Chapter 5

Learning to Manage

Establishing Priorities

Needs vs. Wants

Needs are the things you must have for survival. For example: food, clothing, and

shelter.

Wants are things you desire that aren’t essential. For example: cell phones, MP3

players, and designer label clothing.

The Role of Values

Values are the beliefs and ideas that guide your life. For example: good nutrition and exercise, education, and religion.

Your values help you steer towards things that are right for you and away from things that are not in your best interest.

Differing Priorities

Priorities are goals and activities that are most important to you.

* Prioritize: deciding which goals and activities are most important to you.

Priorities differ from person to person. Life changes can also cause your priorities to shift. For example: divorce, death, birth of a child, marriage, etc….

Setting Goals

A goal is something you consciously aim to achieve and are willing to plan and work for.

* Short-Term Goals: something you want to accomplish soon.

* Long-Term Goals: something you plan to accomplish further in the future.

Setting Goals

Fixed goals are goals you set for yourself that never change.

Flexible goals have no definite time limit. As long as they are eventually accomplished, no other criteria is necessary.

Aiming for Success

Analyze Your GoalsBe RealisticBe SpecificPut Goals In WritingFollow Through

Identifying Your Resources

* Resource: something you can use to achieve a goal.

Resources fall into four main categories.

Human Resources

Material Resources

Community Resources

Natural Resources

Human Resources

Knowledge and skills within yourself and other people.

Creativity enables you to come up with original solutions to problems.

Family and friends can offer their knowledge, skills, creativity, time, and energy.

Material Resources

Physical objects you can use to accomplish your goals.

Money is the most obvious material resource available to you.

Also includes tools, equipment, and other possessions.

Technology impacts your ability to accomplish your goals. It has expanded both the variety of material resources that are available and their capabilities.

Community Resources

Offer resources that help you enjoy life, improve your skills, and solve problems.

Businesses in your community provide access to many additional resources.

People in your community provide valuable help. These such people include: teachers, dentists, police officers, firefighters, etc…

Natural Resources

Include air, water, soil, plants, and minerals.

Without natural resources your options would be limited.

Our natural resources are limited and as a result should be used wisely.

Expanding Resources

Some resources such as your knowledge and skills can be expanded-you can add to your supply.

Personal energy is another resource you can increase. Energy comes from eating nutritious foods and being physically active on a DAILY basis.

Conserving Resources

Some resources can’t be increased because the supply is fixed.

You can make the most of what you have by conserving or saving resources.

When you conserve, you use them in the most efficient way. Your time for example.

The Management Process

The management process includes 4 steps.

1. Planning

2. Organizing

3. Implementing

4. Evaluating

Planning

Identify Your GoalsEstablish PrioritiesAssess Your ResourcesCreate A Task List* Contingency Plans: alternative courses

of action that could help you overcome potential obstacles.

Organizing

Create A ScheduleGather Your Resources

Implementing

Use the resources you have gathered and follow the task list accordingly.

Simply put, this means…..

JUST DO IT!!!

Evaluating

Once you put your plan into action, you aren’t finished just yet.

The final step is evaluating. This means once everything is said and done, you look back at your process and see what you could change, what you can keep the same, and how you feel the outcome went.