Mental Toughness Development Toolkit Secondary Education Edition
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the MENTAL TOUGHNESS DEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT The Mental Toughness Development Toolkit is an array of experiential exercises which can be run with individuals and groups. It also works well in conjunction with outdoor experiential exercises. What is Mental Toughness? What can we assess and develop? Mental Toughness is a moderately plastic personality trait which determines in large part how individuals respond mentally to stress, pressure, opportunity and challenges. Research shows that Mental Toughness scores correlate closely with performance, wellbeing, positive behaviour and aspirations. It has a significant impact on most key outcomes in education. As a concept, Mental Toughness embraces other well-known concepts such as; resilience, grit, mindset, learned optimism and character. Research shows that Mental Toughness has four components, often called the 4Cs. Each component has two sub-scales. This is shown below: We are able to assess Mental Toughness in individuals and groups through the use of a high-quality 48-item psychometric measure called the MTQ48. The MTQ48 is a normative measure which enables users to assess Mental Toughness before and after a programme of interventions.
Can we develop Mental Toughness in individuals? Instinctively, the answer is yes. Sports psychologists and coaches would argue that they have been doing this for many years with significant evidence of success. One key question that arises is, 'Are we changing someone's mental toughness or are we simply equipping a person with the tools and techniques that enable them to behave as a mentally tough person might behave?' The answer appears to be that, where the individual wants to change or develop, it is possible to change their core mental toughness. We are not suggesting that everyone must develop their mental toughness. For those who see a benefit in their life, there may be a good reason for developing mental toughness without necessarily becoming very mentally tough. There does seem to be some valuable advantages in life for those who are more mentally tough than most. The value of the model and the MTQ48 measure is that it can help to identify which aspects of a person's mental toughness are preventing or hindering them from attaining, achieving a good level of wellbeing, or leading a positive life. Self- awareness and reflection are key. How does the toolkit work? There are two types of approaches to organising the exercises. One is to focus on the desired outcome. The other approach is from the perspective of 'enablers'. These fall into six categories: Positive thinking - affirmations, thought stopping, self-talk. Visualisation - guided imagery. Anxiety control - controlled breathing, relaxation, distraction. Attentional control - dealing with interruptions, attention span. Goal setting - SMART goals, chunking, balancing goals, time management. The MTQ48 measure - good feedback and reflection provokes a positive response. These six intervention types help people to develop the capability to deal with stress, pressure and challenges. The exercises in this toolkit are all mapped to the 4Cs framework to allow you to direct attention where needed. Many exercises impact on more than one component of the 4Cs framework. The exercises have been written to be used in a group setting.
Using the exercises The starting point should be an accurate and realistic assessment of the individual's Mental Toughness and their development needs. This should be based on the use of the MTQ48 measure. This enables the user to direct interventions appropriately. A useful place to start is to examine an individual's challenge score. Individual's who are mentally sensitive on this scale (scores of 1-3) are less open to learning than individuals with higher levels of Mental Toughness. They may require more attention and support. Mental toughness is developed through experiential learning. Mental Toughness is learned, it is not easily taught. It is about developing a mindset. A person can't learn this by just following a process. For the individual, they may need to be supported and to persevere until they 'get it'. Practice is important. For the coach/tutor, facilitation and coaching skills are important. Trialling and practising these skills is important. The development process is as follows: Stage One - Experience Introduce the exercise to the individual and explain its purpose. Students carry out the exercises and assess what difference it has made to their thinking. Stage Two - Reflection This is the key to success. Encourage students to consider: What occurred? What difference was made? Did they improve their performance in some way? Was it beneficial? How did they feel? Was their mood improved? Did it boost their confidence? Was it enjoyable? Did it make them want to do more? The key is to enable the individual to associate this feeling with participating in the exercise. What did they learn? Can doing things differently be effective? Does approaching things differently work? Does being positive produce surprising results? Were could they apply this learning to other areas which are important? Stage Three - Purposeful Practice Practice what has been learnt until it becomes a habit. Then it becomes easier and the benefits will follow.
Tutor Guidance Prior to running a Mental Toughness Development programme, we suggest that all participants are tested using the MTQ48. Testing or training as a practitioner can be arranged by AQR Int. Ongoing use of the measure is managed via an online assessment platform. Pricing for training and assessments is available upon request. Please examine the results of each pupil carefully prior to the development programme. Pupils with low scores across each of the scales may need further 1:1 support. Including them in a programme of this nature without appropriate support may have a detrimental effect on them. This needs to be considered within context. This toolkit is designed to be a flexible pack of exercises which can be adapted or applied in a variety of ways. Many of the exercises can be run several times in slightly different ways enabling the content to focus on specific outcomes. Each exercise is supported with a cue card which provides full instructions for use, equipment required and guidance for managing reflection and learning. Worksheets and associated materials can be download from your online account.
index of exercises GOAL SETTING Exercise 4C Component Positive Thinking LEARN TEN POSITIVE WORDS Control CONFIDENCE visualisation PROCRASTINATION Control CONTROL POSITIVE THINKING RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS CONTROL THINK THREE POSITIVES TURNING ANTS INTO PETS COMMITMENT MAKING AFFIRMATIONS Challenge HEROES AND HEROINES CHALLENGE COMMITMENT CHALLENGE CONFIDENCE THE PRESENTATION EXERCISE CHALLENGE THE THERMOMETER CONFIDENCE ABOUT ME COLLAGE Confidence Confidence SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME Confidence WHAT DO YOU THINK i'M GOOD AT? WHAT WOULD i SAY TO A FRIEND? Confidence WOULD i LIE TO YOU? Confidence Confidence i HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING NEW Confidence CHALLENGE compliments exercise airwaves Visualisation THE SCENT OF A LEMON Control COMMITMENT WHAT DOES AN EXAM FEEL LIKE? Control attentional control WHAT WILL THE WORLD LOOK LIKE IN... Control Anxiety Control Progressive Muscular Relaxation Control ANXIETY CONTROL CONTROLLED BREATHING Control THE EAR TAP Control MAKING A FIST Control Control SARNOFF SQUEEZE Control DE-STRESSERIZER Control Control CONFIDENCE 5X3 TIPS FOR PRE-EXAM NERVES Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
index of exercises GOAL SETTING ATTENTIONAL Control US BASKETBALL CONTROL NUMBER GRID COMMITMENT STROOP EXCERCISE COMMITMENT Control BOP-IT CHALLENGE STORK STAND CHALLENGE visualisation DID YOU SEE THE GORILLA? COMMITMENT COLOUR CHANGING CARD TRICK COMMITMENT JUGGLING CHALLENGE Thunderclap COMMITMENT Goal Setting GANNT CHART Control commitment POSITIVE THINKING PAPER TOWER Control WHAT WILL I DO TOMORROW? Control RECOGNISING YOUR BLOCKERS GOAL SETTING CONFIDENCE commitment CONTROL Challenge EATING THE ELEPHANT COMMITMENT Managing My Time Control Commitment Confidence Challenge target practice Control Commitment Confidence Challenge attentional control ANXIETY CONTROL Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
Random Acts of Kindness GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation Paper and pencil. A Random Acts of Kindness poster is available to download from your online POSITIVE THINKING account. Running the Exercise: attentional control Pupils will do an exercise where they will identify and carry out a Random Act of Kindness (RAK). Not only will the recipient benefit but the evidence shows that, in the process of giving, the individual or group will also experience a positive uplift through achieving something. This helps to create a positive mindset. 3. Explain that: You need to identify a Random Act of Kindness that you will carry out for the benefit of someone else. A RAK is something nice that you do for someone else that you would not normally do, that the other person/s would not expect but it would please the other person/s. There is no limit. It can be something small. Examples might include: Tidying up the classroom. Helping someone to tidy a garden. Hold the door open for someone. Donate food to a food bank. It’s best if the activity can be carried out quickly – within the next couple of weeks. Write down what your RAK is. Find someone else who will be your monitor, do it and go back to your monitor and describe what happened. ANXIETY CONTROL Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
Random Acts of Kindness Teacher Review: Review after the agreed time period. Ask the class to describe what happened and how they felt having carried out the RAK. Repeat this a few times and then let pupils do this randomly in their own time. It can be important to vary the RAKs – so they don’t become routine and boring. Background: This is an exercise rooted in positive psychology. Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking and talking about it. Kindness is best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it. It gives people a strong sense that they're doing something that matters and heightens their sense of Control. The spin-off benefits are that the RAKs have to be organised and delivered – enhancing Commitment. Because the RAK is usually directed towards a person, it helps in developing interpersonal relationships (Confidence). Discussion Guides: How did the recipient of your RAK respond? How did you feel having carried out your RAK? Did it make you feel that you had achieved something useful? And that you can achieve more? What difference does this make for you? Has it improved your confidence? Where and how can this feedback help in school work and life outside school?
Think Three Positives GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation Worksheets are available to download from your online account. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING A short 10-minute exercise which is run at the end of each school day for a period of time (3-4 weeks) to enable a habit to develop. attentional control Pupils will do an exercise which will help them to focus on their achievements and successes…creating more a positive mindset. ANXIETY CONTROL Explain that: You are to think about what you have done today. Write down three things that you think or feel you have done well. They have to be something you have done. It mustn’t be something that has happened to you – like you watched your team win. It doesn’t have to be something big. Did anyone say thank you or well done to you today? Did you learn something that you didn’t know yesterday? Did you do something nice for or with someone – even if they didn’t notice? Did you hand your homework in on time today? You have 5 minutes. Teacher Review: At a later time ask pupils to think of their three things. Ask them how they feel about themselves. Have they recorded things they would otherwise have taken for granted? At the end of each week ask pupils to look at their week – how do they feel? At the end of the cycle ask again. This exercise can be usefully adjusted to focus on an issue: What three things have you learned today? What three problems have you solved today? What three things made you feel good today? etc. Once pupils are in the habit of doing this regularly, ask them to continue doing it at home. The pre-printed sheets are particularly useful for this. Review this monthly, asking pupils to bring their sheets or diaries into class. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
Think Three Positives Background: This is an exercise in cognitive behavioural modification. Most of us, when we encounter problems dwell on them. In turn, this means that they can acquire a level of significance which is out of proportion to their true value. This can dominate our mood and our mindset. The reality is that we all get most of what we do right, but don’t see it as special. When we get things wrong, it feels like we get it all wrong. By focusing on the positives, we can change our mood which impacts on our Mindset. The goal here is to show young people how to focus on their positives, their achievements big and small, rather than on the problems and difficulties they have encountered – and even if their achievements are small to build on these. Discussion Guides: Why do pupils think their score has changed? Do people feel more positive and more in control? What difference does this make for them? E.g. when doing things that might be difficult to understand or do? Why do they think that positive thinking helps performance, wellbeing and behaviour? Teacher Review - Assessing Mood: Pupils rate their mood/day on a scale of 1-10. Do this manually guiding assessment as follows: -3 - I definitely don’t feel in control of my life and my school work. 4-7 - I feel in control some of the time but not all of the time. 8-10 - I pretty much feel I am getting things done because I know I can. Estimate a rough average for the class and share. Class discussion: What are the factors that lead you to this assessment of the day. This may bring up issues which can usefully be used in other Mental Toughness development exercises.
Heroes and Heroines GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation No materials required. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING Phase One - The Brief You are to identify someone whom you admire and who has made a success of attentional control their life despite adversity. They have had to overcome some disadvantage. They don’t have to be famous, they could be someone you know or your friends or ANXIETY CONTROL family know. What is it about them that you admire? What have they done, their attitude etc.? Next time, we want each of you to share your thoughts with the class. You will have one – two minutes to do so. Phase Two - Discussion Each of you should tell us about your hero or heroine. Teacher Review: What is the common thread behind all of the stories? Why have obstacles, fears and disadvantages not stopped these people? What kind of things have they done to make sure they achieve? To what extent was their mindset – their attitude important? What lessons can we learn for ourselves from these? What can each person commit to doing that helps them to deal with the challenges and issues they face in school and in their lives? Background & Discussion Guidelines: This is an exercise in reflection. There are many good role models around but we might not take enough time to reflect deeply on what they do and what they achieve so that we can transfer learning. In many instances, the emerging lessons are simple – sticking to things, not letting others get to me, having a goal that inspires me, believing in myself. An important lesson here is that disadvantages and setbacks are challenging, but there is nothing to fear from fear or failure if we learn from our mistakes and from others who have conquered similar. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
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The Thermometer GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation The Thermometer worksheet which is available to download from your online account. POSITIVE THINKING Running the Exercise: Hand out the thermometer worksheet to each pupil. Explain to them that they attentional control will be using this thermometer to identify what ‘stresses them out’ and what makes them calm. The aim of the exercise will be to identify ways that pupils can ANXIETY CONTROL begin to control their emotions and cope with stress more effectively. Explain that: You need to think of two things in each of the categories. The categories are: - furious - angry - frustrated - calm You should spend a little time thinking about each of the categories before filling them in. What you might think as something that makes you furious in the first instance may only be a frustration. Offer some light prompts around school life, exams, home, sports. Try to be balanced and get them to think of calm influences as much as stressful ones. When they have filled in the categories, get pupils to spend a couple of minutes thinking of ways that they could try to respond to those situations in a different way. Get pupils to write down next to some/all of the answers ways in which they may be able to control the situation better. Reflecting on this aspect may be a good catalyst for them in understanding some exaggerated importance in the grand scheme of things. Teacher Review: Ask the pupils to think of a time recently when they have felt furious. How did they feel? What did they do to calm down? Ask them how they think it impacted on other people around them? Get them to think about how they can manage their emotions a little more and identify the triggers that may get them up to furious levels. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
The Thermometer Teacher Review: Using this exercise will focus the pupil on what really causes them stress. By identifying the issue they can begin to break it down and find out ways of controlling the stressful situation/action. The exercise will also draw attention to the aspects of their life in which they are comfortable with (the calm). Support Materials & Resources: Exercises such as this are very helpful in visualising problems and stressors. By having the indicator of the thermometer it can show how an individual interprets a situation. What may be stressful for one person may be calming for another (an example of this would be swimming)? Exercises such as this focus on the individual’s perceptions of what they can and cannot cope with. Control
About me Collage GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation Paper, pens, glue, scissors, magazines/catalogues/newspapers. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING Explain that: You need to have a good look through the magazines and cut out anything that attentional control you feel represents you. It can be anything at all but focus on things you like or want to achieve. You should find as many as possible to fill the space on the ANXIETY CONTROL paper around your name. 1. Give each pupil a piece of paper. 2. Ask each pupil to write his/her name in the middle of the piece of paper. 3. Give the pupils 15 minutes to go through magazines and catalogues to cut out what best represents them – this can be food, music, sports etc. 4. Ask the pupils to glue the pictures around their name on the piece of paper. Give them 5 minutes to complete this. 5. Once the pupils have completed glueing in the pictures, ask them to explain (in pairs or to the class) what they have added and why it represents them. The total time for this exercise is 20 minutes plus 10-15 minutes for reflective responses. Teacher Review: Ask the group who would like to go first at explaining their collage to the class/their partner. It doesn’t have to be a long explanation, just enough to cover the reasons why they picked some of the pictures. NOTE – This exercise can be used successfully at any stage of the pupil’s school life. It can be used to support career aspirations or exam success by using pictures of what they want to achieve in the future. The key will be to encourage the pupil to look at the positive aspects of this exercise. This exercise can be done a couple of times over the academic year and can provide some good reflection time for the pupils to view how they have grown and matured. Often collages will change over time and this will show how they are growing by the different types of pictures and colours and themes. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
About me Collage Background: This is a very easy visual exercise which is used to promote the positive outlook of an individual without having to resort to words. By focusing on the positive pictures and colours in the collage, we can change our mood which impacts on our mindset. The goal here is to show young people how to focus on their positives and how by looking at their collage they can get a sense of positivity and even, challenge to achieve.
Airwaves GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources visualisation Balloons. Running the exercise: POSITIVE THINKING A blown up balloon will be needed and some space for pupils to stand in a circle. 1. Ask students to stand in a circle and hold hands with the people next to them attentional control on either side. 2. Explain to the students that the aim of the exercise is to keep the balloon in the ANXIETY CONTROL air for as many hits as they can. 3. The main rule of the exercise is that the students can hit the balloon with any part of their body APART from their feet. 4. The students cannot break the connection of hands. If they do so, they need to begin again. Explain that: By working together and moving as a collective they will become more successful in keeping the balloon in the air. This will require them to work in cooperation with their peers and communicate effectively. The total time for this exercise is 10 minutes. Note: This exercise can be used with any age group. It can be made more interesting/difficult for pupils by adding more balloons into the circle. If the group have not taken part in this exercise before you can show them ways of keeping the balloon in the air and get them to practice a little by themselves before creating a circle. Teacher Review: This exercise can be done with small groups or larger groups (depending on space available). You could have smaller groups competing against each other to get the highest score. Once pupils are used to the exercise it could be interesting to ask them to do it without talking to each other. Get them to think about whether it will be easier or harder to keep the balloon in the air in silence. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
airwaves Background The aim of the exercise is for pupils to understand the benefits of cooperation and understanding. By linking hands, they will have to work with each other to be successful. Adding elements such as additional balloons will initially cause confusion in the group. This will offer itself well to managing their interpersonal confidence and control. Focusing on communication is another benefit of this exercise. Pupils will be able to develop their skills in listening and talking with peers more confidently.
progressive muscular GOAL SETTING relaxation visualisation Support Materials & Resources: No special materials needed. POSITIVE THINKING Running the Exercise: Sitting down, pupils will complete an exercise where they will be shown a way of attentional control releasing tension. When anxious the body reacts by tightening muscles. Bringing this under control helps to release the tension. ANXIETY CONTROL Explain that: You will complete this exercise on your own. Sit comfortably with a straight back. Tell yourself that you are going to relax. Slow your breathing. We are going to do an exercise called progressive muscular relaxation - it’s a very well-known technique. We will go around the body tensing and then relaxing muscles. By the end, you should be very relaxed. At each step, tense the muscle slowly, hold it for 5 seconds and then relax for about 10-15 seconds before the next step in the cycle. Say “relax” as you relax each muscle. Think about your muscles relaxing while you do this. The sequence is as follows: 1. Right hand and forearm - make a fist with your right hand. 2. Right upper arm - bring your right forearm up to your shoulder to “make a muscle”. 3. Repeat for the left hand and for the left upper arm. 4. Forehead - raise your eyebrows as high as they will go, as if surprised. 5. Mouth and jaw - open your mouth as wide as you can, as if yawning. 6. Neck - be careful as you tense these muscles. Face forward and then pull your head back slowly, as though you are looking up at the ceiling. 7. Shoulders - tense the muscles in your shoulders as you bring your shoulders up towards your ears. 8. Shoulder blades/back - push your shoulder blades back, trying to almost touch them together, so that your chest is pushed forward. 9. Chest and stomach - breathe in deeply, filling up your lungs and chest with air. 10. Hips and bottom - squeeze your bottom muscles. 11. Right upper leg - tighten your right thigh. 12. Right lower leg - do this slowly and carefully to avoid cramps. Pull your toes towards you to stretch the calf muscle. 13. Right foot - curl your toes downwards. 14. Repeat for the left foot and left upper and lower leg. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
progressive muscular relaxation Teacher Review: Ask the class to describe how they feel. Can they feel the tension draining away from their muscles? Do they feel more positive? Remind them that this is a thorough exercise that they should practice whenever they can – at least twice a week. The more they practice the better this works. Later they can focus this exercise on specific groups of muscles – which makes the exercise quicker and sometimes easier. Background One of the body’s responses to fear, anxiety and pressure is muscle tension. This is a result of the “fight or flight response” humans developed thousands of years ago. Unfortunately, we still respond like this even to imagined threats. It heightens our sense of anxiety and can help to create those panic moments - this has an impact on our confidence, our sense of control, our response to challenge and our determination or commitment to deliver. Controlled breathing is especially important. Most people only use 20% of their breathing capacity - a good and balanced supply of oxygen to the body is important for relaxation as well as response to activity. Discussion Guides: How did the pupils feel before and after the exercise? (An option is to ask pupils to score anxiety on a scale of 1 – 10 before and after). If they feel the benefit, will they practice this regularly? Practice does make perfect. Did they feel more positive after the exercise? Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
controlled breathing GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation No special materials needed. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING Explain that pupils will complete an exercise where they will be shown a quick and easy way of releasing tension. When anxious the body reacts by tightening attentional control muscles or disrupting breathing. Bringing one or the other under control helps to release the tension. ANXIETY CONTROL 3. Explain that: You will do this exercise on your own. Sit comfortably with a straight back. Tell yourself that you are going to relax. We want you to take deep breaths using your stomach rather than your chest. Put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. The hand on your stomach should rise when you breathe in. Take a deep breath (through the nose if possible) slowly for 4 seconds; hold it for 4 seconds (mentally counting from 1 to 4). Release the breath slowly over 6 seconds. Pause for a couple of seconds before repeating the cycle. Repeat the sequence 4 times. Teacher Review: Ask the class to describe how they feel. Can they feel the tension draining away from their muscles? Do they feel calmer? Remind them that this is a quick and easy exercise that they should practice whenever they can - at home, before sports or challenging activity, etc. Note The normal rate of breathing is 10-12 breaths per minute, slowing your breathing down is an effective calming technique. Encourage pupils to practice this regularly - at least twice a week. With practice, pupils can reduce anxiety even when in stressful situations like the start of an exam or an interview. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
controlled breathing Background: One of the body’s responses to fear, anxiety and pressure is muscle tension and/or disrupted or faster breathing. This is a result of the “fight or flight response” humans developed thousands of years ago when dealing with threats. Unfortunately, we still respond like this even to imagined threats. It heightens our sense of anxiety and can help to create those panic moments. This impacts on our confidence, our sense of control, our response to challenges and our determination or commitment to deliver. Controlled breathing is especially important. Most people only use 20% of their breathing capacity - good and balanced supply of oxygen to the body is important for relaxation as well as response to activity. Discussion Guides: • How did the pupils feel before and after the exercise? (An option is to ask pupils to score anxiety on a scale of 1-10 before and after). • If they feel the benefit, will they practice this regularly? Practice does make perfect. • Did they feel more positive after the exercise?
sarnoff squeeze GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation No special materials needed. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING Explain that pupils will complete an exercise where they will be shown a quick and easy way of releasing tension. When anxious the body reacts by tightening attentional control muscles or disrupting breathing. Bringing one or the other under control helps to release the tension. 3. Explain that: You will do this exercise on your own. Sit comfortably with a straight back. Lean forward slightly keeping your back straight. Put your hands together with your fingers pointing up and push. Now breathe out (counting from 1-6 slowly) whilst hissing “sssss” as if you are a snake. Now exhale slowly, whilst hissing “sssss” and at the same time contract your abdominal muscles at the bottom of your rib cage. Be aware of the muscle tightening. Relax all the muscles at the end of the exhalation and then inhale gently. Repeat the sequence 4 times slowly increasing the number over time. Teacher Review: Ask the class to describe how they feel. Can they feel the tension draining away from their muscles? Do they feel calmer? Remind them that this is a quick and easy exercise that they should practice whenever they can - at home, before sports or challenging activity, etc. ANXIETY CONTROL Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
sarnoff squeeze Note: Dorothy Sarnoff was an actress who appeared with Yul Brynner on Broadway in “The King and I”. She was nervous and began to do some odd looking exercises to calm her down before going on stage. She found it worked for her too and it became well known. Later F-16 pilots adopted the technique becoming associated with “bursts of energy and strength”. Researchers later found that willpower increased and the experience of pain decreased when using the Sarnoff Squeeze. Background: One of the body’s responses to fear, anxiety and pressure is muscle tension and/or disrupted or faster breathing. This is a result of the “fight or flight response” humans developed thousands of years ago when dealing with threats. Unfortunately, we still respond like this even to imagined threats. It heightens our sense of anxiety and can help to create those panic moments. This impacts on our confidence, our sense of control, our response to challenges and our determination or commitment to deliver. Discussion Guides: • How did the pupils feel before and after the exercise? (An option is to ask pupils to score anxiety on a scale of 1-10 before and after). • If they feel the benefit, will they practice this regularly? Practice does make perfect. • Did they feel more positive after the exercise?
the de-stresserizer GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation Balloons (3 per person). Drinks bottles or funnels. POSITIVE THINKING Flour and/or rice (enough to fill up all the balloons). Scissors. attentional control Running the Exercise: You will need to prepare the materials in advance to assist in the activity. Once ANXIETY CONTROL completed, pupils can keep their ball at their desk, provided they are sensible with them. Each pupil will need a surface to work on, three balloons, a water/drinks bottle half filled with flour/rice mixture and some scissors. 1. Ask pupils to place the three balloons on the desk. The balloons should all be the same size and shape and all uninflated. 2. Ask each pupil to follow your instructions so they get the process right. Getting it wrong may end up with flour/rice all over the classroom or them! 3. Ask them to take a balloon and blow it up slightly. Get them to pinch the neck once it has a little air in it. 4. Each pupil can then take their water bottle filled with a flour and rice mixture (you can decide on the amount of flour/rice) and place the top of the balloon over the neck of the bottle. 5. Get them to fill the balloon with the mixture. They will want to fill it around 5cm deep (so that it is around a handful when tied up). 6. Remove the balloon from the bottle and pinch out the excess air. Tie the balloon. 7. Using the scissors, snip off the excess rubber by the knot – remind them not to cut too close to the knot! 8. Wrap the other two balloons around the first one at a time, making sure the knot gets snipped on the second and third. You will want them to cover the previous ball in the opposite way with the additional balloon so that the knot is covered by the balloon. 9. Get them to squeeze their new stress ball. Explain that: By focusing on each stage, they are concentrating and listening actively so that they can complete the activity. Once they have completed the stages and have their stress ball they can decorate or put their initials on it. Be clear that they are not for throwing around! Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
the de-stresserizer Teacher Review: Ask pupils when they think they will use the ball the most. Ask them to think about what might cause them stress and how they can use the ball to relieve the stress. Ask them how it feels when they squeeze the ball tight. Does it release tension? Explain to them by squeezing the ball we are muting the brains thought process of being ‘stressed’ by taking away the focus from that and putting it into the action of squeezing the ball. Note: Don't use water balloons, which are too thin and weak for this purpose. Have the materials ready to limit any mess, especially with flour. Have pupils label the stress ball so they know which theirs is. This is a very straightforward exercise which is used to promote active listening while also producing an object at the end which they can use. Theory suggests that when we are under stress we take information in through two channels. One is the basic primal sensory channel: the sights, sounds, sensations, and smells of the situation. The other is an intellectual channel: our brains trying to make sense of what is going on and put it into words and a context that we can talk about. Researchers have shown that if the basic sensory channel is occupied or blocked, people don’t experience events as vividly; the intellectual channel is muted. Large parts of our brains are dedicated to processing the information which comes in from our hands. This means that stress relief techniques which concentrate on the hands will use up more “brain cycles” and pull processing power away from intellectual activities. By having several specific stages of the process, it will draw attention from the pupils and will make the activity more positive and increase their listening skills. Control
5x3 GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation 5 x 3 diary sheets can be downloaded from your online account. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING Pupils can be invited to participate in this exercise but should not be forced into doing so. It will be their choice if they want to or not. Pupils who decide not to attentional control can use other exercises to work on their anxiety and wellbeing. This exercise can be a short (1-2 weeks) or long-term (over a year) exercise. ANXIETY CONTROL The 5 x 30 diary will be needed for this exercise. Explain that: The role of exercise is very important in the wellbeing of individuals. According to some studies, regular exercise works for some people to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the effects can be long-lasting. One vigorous exercise session can help alleviate symptoms for hours, and a regular schedule may significantly reduce symptoms over time. The aim of the exercise is to: 1. Over the duration of one week to jog, run, walk, cycle, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes. 2. The aim will be to work up to 5 x 30 minutes by beginning with short exercises or activities that build up to the 30 minutes. 3. By setting smaller daily goals and aiming for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts the likelihood of achieving is greater. 4. Explain that it would be better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes rather than trying to do a marathon at the weekend! 5. Ask pupils to keep a log in their 5 x 30 diary to monitor activity. 6. Identify some milestones where pupils can reflect on the activity they have been doing. The total time for this exercise is 10-15 minutes. There should be regular updates. Encouraging pupils to identify some key milestones to reflect on the impact of exercise. Teacher Review: This is a voluntary exercise for pupils who feel that physical activity will be helpful in relieving their stress and anxiety and in improving their wellbeing. Ask pupils to identify some short term goals in what they wish to achieve. Ask them if they feel confident that they can find time to exercise. If not, why? Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
5x3 Note: Have pupils pair up for the task. Having a partner may motivate them to continue. Ensure that pupils are patient and manage their expectations. Studies show it can usually take around 4-6 weeks to feel the effects of exercising. Provide some ideas for making the exercise fun - making a playlist, setting small challenges etc. Background: The effect of exercise can vary from person to person. Some people may respond positively, others may find it doesn’t improve their mood much and some may experience only a modest short-term benefit. It is important to understand that is a voluntary exercise and at no point should a pupil be pushed into doing exercise. Encouragement will be key and positive reinforcement through interest from teaching staff will help.
tips for pre-exam nerves GOAL SETTING Overview visualisation Generally developing mental toughness in individuals will help most to deal with pre-examination pressures. The mentally tough will see the examination as an POSITIVE THINKING opportunity to show the examiner what they are capable of. However, there are things that all pupils can do to manage pre-exam nerves. These include: attentional control Revising before you sleep Research shows that people remember best what they do just before they go to ANXIETY CONTROL sleep. Pupils can make audio recordings of material they want to remember – key points, facts, important themes etc. and listen to them just before they go to sleep. Both the act of creating the audio and to listening helps retention. This works especially well in groups. Pupils can prepare material together and record topics using different members of the group. They will often associate a particular theme or idea with a voice – also helping retention. This is a technique often used by actors to memorise their lines. Research at the University of Basle shows that mentally tough students are able to sleep better than mentally sensitive students and it translates into better performance. Creating Visuals Some people often find it easier to recall visual information than audio. Adding to flowcharts, images, pictures, outlines, etc. to revision material can help with learning. Stimulating Long-Term Memory When taking on board new information, the brain often needs time to process it and make sense of it. That is another reason why revising before sleep can help. Another approach to improving long-term memory is to take the material and prepare it in another format. If verbal – create a picture. If visual – describe it in words. Create lists, acronyms, mnemonics, and flow charts – especially when building knowledge about a subject. High performers will often take time to re-organise material so that they can remember it better. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
tips for pre-exam nerves Managing Anxiety Everyone experiences nerves and anxiety before any stressful event such as an examination. The more successful are able to manage their anxiety. Many of the breathing and muscular control exercises described elsewhere in this kit are extremely useful as are some of the visualisation exercises. There are some easy exercises that can also help: • A couple of weeks before an exam, pupils can write down their concerns and fears on a piece of paper. It is easier for them to be objective about those fears if they are transferred out of their heads and onto the paper. Individually or in groups, they can consider or discuss how they might deal with these fears. • If possible, sometime before the real exam, allow pupils to sit where they will take the exam or sit in a room/setting which is very similar. This can also help to allay fears. Working in Bursts It is useful to improve attention span. Some of the exercises in the commitment section of the toolkit help people to do that. However, revision can be an intense activity and it is useful to encourage people to work in bursts of 20 minutes, taking a break for a few minutes before embarking on another burst. It can also be useful to change what is been worked on regularly. Background These tips work for many but may not work for all. They are all worth trying. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
us basketball GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation No special materials required. Running the Exercise: POSITIVE THINKING 1. Ask pupils to pair up and face each other. You will play a competitive game with each other but first, you need to learn how to play the game. attentional control 2. Do a couple of practice runs. Firstly, stand with your hands behind your backs. Then bring your hands up in front of yourselves with the palms of your hands ANXIETY CONTROL facing away from you (at around chest height) and with the palms facing the other person’s palms so that all four hands are comfortably in sight of both of you. First time around many will do this slowly and hesitantly. Repeat the practice run but exhort them to do it much more quickly. 3. When ready, say: You are going to compete with each other over 5 rounds. Only now, when you bring your hands up, you choose how many fingers and thumbs you will show. You do this whilst your hands are behind your back. The winner is the one who counts all the fingers (and thumbs) on all four hands in front of them and who is the first to shout out the correct answer. 4. Announce each of the rounds by counting down 3-2-1-Go! 5. Take everyone through the first 4 rounds. A really good buzz develops. Concentration develops over the 4 rounds. Most take it seriously and enjoy it. Some may delay bringing their hands up which gives them a slight advantage. Some always show 8 - 10 fingers and thumbs – knowing that the other will have to count them all whilst they may only have to count a few on their opponent's hand. It’s not important and best treated lightly. 6. After the fourth round, check generally to see if there are any clear leaders who are winning 3-1 or even 4-0. Now announce: There is a change in the rules - for the final round, the slate is wiped clean and this is now “winner take all”. In response to this, some pupils might complain “it’s not fair”. If so, respond firmly that “life’s not fair”. 7. Run the fifth round. Congratulate winners, commiserate with the losers. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
US Basketball Background: This is an exercise used by the USA basketball team (who rarely lose) to teach players to focus and to concentrate. It works remarkably well. The sudden change in rules is designed to show people how to deal with setbacks. Some will be thrown, whereas others seize the opportunity and take it in their stride. It is an experiential exercise which requires structured reflection to enable them to extract learning in order to build a sense of control and understand how to concentrate. Discussion Guides: Did everyone enjoy doing this? What did pupils think was the key to success in this exercise? They should point to concentration, focus and to not allow the change in rules upset them. How did they feel when you changed the rules before the last round? How did those ahead feel and how did those behind feel? What did it do to their mindset – where they more or less determined to win? Those who were behind should talk about how their mindset changed from feeling they were losing to feeling they were in with a chance. The trick is to do this in the head at any time. They can do that at any time simply by imagining everything is still possible when things go badly. What did they do to improve focus as the exercise progressed? Can they do this elsewhere – like doing coursework, writing assignments, before an exam, etc.? Why do they think this might help performance, wellbeing and behaviour? Finally, a useful message here is that even a world-beating team like the USA Basketball Team (which pretty much wins all of the time) practices concentration and dealing with setbacks because it is so important to success.
number grid GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: Number grid worksheets are available to download from your online account. Running the Exercise: Run in up to 4 cycles, enabling learning from each cycle to be applied to the next attempt. 1. You need a stopwatch and copies of the number grid to enable pupils to visualisation complete the activity 4 times. 2. Explain that pupils will complete an exercise which will “test” their ability to focus. They must follow your instructions closely and must not cheat. 3. Issue a number grid sheet to each pupil. Ask to place the sheet in front of them with Grid B facing upwards. 4. Explain that: When I say “GO” you can turn the sheet over and work on the Number Grid which POSITIVE THINKING is now facing up (Grid A). This stops pupils from looking ahead and avoids cheating. Turning the sheet over, you need to find 0, cross it off, then 1, cross it off and so on. You must do this in sequence – no cheating – no skipping numbers. You have 90 seconds. The last number crossed off will be your score. 5. Run one round. Shout “Stop” when the time is up. You can use different time attentional control intervals - up to 3 minutes works. Teacher Review: ANXIETY CONTROL Ask how many scored more than 25 (rare), more than 20, more than 15 and less than 15. Most first-time scores are around the 12-18 mark. Ask pupils with the highest score how they achieved it. Similarly, with pupils with the lowest score ask what they found difficult or challenging. Encourage short discussion so that all learn ideas about improving their scores. 6. Re-run the exercise three more times, each time challenge pupils to improve their scores. Teacher Review: After each round, ask how many have improved and how many have worse scores. Congratulate those who have improved their scores and ask them to share what they did this time that they didn't do before. Over time everyone should improve on their original score and will be concentrating very well. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
number grid Encourage pupils to: • Reflect on what they have done and what they have learned. • Identify what they can do to improve concentration. Think about how they can apply this to coursework, study, reading, etc. Background: This is an exercise which is engaging and illustrates the value of repeated practice as well as concentration. It involves everyone in a debate. It has the advantage that it has a built-in scoring mechanism which enables progression to be assessed. Improving attentional control i.e. the ability to focus longer and to focus better can produce a big boost to productivity, learning and wellbeing. Studies show that it is possible to improve attention span from a (UK) average of 8 minutes to 45+ minutes. Not only enabling pupils to be more productive but it takes the stress out of such activities. Discussion Guides: Why do pupils think their score has changed? Do people feel more positive and more focused? What difference does this make for them? E.g. when reading or writing? Why do they think concentration helps performance, wellbeing and behaviour? Reflection will usually produce a range of answers around three themes: 1. Techniques – often to do with organising themselves. 2. Setting goals and targets and steadily working towards them. 3. Concentrating and blocking out distractions. By the 4th cycle, pupils will often be so focused on the exercise that they fail to notice what anyone else is doing. This illustrates that improving focus can be learned and that most can work it out for themselves or by talking to others. This is experiential learning. An online version is available on http://www.salticid.com/concentration.htm The grid is refreshed after each use. It is impossible to cheat. You can alter the dimensions of the grid to make it more difficult over time. It assesses time taken to complete a grid, which makes it useful for developing attention span.
stroop exercise GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources: visualisation The PowerPoint Stroop Test is available to download from your online account. There are several versions of Stroop tests available online. POSITIVE THINKING Running the Exercise: attentional control A short exercise capable of being carried out in 10-20 minutes. It works well with other concentration exercises. ANXIETY CONTROL Explain that the purpose of the exercise is to assess and develop concentration. I am going to show you a set of four slides. Each of the slides has a 5 x5 grid on it with 6 words describing colours – like Red, Green, etc. All but two of the words are in their correct colour. You will have 8 seconds to spot which they are. Take a piece of paper and create 4 sections where you will record which letters are in the wrong colour. Once I start the PowerPoint it won’t stop. We’ll see how many you get right out of 8. When students are ready, run the PowerPoint slides. Teacher Review: Check on sores – some will do well and others won’t. What did the people who scored well do to get their scores? Do they have any tips to share with others? What will everyone do to improve their scores? Shut out distraction, focus harder, be more systematic in scanning each slide all help commitment. It is useful to ask everyone to predict how many they will get right – goal setting. Re-run the exercise with Version 2. Teacher Review: How many improved their scores? How close to your goals did you get? How does that make you feel? What did you do to help your concentration this time? What did others do? Where could you apply this in other aspects of your school work? Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
stroop exercise Background: The Stroop Test is much more challenging than it first appears. It’s much harder to identify a colour when it’s different from the word than it is to identify when the two match. This challenging test relies on two key cognitive skills, response inhibition and selective attention. Because most people’s automatic response is to read a word, the Stroop Test is a classic test of response inhibition. This involves responding quickly while avoiding irrelevant or incorrect impulses that may interfere with accomplishing goal-driven tasks. It contributes to attentional control which relates directly to commitment in the Mental Toughness Model. It will also contribute to the control scale. Response inhibition is associated with the brain’s executive function, and brain imaging studies have found that that performing the Stroop Test activates brain areas involved in executive function, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The Stroop Test also challenges selective attention, or the ability to choose which stimuli to focus on and which to ignore. The mental flexibility required to switch between multiple stimuli is essential: without good selective attention, it can also be easy to make errors. This is a significant factor in attentional control – developing this enables us to develop commitment. Discussion Guides: How do pupils concentrate and avoid distraction when needed? When looking at a subject – some material is core to understanding and some are peripheral. How to do pupils focus on what is important rather than interesting?
stork stand GOAL SETTING Support Resources & Materials visualisation No materials required. Running the exercise: POSITIVE THINKING This is an exercise which is widely used in sports applications and in martial arts and meditation training. For most this is a challenge which they need to master attentional control by learning from repeated practice and failure. Explain that: You need to find a spot away from chairs and other hazardous objects. Begin by standing and stretching your arms out (like a T shape). Place your weight onto one leg and gradually raise your non-supporting leg just off the ground. Place your foot against the inside of the supporting knee. Place your hands on your hips. Close your eyes, clear your mind and try to maintain your balance. How long can you keep this up? Let’s see who can do it for the longest. Repeat for the other leg. Clearing the mind, or distraction from thinking about an activity can help you achieve longer stork stands. Closing your eyes will make this more difficult. Repeat the exercise for two more rounds. Scoring is shown below. Your score is the total time in seconds that you held the stork. Your final score should be the best of three attempts. ANXIETY CONTROL Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
stork stand Teacher Review: Encourage pupils to reflect on what they have done and what they have learned about being able to “clear the mind” and achieve a task which is challenging. Identify what they can do to improve concentration. Think how they can apply this to coursework, study, reading, etc. Background: This is an exercise widely used for balance training in sports. Increasing balance not only enhances physical performance but it t is also thought to contribute to improved psychological and emotional states through the building of self- efficacy (life control and confidence in abilities).
thunderclap GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources visualisation No special materials required. A concentration exercise. POSITIVE THINKING This is an excellent icebreaker or starter activity. A very simple short breathing exercise, which research has shown is enough to refocus the minds of highly attentional control distracted people. It works especially well with multitaskers. ANXIETY CONTROL Running the exercise: This activity can be done with a small group but the larger the better. The exercise is aimed at younger pupils but can be used in large groups. Time can be dependent upon the number of cycles you wish the group to undertake. Divide the group into three teams, around similar numbers. Explain to the whole group that: 1. You are collectively going to contribute in making a thunderstorm by making four sounds only. 2. The sounds you will be making are: Drizzle – this will be done by gently rubbing palms of hands together to make a light whispering noise. Light rain – by moving hands up and down in opposite directions, palms brushing against each other as they pass. Heavy rain – clapping hands together. Thunder – clapping your hands against your thighs. 3. Ask the first group to make the drizzle, then ask the second group to make the drizzle. Ask the third to do the same. Then ask the first group to make light rain while the other two groups maintain drizzle. Then bring on board the other groups to make drizzle and so on through the sounds until they are all making thunder. 4. Then work backwards by making the first group to make heavy rain and so forth through the groups and noises until they are all back to drizzle. Teacher Review: The need for concentration and awareness of the role they play in the exercise is important so that they can work as part of a team. Have pupils think about focussing on their task. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
thunderclap Note: This exercise works well with small and large groups and compliments other attentional control exercises such as the Number Grid. By mixing the two exercises up alternatively pupils can understand the different ways of bringing their mind to focus on a task. Background: Attentional control techniques are very useful for getting students to think about how they keep their 'eye on the ball'. It is also a great way of getting people to remove distractions from their thoughts. It is especially useful for bringing a group back to focus after a period of activity. The exercise also rests on the teamwork of the smaller groups, something which they can build on as part of their development. Discussion Guides: At the end of the exercise ask pupils how difficult they found it to concentrate at the beginning. Did it get easier as the exercise went on? Were they worried about messing it up? Did they think it would get so loud? Ask them how they felt when it was all building up to the crescendo. Was it exciting? Did it make them feel good that it was all working in harmony?
RECOGNISING YOUR BLOCKERS GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources visualisation Paper and pencil. Running the exercise: POSITIVE THINKING A blocker is a psychological barrier that prevents you from working. Blockers can be in the form of behaviour, thought patterns or habits. It is important that we attentional control recognise, acknowledge and break down these blockers. There are four phases to identifying signs of blockers: ANXIETY CONTROL 1. Initial lack of motivation The feeling that you don't want to complete a piece of work. 2. Bypassing Conscience Most people will feel guilty when they put off completing a piece of work but sometimes we can bypass that conscience by purposely re-thinking the situation to make us feel better. For example; Other people in the class haven't started their homework yet so it's okay that I haven't. I have worked very hard. I deserve a break. I will go out with my friends instead. 3. Creating opportunity There needs to be something nearby that can distract you. We often work near others, next to our phones or with the TV/music on. You are subconsciously looking for a distraction. 4. Getting away with it If you feel that you have gotten away with it then the thought pattern will continue. Teacher Review: Ask individuals about the blockers they have identified. How does that make them feel? How could they change their thought patterns? How can they overcome and eliminate blockers? How does that make them feel? What can they achieve if they overcome those blockers? Background: This is an exercise which will help individuals to improve their outlook and to show them how to optimise their time, reduce distractions and show them what they can achieve. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
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goal setting GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources visualisation Pens and scrap paper (for writing ideas down). Smart Target worksheet which is available to download from your online POSITIVE THINKING account. Running the exercise: attentional control This works best with younger pupils as an entry-level exercise in goal setting and understanding the building blocks to achieve a goal. ANXIETY CONTROL This exercise usually takes around 30-45 minutes to complete. Setting goals gives meaning and direction and can be used for small or big tasks. Explain to pupils that goal setting is a good way of approaching new challenges. Explain that: The goal setting worksheet will act as their guide to getting from the start point of an activity to the endpoint. 1. The first question will be ‘what is my goal?’ Ask pupils to think about this for a couple of minutes. They can decide what their goal is – but remember to be realistic. If their goal is to win the lottery just remind them of the odds! The goal can be directed by the teacher or pupils can identify their own goal, personal or academic. There is space on the worksheet for pupils to write their goal. 2. Ask pupils to spend 10 minutes filling in the other boxes on the worksheet. Ask them to think about the practicalities of completing the goal as well as their commitment and challenge to the task. 3. While they are completing the boxes get them to think about why this goal is important to them – what will happen by completing it? Who will benefit? How will it make them feel achieving it? The total time for this exercise is 30-45 minutes. Teacher Review: This exercise will encourage pupils to think about what they want to achieve and how they are going to do it. By identifying the elements that will get them there, the task will seem less daunting and more manageable. Offering advice around who could help them/where they could go for information and other prompts will allow them to see the task as achievable. Background: The simple definition of goal setting is the process of identifying something that one wants to complete or achieve and setting a process out in which order to be successful. The aim is to guide and motivate a person so that they can accomplish small tasks which will contribute to the final outcome. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
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eating the elephant GOAL SETTING Support Materials & Resources visualisation 4-2-1 templates are available to download from your online account. An exercise in commitment. POSITIVE THINKING An introduction to a goal-setting technique that helps to plan the achievement of a big/bigger goal and in setting milestones. attentional control Running the exercise - it is most effective when running in conjunction with a real activity or challenge that has been set – an assignment or project. ANXIETY CONTROL Explain that: I am going to introduce you to a simple technique that will help you to plan the achievement of bigger tasks – like writing an assignment. The 4-2-1 technique shows you how to create the slices. What you do is this: • Take a goal or target e.g. upcoming coursework. It has to be completed in 4 days or 4*weeks. • Work out what you must do by the end of the time period if this is to be achieved - the different elements. These can be transferred to a gantt chart later on. • Work out what you must do by halfway through your task – i.e. the end of 2 weeks if this is to be achieved. List the tasks and activities. • Then using this as your endpoint, work out what you must do by halfway to this point (1 week) if this is to be achieved. List the tasks and activities. • You will now have a plan with milestones at 1, 2 and 4 weeks. Next • Work on what you must achieve before your first milestone. This should now be achievable - it’s not the big goal but an important step on the way. The actions will typically be small actions that are easily handled. • When you get to your first milestone, check what you have done and, if necessary adjust your plan in the same way as above to re-set milestones. *It can be any time period as long as you can set milestones for the end goal, 50% of the way there and for the next 25% of the way there. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
eating the elephant Teacher Review: Ideally this should be done with a real activity. Check pupils understanding and have them complete the exercise in class. Check that they are happy and feel confident they will achieve their goals. Review the use of the technique on completion of activity. Where else can they apply it? Background: This is simply a way of scoping and planning work that might be a little challenging or complex. It’s great for projects and team activities where activities might have to be allocated to others. It works well with Gantt charting and with SMART goals setting.
Managing my time GOAL SETTING The Urgent vs. Important Matrix visualisation “The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated POSITIVE THINKING to the strength of their purpose.” – Albert E. Gray. Managing time effectively is a challenge at the best of times but especially so when we are under pressure to achieve really important goals – such as an exam. A useful way of approaching time management is to be clear about the importance and the urgency of what you are doing or being asked to do. The Urgent and Importance matrix helps us to assess each activity in those terms. We spend our time in one of four ways indicated in the time management matrix below. Urgent Important Quadrant 1 Quadrant 2 attentional control URGENT + IMPORTANT NOT URGENT, BUT IMPORTANT E.g. Revision E.g. Assignments Preparation Meetings Personal Development Interviews Leisure Quadrant 3 Quadrant 4 ANXIETY CONTROL URGENT, BUT NOT NOT URGENT, NOT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT E.g. E.g. Some phone calls, Games & TV things you might like Social Media doing Some phone calls The matrix will help to plan the use of your time. It is also very useful to assess every activity when we find ourselves doing something. Control Confidence Commitment Challenge
managing my time Explain that: You will reflect on recent day’s activities. Mark out the quadrant on a sheet of paper. Set out things you did during the day in the relevant quadrants. • In to which quadrant did most activities fall? • Were activities in quadrant two and one more productive than activities in other quadrants? • How could you assess activities in the future in terms of their importance? Most people find themselves repeatedly in quadrants one and three, which leads to a state of crisis and panic. This indicates that most of us respond more quickly to what is urgent than what is important and thereby, using precious time on less productive activities. Quadrant two is where we should be, dealing with important things but before they become urgent. However, more often, we find ourselves in quadrant four. It is then that we get bogged down with unnecessary, time-consuming tasks. Using the time that you have available to the best effect improves… • Your ability to control CONTROL • Your ability to deal with challenge CHALLENGE • Your ability to achieve your most important goals COMMITMENT • Confidence in your abilities to handle the challenge CONFIDENCE
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