can summarize life as we see in this image –

 Life is an expression of our desires. We desire a lot of things. We

achieve a few and we retain some as a desire forever. The word desire can
be replaced with many equivalents like wishes, inclinations, wants, needs,
aspirations, dreams, aims, objectives, goals, etc. However, we all want
something at every point of time, from something as basic essential as food,
shelter and phone to something as big as owning a reputed and established
company or a super computer or a car of greatest luxury and a top variant in
it. Our desires are endless. Even to be respected is to have a desire to be
respected by others. Our desires don’t come in one shape and one size. We
all imagine life differently and construct life accordingly. Some desire to
own and feed a rabbit and some even a lion or an elephant. Hence, human
life is known to be an expression of desires. However, before we achieve
our desires and convert them into an action, we tend to collect adequate
information about the same.

For example, if one desires to cherish an ice-cream, he or she would gather

information as to which shop offers, which best flavour at what price and
how much would be the quantity and of course how many would

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accompany him/her to relish the same. Once, we gather adequate
information about a particular desire, we execute the desire, thus making it
complete. Every desire converting into necessary information and
eventually an action ends as a cycle only when the action can generate an
experience. Every experience is two folds – either pain or a pleasure. If we
confront pain from the cycle of desire-information-action, we negate such
desires in the future and if we experience pleasure, we reinforce and repeat
the same cycle as long as one wishes to. It is to be noted that, the quality of
an action is dependent on how well one acquires knowledge or information
about a particular desire. Thus this cycle has created this big world in front
of us as we see it today. What we see as a world today is the desires of
people executed and converted into a variety of actions!

 Every individual in the process of converting desires into actions

exerts a lot of energy, both physical and mental. Physical energy is
dependent on the physical health and the mental energy is dependent on the
emotional well-being.

 Hence, to understand emotional well-being we need to understand

certain emotions which either act as an obstacle or as a motive in achieving
our desires successfully.

Six Important Emotions: An analysis –

 Fear is an obstacle in the path of fulfilling our desires. What is fear?

Fear is simply a state wherein, we don’t see certain things as an extension of
the self. For example, many of us are afraid of snakes. We don’t see snakes
as an extension of our life. But, we are not afraid of our mother. We see
mother as an extension of our life. Thus, when we separate someone from
us, the more we are afraid about them. Further, the more we separate
ourselves from the others, the more we become unfamiliar and ignorant
about the same. Unfamiliar terrains and ignorance about the things or
people we deal with also causes fear. Hence, the closer we go to people or
things and the more familiarity we develop about the people or things we
interact with , the fears diminish over a period of time in totality.

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Fearlessness is a virtue and it is worth inducting into our personality. Fear ,
if left to breed for a long time, turns into a phobia.

To overcome fear, the first step we can take is to see each fearful
circumstance of life as an adventure. Unknown Himalayan terrains when
trekked upon aren’t seen as fearful or scary experiences, rather seen as an
adventurous experience. This attitude of seeing everything as an adventure
is one of the many ways to get rid of fear.

 Anger is good. However, if anger is expressed without understanding,

such anger becomes meaningless and even cause fatalities. If one is sitting
in a cinema hall to enjoy the cinema, it is justified that he or she gets the
required atmosphere for the same. If one amongst the audience creates any
nuisance and disturbs the rest, such an audience will invite the anger of the
rest. So, what is anger here? Anger is that which is expressed against a
person or a thing which cause an obstacle in the path of our goals or desires.
However, the anger in the example is justifiable, what is not justifiable is
our uncivilized behaviour in solving such a situation. Hence, anger should
be first analysed and then further convey our disagreement towards
someone in a way they realize their mistake and rectify the same.

 Arrogance is one such deadly emotion that causes self-defeat.

Arrogance more or less ends up in insulting or teasing others. Arrogance is
a sense of inflated self-esteem coupled with a sense of superiority about
one’s own achievement and acquired strengths. It is also a way of seeing
others from the viewpoint of their weaknesses, further, even glorifying and
celebrating the same. Human beings at large are a collection of their
strengths and weaknesses. No one is free completely from weaknesses
alone. To celebrate others weakness is one’s own weakness. To respect
people for what they are and help them in troubles should be the collective
purpose of humanity.

To know more, let’s now look into three positive emotions –

 The first one is compassion. Compassion is different from sympathy
and empathy. If a buffalo falls into a 10 feet deep ditch, three kinds of
people approach the same in three different ways. If one sympathizes with a

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buffalo, such a person feels sad for the buffalo. The one empathizing will
put self in buffalo’s place and imagines the plight one would have gone
through and thus feel the pain exactly as much the buffalo. But it is the
compassionate who is truly brave, courageous and heroic. Compassionate,
with the help of others or some equipment , will get down the ditch and will
assist the buffalo to walk free from the situation. To liberate others of their
problem is the way to destroy our arrogance and also a way to make this
world a better place to dwell.

 Secondly, devotion or dedication; if dedication is a lighter shade of

devotion, devotion is the peak of dedication. We all live a life. However,
how much attention do we pay to each aspect of life determines how
dedicated we are towards achieving a beautiful life. We pay attention to
only a few things we consider important. However every small aspect of life
is important and they lead to overall structure of life. This touching upon all
aspects of life with same seriousness is called as devotion to life. We
sometimes dedicate ourselves to earn a lot of accolades and money, at the
cost of health and relationship. Such a lopsided growth is not in any way
devoted to the idea of a complete life. A life becomes complete only when
we attach equal importance to our career, health, relationship, emotional
wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing and gratitude for this planet.

 Love today, due to the excessive influence of cinema , has acquired a

corrupt form and been reduced to physical intimacy and fulfilling of each
other’s luxuries. Aspects of love like being accommodative, understanding
others unconditionally, being with each other through thick and thin and
accepting a person wholesomely is never celebrated. If one pays attention to
these aspects of love, every relationship flourishes and becomes desirable
for all.

 Thus, the need to work on a variety of emotions has been initiated

through this small handbook. This is not the be all and end all of
understanding the emotions at any cost.
 Indian civilization is very lucky. It has seen the evolution of all kinds
of knowledge system. It has also seen the idea of emotions and the concept
is called as Navarasa or nine kinds of peak experiences. They have broken

22
 down the understanding of emotions broadly under nine heads and the
subsets of the nine form the summary of emotions. The readers of this
handbook to further their interest in the concept of Navarasa can pursue the
study of the same through authentic sources available on the internet and
through books.

EGOTISM –

Egotism is the motivation to maintain and enhance favourable views of

one’s own self. Egotism means placing oneself at the centre of one's world
with no direct concern for others. Egotism, then, is a mask we wear to hide
the faults or weaknesses we believe we have. The foundation of egotism is
the delusion that we're different, the delusion that some of us are better than
others. But our mask will fall aside of its own accord once we realize that
we are all the same. We share the same fears, hopes, and dreams. Once we
understand that, there is nothing to fear, nothing to get upset about. We
must take care not to become trapped in the imaginary world of superiority
and inferiority. There is much more than peace of mind at stake. Much of
the harm that is done in the world is done by people who want to feel
superior. It is hardly surprising that Thomas Carlyle (1795 ~ 1881) wrote,
“Egotism is the source and summary of all faults and miseries”.

Causes –

 Insecurity.
 Fear of failure.
 Superiority Complex.
 Lack of empathy.

Manifestations –

 Exaggerated sense of his own self-importance (Narcissism, Cocoon

Mentality).
 Self-amplification/ Arrogance (Disrespect, Indifference, Complacence,
Insensitivity).
 Excessively occupied with his own attributes /potential.
 Taking advantage of others.

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 Emotion related dysfunction –

 Cognitive Distortions.
 Impacts on Physical Health.
 Impacts on Relationships.
 Impacts on Mental Health.

Strategies for Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing –

 Take time for mindfulness.

 Recognize and name emotions.
 Understanding the causes of feelings.
 Learn optimism to challenge distortion.
 Learn distraction techniques.
 Listen to voice of experience.
 Develop Listening skills.
 Empathy.
 Acceptance.

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 GOAL SETTING

What is a goal?

 A goal is a statement describing a broad intent, state or condition.

 A general statement of an intended outcome.

Why is goal-setting important?

 Clarity and purpose – Goal-setting forces you to examine your current

life circumstances and take an active role in choosing what you want to
experience. You recognize your power to choose and create more
meaningful, enriching circumstances. The result: increased clarity and
purpose in every aspect of your life!

 On-going personal and professional development – When you work

consistently on strengthening your skills, talents, capabilities and aspirations
in life, you enter into a process that keeps your life circumstances fresh, new
and ever more exciting. You not only gain a stronger appreciation for your
true potential in life, you also end up feeling much more in control of who
you are and who you want to become eventually.

 Greater fulfilment and satisfaction in all areas of your life – When

you know how to effectively set and achieve goals, you’ll never end up
stuck in dissatisfying circumstances again. You’ll be able to create a career
you love, rampant success in everything you do, and healthy relationships
that add great meaning and joy to your life.

 Three Steps of Goal Setting –

1. Planning 2. Preparation 3. Execution/Implementation

 Levels of Goal Setting –

1. Survival
2. Success Looking Good, Feeling Good, Having Goods

3. Significance/Sensitivity {Being Good and Doing Good}

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  Types of Goals –
1. Noble Goals
2. Dream Goals

S.M.A.R.T. goals –

Every goal you set should have a few qualities that ensure your ability to
achieve them in the most efficient way possible:

 Goals should be Specific – Goals should be straightforward and specific.

They should answer the questions – Who, What, Where, When, Which,
Why?
 Goals should be Measurable – Quantifying the available and required
resources in physical terms - How much? How many?
 Goals should be Attainable – A goal must be capable of being reached.
The goal must be achievable and still stretching. So you feel you can do it
and it will need a real commitment from you.
 Goals should be Relevant – The goal must be able to produce an impact
or change. In addition, the goal must also be important to you and your
personal value system.
 Goals should be Time Bound – Set a timeframe for the goal. Putting an
end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards.

How to set goals?

For the question of how to set goals, we have a very simple process that you
can go through to set your personal goals. These steps can help you achieve
your dreams and goals more easily.

Identify your personal values and mission statement – Your personal value
is the big direction. If you can identify your personal values, your personal
goal will not go wrong. The starting point of all achievement is desire.

 Figure out the goals you want to achieve – After you know your
personal values, find out what you really want to achieve in every life
aspects. Life has many aspects and in order to lead a happy life, you should

26
 set goals in every aspect. Personal SWOT analysis is a look at you and your
life. It is a tool to help you find out if the goals are achievable.

 Write your goals down – Make sure the goals are SMART and they are
top quality goals. Find out if your goals are smart goals. Write them down.
Please pay attention to this. You must write your goals down on a piece of
paper. If not, they will only become dreams. You should limit your goals to
between 5 and 6 at any one time. To achieve your goals, you have to focus
your efforts and energy. As you progress and complete goals, you may add
new goals.

 List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal – Success
needs a lot of preparation. If you want to be successful, you need to prepare
well. Nothing happens just by accident. Take a look at all of the factors that
are keeping you from accomplishing your goal and develop a plan to
overcome them. You also need to find out the people or group you need to
work with to reach your goals. Fully mobilize all the factors to help you
achieve the goals.

 Develop a personal action plan – You need to make a detailed schedule

according to your goals. Develop a personal action plan and follow them.

 Review your progress and update your goals accordingly – Make sure
you are making progress. If not, analyse why the goal is not being met. Find
a coach or friend to help you if you have trouble. Realize your goals step by
step.

 Celebrate your success – At last you achieve your goals.

Congratulations! Thanks for your hard work and you have succeeded.

 Start the process all over again – When you have achieved a goal, you
may set a new one from the beginning. Cultivate good goal setting habits.
Goal setting is a lifelong process. Once you have completed one goal, you
should work on a new goal. You are walking your way to success.

Preparing for Obstacles – Very often, the only difference between success
and failure is being prepared! If you can think ahead and be ready for possible

27
obstacles and challenges you may face while pursuing your goal, you will
empower yourself with the ability to overcome them quickly and eagerly.
While it’s not possible to predict every possible obstacle you’ll face, preparing
as much as you can is a good idea because you’ll have a stronger level of
determination from the get-go, rather than unrealistic expectations. Remember
too that there are usually two types of obstacles:

 Obstacles caused by external influences – Outer obstacles are usually

related to things beyond your control, like circumstances or events that
block progress on the path you’ve chosen.
 Obstacles that come from within you – Inner obstacles can often be
more daunting than the outer ones. E.g.: inner resistance or limiting
thoughts popping up and before you know it, you’ve stalled.

Some obstacles one has to overcome –

 Pessimistic Attitude – “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe,

it can achieve”, if you notice this line closely you can easily understand that,
if you conceive and believe, you can achieve. I repeat in bold letters
“conceive and believe”. If there is a fraction of doubt in your mind that you
cannot achieve something, you won't be able to commit yourself to it.

 Procrastination – If you notice that you’re beginning to put off

working on your goals, take it very seriously! Everyone procrastinates to
some degree, like putting off a complex task for a few hours until you’re
better able to concentrate – but if you notice that you’re procrastinating
frequently and for extended periods of time, you’ll have to take action to
turn it around! The best way to deal with procrastination is simply not
allowing yourself to do it. As soon as you notice that you’re putting
something off, get to the root of the issue (why you’re avoiding the
activity) and then take action on it immediately.

 Instant Gratification – If one gets satisfied with short term results,

he/she will lose sight of the larger picture and stop working towards the
goal, thus stagnating in life.

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 Blind Imitation – Extreme adoration may lead to thoughtless copying
emulation beyond one’s potential, without foresight of right or wrong.

 “Yours and Mine” syndrome – Unhealthy competition and

backstabbing in the light of limited resources mars the sense of co-
operation.

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 LEARNING MADE EASY

Achieving academic excellence, particularly in examinations and

assessments enhances the self-esteem of any student. So it is natural that all
students desire to achieve good grades. But it doesn’t come easy.

Many give up the effort and settle for a mediocre performance, while others
wonder how the few who make it happen, do so with apparently little or no
effort. Good performance of these few is then assumed or attributed to
either their good luck or their abilities or both.

Nothing can be farther from truth than this assumption. All that a student
should do is to understand that learning is a continuous process and any
disruption in it would cause great difficulty at later times.

Build-up of Ignorance

When a student scores 60% aggregate in any examination, he has

demonstrated 60% knowledge in the tested area, he has also displayed 40%
ignorance (or lack of knowledge). In the 60% that the student has scored,
there are three components, viz marks scored by certainty in answers (sure
knowledge), partially fact-fiction combined (semi knowledge) and some
guesswork.

Therefore the 60% score cannot be used to build further knowledge or act
upon as fact and fiction, semi knowledge and guesswork cannot provide
solid foundation. Most students ignore this aspect. When this fact is not
recognized and remedial measures initiated early enough, complacency sets
in.

Eliminating Ignorance

Questions arise as to what can be done to reduce this ignorance build up and
how to do it. This can be done by adopting the “5R” Principle.

30
“5R” Principle

Review
First step is to review the question paper, post any examination that one has
attempted, to identify the questions that were not answered or were not
answered with certainty. Review enables the student to recognise
knowledge gaps that need to be filled in.

Revise
To bridge the knowledge gap, go over the books, find the right answers,
discuss and clarify doubts.

Rewrite
Now create exam like conditions, set time limit and answer the question
paper as it pertains to the revised portion.

Revalue
Once writing is over, student should get the paper revalued by another
person or do it himself.

Repeat
Until full satisfaction is achieved repeat the above process.

Knowledge enhancing method

 Identify the weak areas.

 Revise the syllabus.
 Follow 5R principle.
 Carry out a fair assessment.

By repeating this process, the student would have enhanced his knowledge.
He would have greater clarity of what and how much he knows.

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Study Technique

S R S R S R
T E T E T E
U S U S U S
D T D T D T
Y Y Y

60 10 60 10 60 10
Minutes Minutes Minutes Minutes Minutes Minutes

Rest = Recall
Study Technique

Before starting studies students must do ten minutes of meditation to calm

the nerves and remove any disturbing thoughts from the mind. While
studying, he should follow the technique of Study-Rest-Study as shown in
the figure above. Rest period should be used for recall of what has been
studied earlier.

Study Methods

Different subjects need different approaches as different parts of the brain

come into play.

For example

 Language would need sensitivity in human values

 Mathematics would need Logic and Practice
 Science would need Logic and Visualization
 Social Sciences would need Appreciation
 History would require one to have the ability of grasping the sequence of
events and so on.

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Periodic Revision

Regularity in studies helps in better reading, faster revision, instant recall

and superior performance. If one is not regular, memory is likely to fade,
affecting the ability of ready recall. Ready recall enables faster decision
making. Studying different subjects in smaller amounts each day would help
retain interest in studies as well as enhance absorption.

Mix and Match

One should study all subjects every day to save time and to keep a high
recall level. Studying one subject for a long time will result in boredom and
consequently lead to ineffective absorption. Studying different subjects in
smaller amounts each day would retain interest in studies as well as enhance
absorption. One should find the method appropriate to oneself.

Identify Thrust Area

Students must understand that the subjects are all a combined package; they
need to do well in all of them in a balanced manner. Ignoring a subject or
emphasizing on one subject would lead to imbalanced academic
development.

Consequences of not liking a subject

When one mentally says “I do not like the subject”, he is likely to read less
of it. As a consequence, he would register less of it. This would result in
less or weaker recollection and reproduction. The result is lower score.
Once low score results, the feeling ‘I do not like the subject’ finds a
justification to perpetuate. The downhill run gathers momentum.

Students must understand the power of mind / auto suggestion as a great

motivator. By repeatedly suggesting “I like the subject” would be
beneficial. In fact, the subject in which one’s score is the least offers
maximum scope for improving the overall score.

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Conclusion
Acquiring knowledge is easy if one is systematic in approach, regular and
balanced on a daily basis. In fact, how one approaches one’s education
provides an insight into how one is likely to live his life.

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 RELATIONSHIPS

The rapid pace of life assisted by advanced science and technology and the
growing selfishness and inhumanity of man has increased the stress pushing
our tensions. The ever increasing competitions have pushed everyone in to
the rat race. People tend to forget their natural being - human beings - being
humane. People tend to become’ human having’ forgetting that they should
be good ‘Human Being’s. All these factors contribute to disharmony among
people leading to broken relationships, increased stress levels, high tensions,
severe health problems, absence of peace and happiness. We should
remember that good relationships depend upon the education of the heart.

It is said that ‘The heart of education is the education of the heart’

To establish a good and healthy relationship –

 Have a heart: be understanding, appreciative.

 Take yourself lightly and others seriously.
 While deciding on the matters concerning you use your head and heart.
 Never run up the stairs and rundown people.
 Be kind, considerate, and compassionate.

Have the right attitude –

 Always be positive.
 Look for positive in others.
 Don’t be a complainer.
 Don’t be egotistic.
 Be humble.
 Show empathy.
 Accept your mistakes.
 Insulate yourself don’t be too sensitive.

Communicate well –
 Communicate to accumulate.
 Be an attentive listener- Listen more- Talk Less.

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Practice Commandments –

 Use ‘We’ avoid ‘I’ as far as possible.

 Use’ Thank you’ ‘If you please’, ’what is your opinion?’, ’Sorry’, ’I am
proud of you’ whenever appropriate.
 To change others change yourself.
 Smile- it is the shortest distance between two people.
 Laugh with people not at them. Laughter is the oil for the wheels of life,
without which there is more ‘noise and more ‘friction’.
 Don’t play always to win, be prepared to loose.
 Don’t argue. If you argue you have the risk of losing both; the argument
and the relationship.
 Accept more don’t expect too much.
 Hold your temper- short temper is not a virtue, it’s a weakness.
 Avoid gossip.
 Appreciate in public and correct in private.
 Don’t be a perfectionist.
 Address people by name.

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 TIME MANAGEMENT

Introduction

Being focused is essential for being effective. This essentially involves

identifying what needs to be done and finding time to do it. This chapter
aims to provide certain basic ideas towards Time Management for focused
functioning and result oriented action.

Characteristics of Time –

The special characteristics of Time need to be first identified, to understand

its importance and to utilize it in a productive way. Important characteristics
of time are:

 Cannot be saved.
 Cannot be lent or borrowed.
 Available throughout one’s life but in small measure at a time
(Seconds/Minutes)
 Unidirectional (moves in one direction; it cannot be reversed).
 Once gone, it is gone forever.
 Activity or No-activity, it gets spent.
 Independent of us.

Since time is independent of us, we have no control over it. To manage

anything we need control. Therefore, time cannot be managed. Essentially,
by Time Management we mean managing ourselves in relation to the Tasks
at hand and the Time by which it must be completed to be Meaningful.

Need to Manage Time –

Having understood the characteristics of Time, the first question that comes
to mind is – ‘Why does one need to Manage Time?’ Particularly so, when
one has no real control over it. Well, some of the reasons could be –
 Get through one’s backlog.
 Eliminate Time wasters.
 Meet Deadlines and Commitments

37
 Get more done in less time.
 Enhance one’s efficiency.
 Have time left for doing those things that one really wants to do (like
Hobbies, Adventure activities, Entertainment, Acquiring new skills, Social
Service etc.)
 Avoid/Reduce Pressure & Stress in life.

Working Sharper

Many a time, people get down to do jobs in hand enthusiastically, progress

for a while and then get stuck either due to lack of data, resources or
skill/knowledge. Time spent on activity thus far does not lead to completion
of the task, resulting in waste of time and disillusionment. In such cases,
hard work alone does not pay.

The way to manage time effectively is to work sharper, which essentially

means detailed Planning, thorough Preparation to scout the required
resources, skill and knowledge & team and finally speedy, efficient
Execution.

Available time should ideally be spent in the proportion of Planning 70%,

Preparation 20% and Execution 10%. This clearly indicates that more time
is spent on visualization (Planning). Preparation takes less time (as one
would know what exactly needs to be prepared) and Execution takes least
time (as one would know how exactly to use the resources).

Of course, there is no cut & dry division of time for Planning, Preparation
and Execution. In some cases, initial planning may be the only activity, to
be followed by preparation going on concurrently with planning; thereafter,
preparation and/or execution may be carried out concomitantly. It all
depends on the situation and the task in hand.

Time Inventory

As it is, 24 hours of each day is spent by doing one activity or the other.
Therefore, the question is, “From where to find time for new and/or

38
additional tasks?” Answer to this lies in finding out how one spends his
time. This is easily done by maintaining a Time Inventory as given below:

Time Inventory

Time
Event Remarks
From To
6.00am - Wake up
6.00am 6.15am
6.15am 6.30am
6.30am 6.45am
6.45am 7.00am
- -
- -
- -
- -
9.00pm 9.15pm
9.15pm 9.30pm
9.30pm 9.45pm
9.45pm 10.00pm
10.00pm Lights out (Retire to Bed)

For each day a separate sheet is maintained. All activities of the day, from
the time one wakes up to the time one goes to bed, are faithfully recorded in
time blocks of 15 minutes each. If one is engaged in an activity that takes an
hour, it should be reflected in four time blocks. The recording is to be done
as and when activities take place to ensure that nothing is missed. At the end
of the day, a review of the Time Inventory should be done.

39
In the Remarks column against each activity, after due consideration, noting
should be entered as follows:

 A(Y/N) (i.e.) - Was the activity Avoidable (Yes / No)?

 N(Y/N) (i.e.) - Was the activity Necessary (Yes / No)?
 U(Y/N) (i.e.) - Was the activity Useful (Yes / No)?
 G(Y/N) (i.e.) - Was the activity towards a Goal (Yes / No)?

Thus, Time Inventory would help one to identify the area where time and
effort are unproductive. Ways and means can then be found to either
eliminate or reduce such activities. Time saved, even if one slot of 15
minutes, can be used for useful and productive activities.

Time inventory should be maintained on a daily basis for a period of at least

two weeks. From this, when it is analysed, one would notice that a trend
emerges. It would indicate the activities and time that one repeatedly spends
on. One would also realize that each of us has two sets of timings –

 One for working days.

 Another for Sundays / Holidays.

It can be seen that on working days, one is brisk and in great hurry to meet
various time deadlines. Various external and internal factors force one to be
on the toes. On the contrary, on Sundays/ Holidays all activities are slow
and less productive. This is because, one generally feels that there is
Nothing to do. This is where time is wasted. By tasking oneself with work
and setting deadlines to complete them, one can remain efficient and more
productive on Sundays/Holidays too.

Thus, Time Inventory is a great tool in not only indicating how time is spent
but also suggesting where and how one can find time for more meaningful
activities.

Time Wasters

One must understand that none can waste one’s time without his
concurrence. A Time Waster need not always be an individual. It could be

40
one’s Habits, Attitude, Lack of Goals, Purpose or Ambition. It could also be
one’s inability to manage Attractions and Distractions (both are joyful /
pleasurable). Procrastination / Lack of Concentration too may contribute to
waste of time.

Time Wasters may be defined as ‘anything that prevents / prohibits /

interferes / distracts one from moving towards one’s Goals and
Objectives.’

Time wasters can be classified as Minor Time wasters and Major Time
wasters.

Minor time wasters

Some of the activities /habits as listed below can be classified as Minor

Time Wasters:-

 Lazing in Bed after waking up.

 Slow motion activities.
 Last minute searching of clothing, Accessories, Books, Pens, Socks,
Coin/change & so on.
 Unwanted & Extended Telephone calls.
 Waiting for others (with no specific purpose) beyond a reasonable time.
 Gossip (leading to strained inter personal relations later on).
 Meeting without Agenda / Specific purpose.
 Dropping in at friends place unannounced.
 Fads and so on.

The above mentioned acts can waste some time on some days, or every day.
But when faced with an urgent or important activity or demand of
circumstances, these automatically cease to exist for that moment; but may
resurface once the urgency is over. Generally, these are results of one’s
habits. These can be changed by determination, thought and practice.

41
Major time wasters

These result in waste of a life time and great regret at a later part of one’s
life. These are problems with one’s Goals / Objectives, Priorities and
Attitudes. When one has no goals or clear goals or does not work
systematically to fulfil the goals, life tends to be unfulfilled. If one cannot
get his priorities correct, he may end up doing such jobs as may be less
relevant and important, pending the real ones. Similarly, if one does not
bring about the necessary attitudinal changes needed to evolve, one’s habits
may get the better of him.
Therefore, one must have clear Goals to spend his time purposefully.

Goal Setting & Achieving

Goals essentially define one’s Desires and Ambitions. Goals are achieved
through Efforts and Time on a long-term basis. One needs to understand the
link between Goals & Time. Goal setting is dealt with in another chapter.

Types of Goals & the Link between Them

Terminal / Life Goals – These are goals that are long term in nature. When
one visualises what he wants to be, what his dreams are, what he wishes to
achieve and state the same in SMART terms, he devises Terminal / Life
Goals.

Intermediary Goals – These are goals that are to be achieved in order to

achieve Terminal Goals. Educational goals, Financial goals and
Professional goals are the intermediary goals that lead to terminal / life
goals. Achieving of these goals require clear visualization, sequential
planning and execution.

Subsidiary Goals – Hobby / Interest Goals (to enhance one’s quality of life),
Family (members’) goals (to assist family members to fulfil their terminal
goals). These demand time and effort on one’s part. Therefore, these must
be dovetailed with intermediary / terminal / life goals.

42
Secondary Goals – These are goals that directly do not impact terminal
goals. Not achieving them does not alter one’s life. However, achieving
these goals enriches one’s life, enhances self-esteem and brings about social
recognition. For example, Societal Goals like establishing / being part of an
organisation to uplift the under privileged / poor in terms of financial
assistance, skill development, knowledge enhancement and counselling.
These aim at improving the livelihood / life of members of the society. This
also brings about great satisfaction to oneself.

How to achieve stated goals?

Once Goals have been stated, one would realize that there are
handicaps/difficulties/hurdles etc., in realizing them. One may be ill-
equipped as far as attitude, skill and knowledge that are needed to achieve
stated goals. To rectify/modify/acquire them, one may be required to go
through certain processes. This will need time. Some attitudes, skills and
knowledge may require to be deleted due to redundancy. This will also need
time and effort. All these will form intermediary goals. Without achieving
intermediary goals, one cannot move towards one’s terminal goals.

Prioritization
Once Terminal goals and Intermediary goals have been finalized, one
should find ways of actualizing them. Too many jobs and thoughts clutter
one’s life. When there are too many things to do at a time, one is unable to
decide what to do and where to start from. At a time, one can do only one
thing. So, one must prioritize.

So, what is priority?

It is the Ranking of goals/jobs in Order of Urgency and Order of
Importance. This can generally be visualized and planned. But there are
certain unforeseen demands that arise due to external factors in one’s life
which compel one to do a job immediately.

Those jobs that must be done can be categorized as Priority 1, those tasks
that can be put off for a while as Priority 2 and those which can wait
without much affecting one’s life as Priority 3.
Jobs Linked with Goals

43
Jobs that are linked with one’s goals can be written under various headings
(Personal, Professional, Educational, Financial, Spiritual, Societal and so
on) and allotted priorities viz. 1, 2 and 3. This is one’s List ‘A’.

Jobs Other than Goals

In life, one has activities other than those oriented towards his goals. These
may be activities connected with sustenance, social needs or family needs.
This is one’s List ‘B’.

Jobs Assigned by Others

One may be required to delegate some jobs due to lack of time and
resources or to even enhance efficiency. Converse of this is others may
reverse delegate some of their jobs. This one cannot refuse. In fact, doing
certain jobs for others brings in a lot of goodwill and also builds effective
network. This is one’s List ‘C’.

Thus, there are three lists.

How to Work?

Step 1 – List out all jobs connected with Goals (List A)

Step 2 – List out jobs not connected with Goals (List B)
Step 3 – List out jobs assigned by others (List C)
Step 4 – Prioritize as – 1, 2, 3 in each of the above 3 lists
Step 5 – Plot on a Work Chart (as given below)

URGENT NOT URGENT

IMPORTANT 1 2

NOT IMPORTANT 3 4

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Work Chart has four Quadrants to plot the Tasks as per Priority. It helps to
Execute, Control, Co-ordinate and Review the Planned Activities.

Serial numbers from the lists A, B and C (e.g. A1, A3, B2, B6, C7, C8, etc.)
are to be entered in Quadrant 1, being those jobs which have been prioritized
as Urgent and Important. Enter in Quadrant 2 jobs that are Not Urgent but are
Important; Quadrant 3 jobs that are Urgent but not Important and in
Quadrant 4 those jobs that are neither Urgent nor Important at this point in
time.

With this one will be clear as to which job needs his considered attention to
go ahead and complete.

Every day, work chart must be reviewed and updated (delete jobs
completed, add new jobs and rearrange jobs in the quadrants) as per
emerging situations.

Managing time

Now to find time to complete the jobs that have been listed, following tips
are suggested:-

 Start each day at a fixed time irrespective of what time one retired to bed
the previous day.
 Have a schedule for working on Holidays.
 Each day pick up at least five jobs for self from the work chart and try to
complete them.
 Each day try to delegate at least 5 jobs to others from the work chart and
try to get them completed.
 Every Night –
i. Recollect each of one’s goals. (To remain focused).
ii. Plan for the next day. (To have a reason to start a day).
iii. Review the day. (To learn from each day).
iv. Review Time Inventory. (To find time slots that can be saved and
utilized).

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 v. Plan for activities to manage time gain and time slip. (To meaningfully
use time)
vi. Reduce Repetitive activities and Routines to the barest minimum. (To
create time slots for other productive activities)
vii. For all the jobs that one could complete, one may examine whether it
could have been completed in less time and with less energy. (To find
better and creative ways of doing it and enhance one’s efficiency)
viii. For all the jobs one could not complete, review the Factors, Timing
and Effort that resulted in the non-completion of the job. (To better
plan in future)
ix. Check if one has adequately or inadequately delegated jobs to others
and how that has been done. (To better plan and execute in future)
x. Find out if one has done anything Progressive, Creative and towards
one’s goals. (To enhance self-motivation)
xi. Check how one is feeling at the end of the day (Satisfied or Guilty of
wasting a day?) If satisfied, one deserves a pat on the back and if not,
one should be kind to oneself and remember some days will never be
fully satisfying and resolve to do better the following day.

Above is the SMART way of working viz. Planning, Preparation and

Execution. When one continuously repeats this process on a daily basis, he
shall emerge as an effective person.

Conclusion

Remember that there is time that is under our control and there is time not
under our control due to various factors. When it is under our control, we
must see how to use it to the best advantage.

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