Lecture 1

Self-Management: What is it and why do I need it?

Introduction:

    Everyone has difficulties and challenges in life. In fact, for some of us it may seem like every day starts with new problems. Sometimes they are small frustrations. Sometimes they are overwhelming. At all times, they are important to us. This is because they influence our life and how much meaning, purpose, and enjoyment we can get from life. We have all met people who appear to be more confident than us. They usually seem to be happy with what they are doing. It appears to us that their problems and challenges do not really affect them or discourage them. Sometimes we think that it would be nice to be like them. What is their secret? How come they can face each new day with optimism? Is there something they do that we can do also? The answer to this last question is YES! There is something we can do about our lives, and this series of lectures is going to focus on the necessary skills and strategies of self-management. Let’s first understand what this means. We will then consider why it is important to use the skills and strategies of self-management.

Self-Management – What is it?

    There are many factors that influence how happy and confident a person becomes in life. These usually include attitude, knowledge, specific skills, and effort. For example, successful concert pianists usually display a positive attitude toward what they do. They enjoy making music. They have gained knowledge by studying classical music. They have specific skills because they have learned how to play the piano. They have also applied much effort in practicing the piano regularly. However, another factor that enables people to become happy and confident is learning how to control their reactions to life. This is self-management.

    Self-management is made up of two words: self and management. By looking at each word separately we will be able to understand better what self-management means.

Back to top

    The first word is self. It is a noun and is used here as a prefix in a compound word. It refers to the subject of the action implied by the second word. As the subject, the self is the person who is doing the action. Remember that the self is YOU. This is important to know. YOU need to make appropriate decisions about your life. YOU are responsible for how you deal with the challenges and difficulties you face. You may complain about them to your friends and neighbors, but in the end only YOU can do something about them.

    The second word is management. It is also a noun. It is derived from the verb to manage. Management involves guiding, directing, or controlling. This means focusing our efforts toward important goals. It also includes establishing those conditions that will help us feel better each day, and removing those obstacles that interfere with what we do. For our discussion here, it refers to how we guide, direct and control our efforts and actions in life. How can we manage our reactions to the challenge and difficulties we face every day?

    To answer this question, we will learn that self-management is a process. It refers to the specific strategies that we can use to control our reactions to what is happening in life. We use these strategies in a particular order. We will look at these specific strategies in the following lectures and also attempt to understand the order that will help us use them successfully.

    First, we must know that self-management involves two other things. Self-management involves self-motivation. This means that we prepare ourselves for action. We do not rely on others to encourage us, but rather prefer to take action on something because it is meaningful for us.

    Self-management also involves self-discipline. This means doing what needs to be done whether we want to do it or not. It involves establishing control over our reactions to what is happening in life. We need to watch over or monitor what we do in order to improve how we feel about ourselves.

Self-Management – Why do I need it?

    The challenges and problems we face in life usually do not matter too much to our neighbors. Some people we know may express a concern for us and may be willing to help, but in the end, only we can help ourselves, if we really want to. This is important to remember. Trials and problems are a fact of life. However, just passively accepting them and wishing that life was better does not lead to happiness. Instead, having a plan and then following the plan will help us overcome the challenges and difficulties we face in life. This is the rationale behind self-management.

    Self-management helps us face our problems directly or “head-on.” By admitting that there is a problem and then developing a plan to overcome this obstacle, we gain control over our lives. Instead of just reactively going from day to day, we develop a sense of purpose and meaning in life. In this way we are on our way to happiness and confidence. This is why self-management is so important.

Conclusion

    All people dream about being happy and confident in life. However, few people only seem to realize this dream. It appears that their problems and challenges do not really affect them or discourage them. These people know the necessary skills and strategies of self-management. They have learned to control their reactions to what is happening in life. They know that self-management is a process that involves self-motivation and self-discipline. More importantly, they know that they need it in order to overcome the obstacles of life.

Questions to Discuss with Others:

1. Do you feel that you are managing your life according to a sense of purpose or are you just reactively going from day to day? How does this make you feel?
   
2. Self-management involves self-motivation. What are those areas in life that really motivate you? Why is this so? What are those areas in life that do not motivate you? What would you have to do in order to change your opinion about them?
   
3. Self-management involves self-discipline. How much self-discipline do you have? Do you know where your weaknesses are when it comes to self-discipline? What can you do about this?

Back to top