English for Master’s Course = Английский для магистрантов. Учебное пособие

Reading and Speaking

TIME MANAGEMENT

Deadlines slipping? Essays always late? Never enough hours in the day?

Here’s how we could all make better use of our time.

Time. We make it, waste it, kill it. It stands still, it flies, it’s infinite. It runs out. Learning how to manage time is a skill essential to a successful career in any field, but it’s also one you need to develop as a student. And if, as a student, you successfully learn to juggle essay deadlines, lectures and tutorials with an active social life and a part time job, you should leave university with some well-honed time management skills.

Successful time management means you should be able to avoid working harder or longer to achieve your goals; you’ll get there by working more effectively.

First Things First

The best place to start on your quest to sort your time out is to identify areas where you waste time. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t treat your money like you treat your time. You might not want to admit where month’s pay cheque (or this term’s cash) has gone, but you probably have a good idea don’t you? So have a look at your time in a similar way.

Think about the sorts of tasks you are spending a disproportionate amount of time and energy on. Ask yourself how often you say “I’ll just leave that until tomorrow” (which inevitably never comes). Procrastination is a dirty word, but most of us are guilty of it to some extent. You have to keep reminding yourself that unpleasant tasks don’t get better the longer you leave them. All the time you spend thinking and worrying about what needs doing could be spent getting a vast percentage of it out the way, never to be fretted about again.

So all this is easier said than done, right? Yes, admittedly (do you know how long it took me to get around to writing this article?). But there are a few tricks you can try to get yourself on the road to organization, leaving a satisfactory amount of time for more favourable tasks.

Chop It Up

David Stone, Managing Director Of Spearhead Training Group suggests the Swiss cheese method for combating procrastination. “Swiss Cheese has lots of holes in it, so make holes in your larger tasks. Lots of little holes will help you on your way to completing your task.” These ‘holes’ can take several forms; for example, you could make a list of all the research you have to do, make notes, arrange a meeting etc. “It’s a type of active procrastination that’ll help you reach your final goal,” says David.

Once you’ve stopped wasting your time, you need to use what’s left as effectively as possible. Start by making a plan/ keeping a diary. Write in all the regular commitments that you can’t change. This will give you an idea of the time you have to work with.

100 Things I Need to Do Today

The next step is that trusty old favourite – The List. Make ‘To do’ lists for today, this week and this month. Prioritize the tasks on your lists carefully. Mix in low priority tasks with more urgent ones otherwise they will never get done. Mix long term with short term, so that a task with a less immediate deadline isn’t left to the last minute. It will be obvious if it has been rushed.

Something to bear in mind is that everyone has their individual attention span, don’t exhaust it. Once you’ve worked for your optimum amount of time, ‘reset’ your brain by going for a short walk.

One of the most important things to remember when training yourself to work more effectively is to give yourself rewards. If you’re finding it hard to get on with things, bribe yourself! When you have done so much work, you can watch ‘Neighbours’, have a game of tennis etc. Michael Morris, tutor for the Open University Business School and author of several Management titles, believes “The best reward of all is to take a big fat marker pen and cross the item off the list, savagely.”

Make Time for Fun

Michael also recognizes the importance of building in leisure time into even the most hectic of work schedules. “People who don’tbalancetheirlives,withtimeforothers,timeforthemselves, for exercise and diversions often become progressively worse at their work and may even have a breakdown of some sort.” So it’s official, work hard, play hard and make sure your time is working for you.

Task 9. Fill in the blanks with a word or its derivative in the appropriate form:

deadline, skill, student, to develop, to get better, research, goal, commitment, urgent, reward, to reset, to recognize, to breakdown

1.When Adam said that they should break up, she ……… in tears.

2.Mom’s ……… was to graduate college but dad’s ……… was the mom.

3.Gaga and Katy, they push each other to try harder, ………, to be bolder.

4.He is still paying for most of his tuition, books, and living expenses, all without taking ……… loans.

5.The fire alarm was ……… .

6.Your efforts will be ……… in the long run.

7.……… requires a lot of energy, but it’s worth the effort.

8.Tom was aware that the ……… had passed.

9.The only ……… of the final match was scored by Andrés Iniesta.

10.Those who are suffering from hunger in Africa need ………

help.

11.Now he is ……… as one of the most promising writers.

12.Which is more important, economic ……… or environmental protection?

13.As soon as he ………, I’m going to take him back to Italy, where there’s a sun.

14.The people were surprised, but that was a government ……… .

15.He wasn’t given any ……… for his service.

16.Tom wanted to hone his ……… as a photographer.

17.He had a really hard period of studying; now he is having a ……… time.

18.Nervous ……… are very dangerous for our health.

19.He made a great contribution to ……… into cancer.

20.Bill is rather ……… in arguing and debating.

21.There is a ……… need for them to update their system.

22.The teacher caught a ……… cheating in the exam.

23.With his mother very sick and a tight ……… at work, Tom has a lot on his plate at the moment.

24.You have changed so much that I can hardly ……… you.

25.These exercises ……… the strength of your fingers.

26.All you have to do is to remember the 13 times we broke up to see that maybe Robert’s not comfortable with ……… .

Task 10. Choose the correct answer (A, B, C) for questions 1–5:

1.What does it mean “to have successful time management”?

a)to have a special person, who will tell you what to do every time you’re free;

b)to spend less time on your work wherein to manage to do it more effectively;

c)to work hard every day and use every free minute to do something you have to.

2.What should you begin with?

a)to make a list of things you have to do during the year;

b)to write what places you want to visit on holidays;

c)to identify things you waste your time while doing it.

3.Which things you must remind yourself while making your timetable?

a)“I’ll just leave that until tomorrow”;

b)“Unpleasant tasks don’t get better the longer you leave them”;

c)“I won’t catch with it, it’s a rather difficult task for me”.

4.Why does David Stone call his method of making time management “the Swiss cheese”?

a)It was invented in Switzerland;

b)It’s a visual model of imagining, composing and prioritizing your plans; also it includes the method of chopping up your time like cheese;

c)Because of the cheese shape which reminds of the clock circle.

5.How do you imagine the “100 things I need to do today” list?

a)It consists of more urgent important things you have deadlines for and less important deals you have time to do;

b)It includes sleeping, watching films, series and cooking;

c)It is like a big and comprehensible scheme with many figures and pointers.

Task 11. Have you ever tried to make your own timetable? How do you think, is it effective? Now you’re going to try yourself as a time manager. You have to make a month timetable for Mr. Robbins with next events:

•meeting with the head of the “Nigel and Co” company

•making a report of the monthly meetings in his literature club

•composing new events in the club next month

•reading 5 lectures at the university

•taking an interview with Stephen King

•going to the publishing house and discussing the cover of his new book

•visiting 2 literature clubs at schools

•going to Moscow to the conference (24th of April)

•going for a one week holiday with his family (you choose the place)

•repairing the car (app. 2 evenings)

Task 12. Summing-up

How do you manage your time effectively? Make up a list of tips and discuss it with your groupmates.

UNIT III. SOFT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

MANAGEMENT

SOFT SKILLS

PRE-READING TASKS

Comment on the following quotes:

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Bonnie Jean Wasmund

What you are shouts so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say.

Ralf Waldo Emerson

Task 1. Read and analyze the words. Make sure you know their meanings:

relate interact performance interpersonal to engage with

transferable skills customer-based job personal attributes personality traits dependability adaptability negotiation

Task 2. Read the text:

WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS?

By Alison Doyle

Updated on October 9, 2022

In This Article

•How Soft Skills Work

•Example of Soft Skills

•Types of Soft Skills

•How To Get Soft Skills

•How To Highlight Your Soft Skills

•Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to how you work. They include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work.

Key Takeaways

•Soft skills are non-technical skills that impact your performance in the workplace.

•You likely already have soft skills from your school and work experience.

•You can also develop soft skills at work, school, volunteer activities, and by participating in training programs and classes.

•Include your soft skills in your resume and cover letter.

•Demonstrate your soft skills during job interviews.

How Soft Skills Work

Soft skills relate to how you work. Soft skills include interpersonal (people) skills, communication skills, listening skills, time management, problem-solving, leadership, and empathy, among others.1 They are among the top skills employers seek in the candidates they hire because soft skills are important for just about every job.

Hiring managers typically look for job candidates with soft skills because they make someone more successful in the workplace.2 Someone can be excellent with technical, job-specific skills, but if they can’t manage their time or work within a team, they may not be successful in the workplace.

Soft skills are also important to the success of most employers. After all, nearly every job requires employees to engage with others in some way.

Another reason hiring managers and employers look for applicants with soft skills is that soft skills are transferable skills that can be used regardless of the person’s job. This makes job candidates with soft skills very adaptable and flexible employees.

Alternate names: Interpersonal skills, essential skills, noncognitive skills

Example of Soft Skills

Soft skills are particularly important in customer-based jobs, for example. These employees are in direct contact with customers. It takes several soft skills to be able to listen to a customer and provide that customer with helpful and polite service.

Note

Even if you’re not in a client-facing role, you need to be able to get along with co-workers, managers, vendors, and other people you interact with at work.

Types of Soft Skills

Soft skills include the personal attributes, personality traits, and communication abilities needed for success on the job. Soft skills characterize how a person interacts in his or her relationships with others.

Soft skills include:

•Adaptability

•Communication

•Compromise

•Creative thinking

•Dependability

•Leadership

•Listening

•Work ethic

•Teamwork

•Positivity

•Time management

•Motivation

•Problem-solving

•Critical thinking

•Conflict resolution

•Negotiation

How To Get Soft Skills

Unlike hard skills that are learned, soft skills are similar to emotions or insights that allow people to “read” others. These are much harder to learn, at least in a traditional classroom. They are also much harder to measure and evaluate.

Job Training Programs

Some job training programs cover soft skills. They may discuss soft skills so job seekers know what they are and the importance of highlighting them on their resumes. There are also free online courses that can help you improve your soft skills.

On-the-Job Training

If you’ve been working for a while, chances are you’ve already developed some soft skills. For example, if you’ve worked in retail, you’ve worked in a team environment. If you’ve helped unhappy customers find a resolution, you’ve used conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.

Education and Volunteering

If you’re new to work, think of other activities you’ve done, either through school or on a volunteer basis. Chances are you’ve had to communicate, adapt to changes, and solve problems.

You can also reflect on the soft skills you need to develop. For example, instead of just discussing problems with your manager, suggest solutions to those problems. If you see a colleague struggling, offer to pitch in. If there’s a process that could improve your workplace, suggest it.

Note

Employers typically don’t directly ask if you have soft skills. Instead, they present situations and ask what you would do to assess whether you have soft skills.