Copyright © 2006 by Thomson Delmar Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.1-1 Module 1 Communicating with Yourself: Achieving Personal Excellence.

Copyright © 2006 by Thomson Delmar Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1-1

Module 1

• Communicating with Yourself: Achieving Personal Excellence


Section 1 Study Skills Laying the Foundation

“One of the key things formy success was education”

– Former Boston Celtic Star Bill Russell


Objectives

1. Relate the importance of good study skill habits to your personal success.

2. Perform an assessment of your current study skills and formulate a plan for improvement.


Key Terms

• Acronyms

• Classical Conditioning

• Critical Thinking

• Mnemonics


Acronym

• A word made from the first letter of other words


Classical Conditioning

• Repeated actions that leads to a desired behavior


Critical Thinking

• The ability to gather and analyze information to solve problems or create new opportunities


Mnemonics

• Words, rhymes, or formulas that aid your memory


Daily Preparation

• Develop a scheduled plan that budgets your time

• Do things in proper order to reduce the confusion in your life

• Schedule 30 minute study sessions


Good Time & Good Place

• Schedule times you are most alert to study

• A place with: Minimal to no distractions and good lighting

• A place without: Pictures or mementos that lead to day dreaming


Good Time & Good Place

Classical Conditioning

• Example : Repeatedly studying in bed every night and then falling asleep. This conditions your mind to relate studying to sleeping


Use Good Study Habits

• Write notes legibly. Do not write your notes word for word from lectures

• The purpose of note taking is to get key points. Pay attention to not only what the teacher is saying but how it is being said

• Don’t highlight chapters, outline them• Make diagrams. Draw pictures• Review notes frequently• Teach it to some one aloud• Be prepared for class


Critical Thinking

• One who can think critically knows how to obtain information, understand it, and apply it


Memorization

• Education is not simply memorization

• Try to memorize only when well rested

• Use memorization techniques, such as mnemonics


MNEMONICS

• Acronyms

• Rhymes

• Formulas


Understand The Learning and Testing Process

• Studying for a test should be review of what you already know

• Know the type of test your taking and don’t throw away old tests


Take Care of Yourself

• Eat right

• Exercise several times a week

• Get plenty of sleep

• Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs

• Drink 8 glasses of water daily


Review Objectives

1. Relate the importance of good study skill habits to your personal success.

2. Perform an assessment of your current study skills and formulate a plan for improvement.


Section 2 Personal and Professional Characteristics for Success.

“Whether you think you canor can’t – you’re probablyright.”

- Henry Ford.


Objectives

1. Define “Success” in your own terms.

2. Relate concepts of self-esteem, values, and attitudes toward your life.

3. Incorporate a positive and professional attitude in dealing with others.


Key Terms

• Caring attitude• Competency• Endorphins• Negative attitude• Positive attitude• Profession• Self-confident

attitude

• Self-esteem

• Self-motivation

• Service industry

• Tact

• Trustworthy attitude

• Value

• Victim Attitude


Caring Attitude

• Sincerity, empathy, respect, and consideration toward others


Competency

• Being capable of doing something well


Endorphins

• The body’s natural painkillers


Negative Attitude

• Maintaining a pessimistic outlook during situations


Positive Attitude

• Maintaining an optimistic outlook during situations


Profession

An area of specialization


Self-Confident Attitude

• Focusing on the positive aspect of oneself to help accomplish goals in a positive manner


Self-Esteem

• Personal feelings about oneself


Self-Motivation

• Awareness of personal skills and abilities that are then developed to full potential; desire to achieve on your own


Service Industry

• Business providing a service to others


Tact

• Consideration in interacting with others


Trustworthy Attitude

• The use of honesty, dependability, and responsibility to gain the trust of others


Value

• A person’s beliefs, which are formed through thoughts, feelings, and actions


Victim Attitude

• The continual attitude that “everything happens to me” and that one is helpless to change the situation


Self Esteem

• Other terms are; self-belief or self-concept

• The way you feel about your self affects every aspect of your life

• The better you feel about yourself the better you will do in school and your profession


Values in Self-Esteem

• Values are what one believes in• What you think• How you feel• How you act based on how you think and

feel.

• Values are influenced by those around you; family, friends, teachers, and society


Values Triangle

• What you think

• How you act

• How you feel


Self-Confident Attitude Means:

• Knowing yourself inside and out

• Believing in your ability to do things and make things happen

• Having the ability to be appropriately assertive


Assertiveness & Self Confidence

• If a physician prescribes a medication dosage that you are sure is incorrect, what do you do?

• Give the dosage because the physician prescribed it?

• Call and double-check even though you might get yelled at?

• What would you do?


Professional Attitude

• You must develop a personal and professional attitude that reflects the high standards of the health care profession

• People expect a trustworthy, caring, and a competent individual


Trustworthy Attitude

• A trustworthy attitude consist of three things;

• Honesty– To be truthful

• Dependability– People can count on you to be there

• Responsibility– Fulfilling your obligation to do something


Caring Attitude

• Sincerity and Empathy– Sincerity means you genuinely care about

another. – Empathy is the ability to understand another's

feelings

• Respect– You treat others with consideration

• Tact– Being considerate of the feelings of others in

difficult situations.


Competent Attitude

• Willingness to learn

• Willingness to change

• Acceptance of criticism

• Enthusiasm for learning


Negative Reactions to Criticisms

• Get angry

• Make excuses

• Complain

• Blame others

• Whine or cry

• Criticize your superior in turn

• Run or walk away


“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”

• -Martin Luther King, Jr.


Just for Fun

1. Perseverance2. Honesty/directness3. Anger4. Hard work5. Cooperation6. Happiness7. Privacy

Match the idiom with the corresponding attitude

A. On top of the world

B. Work like a dog

C.Two heads are better than one

D.Hot headed

E. Breathing space

F. Lay your cards on the table

G.Hang in there


Positive and Negative attitudes

Negative

• Glass half empty

• Partly cloudy day

• Bad day

Positive

• Glass half full

• Partly sunny day

• Good day

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” - Henry Ford


Characteristics of Positive Attitudes

• Willingness to learn

• Willingness to accept changes

• Enthusiasm• Respect for others• Open to others

view points and backgrounds

• Accept responsibility and constructive criticism

• Admit their mistakes• Good sense of humor


Victim Attitude

• America is in crisis because of the victim attitude

• This attitude perpetuates helplessness, and keeps the person in a victim mode


Getting Out of the Victim Attitude.

• See It: Identify the problem• Own It: Take personal

responsibility for it• Solve It: Identify possible options• Do It: Pick an option and take

action to implement it• Check It: Assess the outcome

- From The Oz Principle by Conners, Smith, and Hickman.


“I am somebody! If my mindcan conceive it, and my heartcan believe it, I know I canachieve it.”

- Reverend Jesse Jackson


Negative to Positive

• Self-fulfilling prophecy means if you believe in something strong enough you can make it come true

• Self Talk can boost self-esteem if it is optimistic.

• Be open and direct with your communications

• No one is perfect. Anger and tears are human

• You feel the way you think


I Make a Difference

The Starfish Story


Review Objectives

1. Define “Success” in your own terms.

2. Relate concepts of self-esteem, values, and attitudes toward your life.

3. Incorporate a positive and professional attitude in dealing with others.


Section 3Setting Goals and Time Management

“Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take many small steps.”

- Helmut Schmidt


Objectives

1. Set effective personal, educational, career, and community goals

2. Develop action plans to achieve your stated goals

3. Assess your time management skills

4. Develop effective time management skills


Key Terms

• Goal

• Long-range goals

• Medium-range goals

• Objective

• Plateau period

• Procrastination

• Short-range goal

• Time Management

• Visualization


Goal

• Specific accomplishments which one aims to achieve


Long-Range Goals

• Goals to be accomplished within the next few years


Medium-Range Goals

• Goals to be accomplished within the next 6 months to 1 year


Objective

• The end task that is to be accomplished


Plateau Period

• Period when little or no progress is made toward desired goals


Procrastination

• Putting things off until the last minute


Short-Range Goals

• Goals to be accomplished within 1 month


Time Management

• Using time and energy in a productive way to help accomplish tasks


Visualization

• To have a mental picture of something


Setting Goals

• Effective goals should be:

• Self-chosen

• Measurable

• Moderately challenging

• Attainable

• Positive


Objectives

• Objectives are related to goals

• Objectives are specific steps in an overall action plan used in achieving your goals

• Make specific objectives and action plans to help you reach your goal


Type of Goals

• Career/professional goals

• Personal goals

• Educational goals

• Community goals


Time Frames

• Short range• To be accomplished tomorrow, next

week, next month• Medium range

• To be accomplished within the next 6 months or year

• Long range• To be accomplished with in the next 3-

5 years


Useful Hints on Goal Setting

1. Prioritize your goals

2. Establish a time line of your goals

3. Visualize reaching your goals

4. Don’t give up when you reach a plateau period

5. Talk to other people who have achieved the same goal


Time Management

“To think to long about

doing a thing

often becomes its undoing.”

– Eva Young


Common Time Wasters

• Failure to plan and establish priorities

• Over planning and over organizing

• The telephone/cell phones

• The computer

• Personal habits

• Procrastination and Worry


Combating Time Wasters:

• Organize and plan• Ask if you are uncertain of what needs

to be done• Set priorities – do not jump from one

task to another• Make the job interesting and fun• Do your most demanding work when

you are fresh and alert


Combating Time Wasters

• Reward yourself when you get a job done

• Organize your desk

• Make use of “Found time”

• Take care of yourself

• Control interruptions

• Finish what you start


Making Effective Lists

• Obtain the proper tools• Large desk calendar• Pocket planner• Handheld computer

• Put all of your important events and deadlines all in one place

• Its best to have the big picture in front of you


The Daily To-Do List

• Write down every activity that requires your involvement

• Do the activities that you can when they occur if time permits

• Cross-off tasks as completed• At the end of each day reprioritize your list.

Move items from this day’s list to the next day as needed

• Consult your list frequently throughout the day

• Make a new list for the next day


Capitalize on Peak Periods

• Know what time of day you are most productive and schedule your more difficult tasks


Words to the Wise

• Stay flexible and positive

• DO NOT panic, become negative or worry

• Know when you are over-committed and learn to say NO

• Reward yourself periodically for completing tasks


Review Objectives

1. Set effective personal, educational, career and community goals.

2. Develop action plans to achieve your stated goals.

3. Assess your time management skills.

4. Develop effective time management skills.


Section 4Stress Management

“I am an old man, and haveknown a great many problems,most of which never happenedto me.”

-Mark Twain


Objectives

1. Identify the different types of stress and their effects on your mind and body

2. Use the three-point system to effectively manage stress in your life

3. Learn physical and emotional coping techniques to deal with stress


Key Terms

• Bad stress

• Constructive concern

• Depression

• Good stress

• Meditation

• Reframing

• Sadness

• Stress

• Worry


Bad Stress

• When anxiety reaches a level that interferes with performance or stops performance entirely


Constructive Concern

• Converting useless worries into positive improvements


Depression

• Remaining sad for prolonged periods which interferes with the ability to perform daily activities


Good Stress

• Helps motivate a person to be up for a task


Meditation

• Focusing your attention while at the same time clearing your mind of thought


Reframing

• Changing the perception on a situation


Sadness

• A state of sorrow and unhappiness


Stress

• How the mind and body react to an environment that is largely shaped by perceptions of an event or situation


Worry

• To feel uneasy because of anxiety or troubles


Understanding Stress

• No situation or event by itself causes us stress

• How we perceive the situation causes stress

• Stress is our internal response to external stimuli


Stress, Like Beauty is in the

Eye of the Beholder!


Types of Stress and Its Effects

• Physical and Psychological Symptoms

• Increased adrenaline levels for more energy

• Faster heart rate to supply more oxygen to muscles

• Increased blood pressure to get more blood flow to the brain.


Types of Stress and Its Effects

• Pupil dilation to bring in more light

• Faster breathing to bring in more oxygen

• Heightened state of awareness to focus on the job at hand

• Mild level of anxiety to keep you sharp and not take the situation to lightly


Good Stress - Bad Stress

• Alert • Focused• Ready for Task

• Anxiety • Fear• Self-doubt• Panic


Constant Stress

• High blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke

• Stomach ulcers

• Lack of sleep or insomnia

• Decreased immune system functioning

• Depression and personality changes


A Simplified Stress Management System

• Recognize your stress signals and stress producers

• Be concerned but avoid worrying

• Develop coping strategies


Worry, Worry, Worry.

I’m an old man and have known a great

many problems, most of which never

happened to me.

–Mark Twain


Recognizing Your Stress Signals

• A certain amount of stress is normal

• Going beyond minimal stress levels for sustained periods of time can be harmful

• Stay in balance


Recognizing Your Stress Producers

• Common Stress Producers • Self-doubts or lack of confidence in our

abilities• Lack of personal organization• Inability to plan or prioritize work• Perfectionism• Placement of excessive demands on

ourselves


Recognizing Your Stress Producers

• Inability to say no

• Tendency to take all problems and criticism personally

• Inflexibility and lack of openness to change


Effective Coping Strategies

• Recognizing and eliminating stressors

• Reframing your thinking

• Using good time management

• Developing a social support group

• Rejuvenate yourself


Effective Physical Strategies:

• Rest and Leisure

• Exercise

• Nutrition

• Relaxing Techniques


Review Objectives

1. Identify the different types of stress and their effects on your mind and body.

2. Use the three-point system to effectively manage stress in your life.

3. Learn physical and emotional coping techniques to deal with stress.


Section 5Thinking and Reasoning Skills

“Whether you think you can

or think you can’t you're

probably right.”

-Henry Ford


Objectives

1. Define and differentiate the different types of thinking.

2. Begin to integrate critical and creative thinking skills into your life.

3. Use an effective decision-making process to maximize your chances for success.


Key Terms

• Analogy• Brainstorming• Cognitive processes• Creative thinking• Critical thinking• Decision making• Deductive reasoning

• Directed thinking• Inductive

reasoning• Lateral thinking• Logical thinking• Undirected

thinking• Vertical thinking


Analogy

• Forces cross connections between two unlike things


Brainstorming

• When a group of people get together and come up with ideas concerning an opportunity or issue


Cognitive Processes

• The complex mental activities that constitute thinking


Creative Thinking

• The generation of ideas that results in the improvement of the efficiency or the effectiveness of the system


Critical Thinking

• The ability to gather and analyze information to solve problems or create new opportunities


Decision Making

• The act of making an informed choice between a number of alternatives in order to solve a problem and/or maximize an opportunity


Deductive Reasoning

• A form of logical thinking in which a true conclusion is based on true facts called premises


Directed Thinking

• A conscious effort made to solve a specific problem or situation through learning, reasoning, and decision making


Inductive Reasoning

• Making the best guess based on premises or facts


Lateral Thinking

• A creative type of thinking that generates new ideas by connecting previously unrelated concepts


Logical Thinking

• The ability to reason both deductively and inductively in a given situation


Undirected Thinking

• A free-flowing thinking process that can include both daydreaming and dreaming while asleep


Vertical Thinking

• A logical type of thinking that makes step-by-step assumptions based on past experiences


Logical Thinking

• Used whenever a decision must be made

• One part of logical thinking is based on our past experiences and knowledge

• One part relies on the ability to reason deductively and inductively


Logical Thinking

• Deductive Reasoning• Logical thinking where you reach a true conclusion

• Waiting for a problem to occur and then reacting to the crisis is called reactive thinking

• Inductive reasoning• You make your best guess based on the premises

or facts, the outcome is not always true


Critical and Creative Thinking

• Critical Thinking• Skills such as the ability to develop a

hypothesis, to test and rate possible solutions, and to maintain an objective viewpoint

• Creative Thinking• The ability to see things in a new way

and help in problem solving


Vertical Thinking & Lateral Thinking

• Vertical thinking relies on logic and each idea relates to the next

• Lateral thinking creates new ideas by making connections with no set pathway. It takes stored information and relates it in a previously unrelated manner


Directed and Undirected Thinking

• Directed thinking is highly controllable, and a conscious effort is made to solve a specific problem or situation

• Undirected thinking is more loose and free flowing. Example is daydreaming


The Total Thinking Process

Decisions

• Making informed choices between a number of alternatives to solve a problem

• Maximizing an opportunity

• Short term decision

• Long term effects


The Decision-Making Process

1. Define the opportunity for positive change

2. Generate ideas concerning the opportunity

3. Evaluate your ideas and select the best one

4. Implement your chosen strategy

5. Evaluate the impact and modify accordingly


Review Objectives

1. Define and differentiate the different types of thinking

2. Begin to integrate critical and creative thinking skills into your life

3. Use and effective decision-making process to maximize your chances for success

Copyright © 2006 by Thomson Delmar Learning. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.1-1 Module 1 Communicating with Yourself: Achieving Personal Excellence.

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