CALICUT UNIVERSITY – FOUR-YEAR UNDER

GRADUATE PROGRAMME (CU-FYUGP)

BSc PSYCHOLOGY

Programme B. Sc. Psychology

Course Title Life Skill Development
Type of Course MDC -1
Semester I
Academic Level 100-199
Course Details Credit Lecture per Tutorial Practical Total Hours
week per week per week
3 3 - - 45
Pre-requisites Nil
Course The Life Skill Development course equips students with essential tools
Summary and strategies to navigate everyday challenges, fostering self-awareness,
enhanced interpersonal skills, effective communication, and the
confidence to tackle life's challenges with resilience and adaptability for
lifelong success

Course Outcomes (CO):

CO CO Statement Cognitive Knowledge Evaluation
Level* Category# Tools used
CO1 Demonstrate a profound understanding U C Instructor-
of different life skills and its created exams
significance in daily life
CO Practise life skills U&Ap P Role-Playing
2 Assessments
CO3 Critically Analyse situations and An M Develop and
illustrate the life skills utilized present various
real-life
scenarios /
case studies/
Analysis of
skills in
different life
situations
CO4 Develop effective communication and Ap P Role play
interpersonal relationship.
CO5 Compare between problem-focused and U C Written

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 emotion-focused coping strategies. Assessments
CO6 Practise stress management in personal Ap P Role play
and professional life

CO7 Create life skill-based interventions in C C Discussion

personal and professional life.

CO8 Originate socially sensitive decisions C P Discussion

and solve problems through
internalization and characterization of
life skills.

* - Remember (R), Understand (U), Apply (Ap), Analyse (An), Evaluate (E), Create (C)
# - Factual Knowledge(F) Conceptual Knowledge (C) Procedural Knowledge (P)
Metacognitive Knowledge (M)

Detailed Syllabus:
Module Unit Content Hrs Marks
(45) (50)
I Introduction to Life Skills 7 105
1 Life skills- Definition by WHO 2
2 10 Core Life Skills 2
3 Components of life skill 1
4 Significance of Life skills for adolescents and 2
youth
Sections from References:
II Social Skills 7 12
5 Self-Awareness- Understanding one self- 1
Importance of Balanced Diet, Exercise, Sleep
Hygiene
6 Empathy 2
7 Effective communication and interpersonal 2
relationship
8 Assertiveness as a type of communication- 2
Passive communication and aggressive
communication
Sections from References:
III Cognitive Skills 15 16
9 Critical Thinking 1
10 Creative Thinking Skills - Thinking ‘out of the 1
box’
11 Decision making 1

2
 12 Career decision 2
13 Conflict and its types-( Approach- Approach, 2
Avoidance- Avoidance, Approach- Avoidance)
14 Attempts of negotiation 2
15 Problem-solving- Individual and group level 2
16 Barriers to problem solving 2
17 Goal Setting 2
Sections from References:
IV Coping skills/ Management skills 7 12
18 Coping with emotion- Significance of Emotional 1
regulation
19 Stress- Biological changes associated with stress 2
20 Eustress and Distress- role of perception in stress 2
21 Coping mechanisms- Emotion-focused and 2
problem-focused
Time management
Sections from References:
V Open Ended Module: Application of life skills for 9
various groups
1 Teachers can decide the application of life skills
to any specific groups or organizations according
to the locality or social needs of the college.
Students can engage in the activities designed by
the teacher and the teacher will do a continuous
assessment of the performance of the student. An
interactive method of teaching can be preferred.
 Eg.: Encourage students to craft personal
narratives that highlight their experiences,
values, and goals to relate it to life Skills
 Share and discuss these narratives in a
supportive and constructive environment.
 Facilitate activities that allow students to
explore their leadership styles and
preferences.
 Encourage participation in student
organizations or community service to
develop leadership skills.
 Conduct workshops on effective
communication, active listening, and
conflict resolution.
 Encourage role-playing scenarios to
practice and reinforce interpersonal skills.
 Do self-assessment and peer assessment
after workshops and discuss the
significance of feedback communication.
Suggested activities for different modules
( Submit report of any two)

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Module 1:
 Analysis of skills in different life
situations- to identify the usage of life
skills and lack of skills- The teacher or
students can select suitable activities to
identify and internalize life skill
 Eg. Compare short-term and long-term
goals.(Identify life skills used and apply
life skills in analysis, and suggest
decisions with self awareness- Impulsive
decision- habit formation etc. -generate
discussion)
 Analyze a story- for example-the Story of
Crocodile and Monkey- relationship
development- Effective Communication-
emotional management- quick decision
making- terminating relationship-
identified toxicity in relationship etc.-
generate discussion
 Other life events leading to decision-
making can be analyzed in the classroom
 Students can find out similar socio-
political events for analysis and
discussion
Module 2
 SWOT analysis- Identify components of
toxic relationship quoting examples from
cinema or stories- Students’ presentation-
Group discussion.
 The teacher presents cases for the
identification of a lack of empathy and
discusses the need for social inclusion
(Eg. Reciprocal relationship between
parent and offspring, teacher and students
etc.- Need for empathy from both sides)
 Students can identify success stories of
social inclusion from their locality and
present them as a seminar.
 Develop code of conduct for college/
department- critically analyze based on
human right.
 Group discussion of POSH (Prohibition
of Sexual Harassment) Act at the
workplace- Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal- Equality and Equity-
Discussion On Sexual Exploitation and
the Need For Assertive Communication
 Conduct role plays related to gender
discrimination- students may extend it to
street play.

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  Develop a theme dance on inclusion.
 ‘One-day’ activity analysis of a male and
female teacher- to discuss in the class
based on Social Skills
 Students write project proposals to the
government based on efforts for gender
justice/ students can analyze school or
nursery textbooks in terms of gender.
Module 3
 Categorise types of conflicts using
examples or list conflicts into different
types.
 Analyse the difficulty in decision-making
according to the complexity of problems-
puzzles, social conflict, personal conflicts
etc.
 Make group discussions on social
problems like causes of population
explosion, increased drug abuse- based on
life skills, and life skills applications to
prevent substance abuse on college
campuses. Explore hypothetical scenarios
to prompt reflection on the importance of
values in decision-making.
 Case study analysis on domestic violence-
discuss what a UG Student can do as per
their competence.
 Students conducting awareness classes on
webaholism and internet addiction for
school students
 Presenting seminars on cases like
domestic violence, negotiation in
organizational setup, labour conflicts,
aptitude measurement in career selection
etc also may be encouraged.
 Students cite examples of intolerance
from stories or history to become aware
of their cultural biases and assumptions.
 Foster an inclusive environment that
values diversity and different
perspectives.
Module 4
 Seminar on the students’ stress, academic
stress, exam fear, study skills, social
anxiety, Emotional regulation, etc – along
with generating a discussion.
 Adolescents’ conflicts with parents and
teachers- list out causes.
 How do you manage stress- compare
between students- unique ways of

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 managing stress- discussion
 Lifestyle disorders- causes and
consequences- collage
 Gender differences in expression of
emotions- role play
 Case analysis of self-harming behaviour-
suicidal tendency
 Use case studies or simulations to allow
students to practice handling challenging
interpersonal situations.

Sections from References:

Books and References:
Life Skills Education Toolkit for Orphans & Vulnerable Children in India, India – (October
2007) ISBN 1-933702-19-2
Weiten, W., Dunn, D. S., & Hammer, E. Y. (2018). Psychology applied to modern life-
Adjustment in the 21st century, 12th Ed. USA: Cengage learning
Caproni, P. (2000). Practical coach: management skills for everyday life, the. Prentice Hall
Press.
Schab, L. M. (2022). The Self-esteem Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Build
Confidence and Achieve Your Goals. New Harbinger Publications.
Davis, M., Eshelman, E.R., & MKay, M. (2000). The Relaxation & Stress Reduction
Workbook. New Harbinger Publication, Inc.
Seaward, B.L. (2022). Managing Stress- Skills for Self- care, Personal Resiliency, and
Work life Balance in a rapidly changing world. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
American India Foundation (2018). Handbook of activities on life skills. Pealidezin.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf
Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life Skills
Course Facilitator’s Manual. https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2776/file/Basic
%20Life%20Skills%20Course%20Facilitator%E2%80%99s%20Manual.pdf
Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. (2019). Basic Life Skills
Course Student Workbook. https://www.unicef.org/azerbaijan/media/2796/file/BLS
%20Student%60s%20book%20.pdf
Life skills on adolescent reproductive health: package of lessons and curriculum materials.
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000125112 De Azevedo Hanks, J. (2016). The
assertiveness guide for women: How to communicate your needs, set healthy boundaries,
and transform your relationships. New Harbinger Publications.
Williams, v., &Williams, R. (1996). Life Skills. New York: Three Rivers Press.
https://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/library/M0063.pdf
Websites:
UNESCO - http://www.unesco.org/
UNFPA - http://www.unfpa.org/
UNICEF - http://www.unicef.org/
United Nations - http://www.un.org/
WHO - http://www.who.int/en/
Additional Reading
Kelly-Plate, J.,& Eubanks,E. (2010). Applying life skills. USA: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
https://aif.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lifeskills-2018a_MAST.pdf

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Note: The course is divided into five modules, with four modules together having total 21
fixed units and one open-ended module with a variable number of units. There are a total of
36 instructional hours for the fixed modules and 9 hours for the open-ended one. Internal
assessments (25 marks) are split between the open-ended module (5 marks) and the fixed
modules (20 marks). The final exam, however, covers only the 21 units from the fixed
modules. The 50 marks shown in the last column, distributed over the first four modules, is
only for the external examination.

Mapping of COs with PSOs and POs :

PSO1 PSO2 PSO3 PSO4 PSO5 PSO6 PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6

CO 1 3 - - - - -

CO 2 - 2 - - 2 -

CO 3 - - - - 3 -

CO 4 - 3 - - - -

CO 5 1 - - - - -

CO 6 - 2 - - 2 -
CO7 2 - - - -

CO8 - - - - 2

Correlation Levels:

Leve Correlation
l
- Nil
1 Slightly / Low
2 Moderate / Medium
3 Substantial / High

Assessment Rubrics:

 Quiz / Assignment/ Quiz/ Discussion / Seminar

 Midterm Exam
 Programming Assignments (20%)
 Final Exam (70%)

Mapping of COs to Assessment Rubrics :

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 Internal Exam Assignmen Project Evaluation End Semester Examinations
t

CO 1 ✓ ✓

CO 2 ✓

CO 3 ✓

CO 4 ✓ ✓

CO 5 ✓ ✓

CO 6
CO 7

CO 8

8
Material
Coping skills/ Management skills 7
Coping with emotion- Significance of Emotional regulation 1
Stress- Biological changes associated with stress 2
Eustress and Distress- role of perception in stress 2
Coping mechanisms- Emotion-focused and problem-focused 2
Time management

Activities

 Seminar on the students’ stress, academic stress, exam fear, study skills, social
anxiety, Emotional regulation, etc – along with generating a discussion.
 Adolescents’ conflicts with parents and teachers- list out causes.
 How do you manage stress- compare between students- unique ways of managing
stress- discussion
 Lifestyle disorders- causes and consequences- collage
 Gender differences in expression of emotions- role play
 Case analysis of self-harming behaviour- suicidal tendency
 Use case studies or simulations to allow students to practice handling challenging
interpersonal situations.

Coping with emotion- Significance of Emotional

regulation
Coping with emotions is a critical component of life skills education, emphasizing the ability
to manage, regulate, and understand emotions effectively. Emotional regulation helps
individuals respond to challenges constructively, fostering resilience and overall well-being.

Importance of Coping with Emotions

1. Mental Health Benefits:

o Managing emotions reduces stress and prevents conditions like anxiety or

depression. It also promotes mental stability and helps individuals navigate
life changes and crises effectively.

2. Improved Relationships:

o Emotional regulation enhances communication and empathy, crucial for

maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships. People who can manage their
emotions are better equipped to resolve conflicts peacefully.

3. Physical Health:

o Chronic emotional stress can lead to physical health issues such as heart
disease and weakened immunity. Effective coping mechanisms, such as
mindfulness or physical activity, improve overall health.

4. Decision-Making:
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 o Regulating emotions prevents impulsive actions and allows for thoughtful
decision-making, which is essential for personal and professional growth

Emotion Regulation

The ability of an individual to modulate an emotion or set of

emotions. Explicit emotion regulation requires conscious monitoring, using
techniques such as learning to construe situations differently in order to
manage them better, changing the target of an emotion (e.g., anger) in a
way likely to produce a more positive outcome, and recognizing how
different behaviors can be used in the service of a given emotional
state. Implicit emotion regulation operates without deliberate monitoring; it
modulates the intensity or duration of an emotional response without the
need for awareness. Emotion regulation typically increases across the
lifespan.

Examples of Common Emotion Regulation Strategies

Talking with friends
Exercising
Writing in a journal
Meditation
Therapy
Taking care of self when physically ill
Getting adequate sleep
Paying attention to negative thoughts that occur before or after strong emotions
Noticing when you need a break – and taking it

Stress-
Stressor: Any real or imagined situation, circumstance, or stimulus that is perceived to be a
threat.

Stress is defined as a state of anxiety produced when events and responsibilities exceed one’s
coping abilities (Richard Lazarus).

Stress is the inability to cope with a perceived (real or imagined) threat to one’s mental,
physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, which results in a series of physiological
responses and adaptations (Chopra, 2000; Dossey, 2004).

The important word to emphasize here is perceived (the interpretation), for what
might seem to be a threat to one person may not even merit a second thought to
another individual. For example, not long ago a raffle was held, with the winning
prize being an all-expenses-paid one-week trip for two to a beach resort in Bermuda.
Kelly, who won the prize, was ecstatic and already had her bags packed. Her husband,
John, was mortified because he hated to fly and he couldn’t swim. In his mind, this
would not be a fun time. In fact, he really wished they hadn’t won. Each perceived the
same situation in two entirely different ways. Moreover, with the wisdom of
hindsight, our perceptions often change. Many episodes that at the time seemed

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 catastrophic later appear insignificant, as humorously stated by Mark Twain when he
commented, “I’m an old man and I have known a great many troubles, but most of
them never happened.”

STRESS MODELS/ The Stress Response

Cannon’s fight or flight model

One of the earliest models of stress was developed by Cannon (1932). This was called the
fight or flight model of stress, which suggested that external threats elicited the fight or flight
response involving an increased activity rate and increased arousal. He suggested that these
physiological changes enabled the individual to either escape from the source of stress or
fight. Within Cannon’s model, stress was defined as a response to external stressors, which
was predominantly seen as physiological. Cannon considered stress to be an adaptive
response as it enabled the individual to manage a stressful event. However, he also
recognized that prolonged stress could result in medical problems.

In simple terms, there are four stages of the fight-orflight response:

Stage 1: Stimuli from one or more of the five senses are sent to the brain (e.g., a
scream, the smell of fire, the taste of poison, a passing truck in your lane).

Stage 2: The brain deciphers the stimulus as either a threat or a nonthreat. If the
stimulus is not regarded as a threat, this is the end of the response (e.g., the scream
came from the television). If, however, the response is decoded as a real threat, the
brain then activates the nervous and endocrine systems to quickly prepare for defense
and/or escape.

Stage 3: The body stays activated, aroused, or “keyedup” until the threat is over.

Stage 4: The body returns to homeostasis, a state of physiological calmness, once the
threat is gone.

Selye’s general adaptation syndrome

Selye’s general adaptation syndrome (GAS) was developed in 1956 and described three
stages in the stress process (Selye 1956). The initial stage was called the ‘alarm’ stage, which
described an increase in activity, and occurred immediately the individual was exposed to a
stressful situation. The second stage was called ‘resistance’, which involved coping and
attempts to reverse the effects of the alarm stage. The third stage was called ‘exhaustion’,
which was reached when the individual had been repeatedly exposed to the stressful situation
and was incapable of showing further resistance. This model is shown in Figure.

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Biological Changes Associated with Stress
Physiological stress response:

When your stress response is triggered, a series of changes occur within your body. They
include

 A quickening of your pulse

 Redirection of blood away from extremities and instead to major organs

 Rapid breathing

 Changes in blood pressure

 Muscle tension

 Dilated pupils

 Trembling

 Cold sweats

 Flushing or paling of the skin as blood moves from your extremities

Stress triggers a series of biological responses designed to help the body handle perceived
threats. These changes, primarily driven by the interaction between the nervous and
endocrine systems, are vital for short-term survival but can have long-term negative effects if
stress becomes chronic.

Immediate Responses

 Activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis: Stress stimulates

the hypothalamus, which signals the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH). This, in turn, triggers the adrenal glands to release cortisol, the
primary stress hormone. Cortisol helps regulate blood sugar, metabolism, and
inflammation during stress.
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  Sympathetic Nervous System Activation: This triggers the "fight-or-flight"
response, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration to supply muscles and
the brain with more oxygen and energy. Adrenaline and noradrenaline are released,
intensifying alertness and preparing the body for action.

Long-Term Effects of Chronic Stress

When stress persists, the body's regulatory mechanisms can falter, leading to several
biological issues:

1. Cardiovascular Strain: Prolonged stress can lead to high blood pressure, increased
risk of heart disease, and reduced variability in heart rate, reflecting poor adaptability
to stress.

2. Immune System Suppression: Chronic cortisol release suppresses immune function,

making the body more susceptible to infections and illnesses.

3. Metabolic Disruption: Chronic stress may increase abdominal fat and elevate blood
sugar, contributing to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

4. Neurological Effects: Prolonged stress impacts brain regions like the hippocampus,
reducing memory and learning capacity while increasing the risk of anxiety and
depression

To mitigate these biological effects, adopting stress management techniques such as regular
physical activity, mindfulness, adequate sleep, and healthy eating is critical. Engaging in
social connections and seeking professional help when needed can also improve resilience
against stress.

Understanding and addressing stress responses is essential for maintaining both physical and
mental health, especially in modern, high-stress environments.

Eustress and Distress- role of perception in stress

Eustress: Good stress; any stressor that motivates an individual toward an optimal level of
performance or health.

Eustress is good stress and arises in any situation or circumstance that a person finds
motivating or inspiring. Falling in love might be an example of eustress; meeting a movie star
or professional athlete may also be a type of eustress. Usually, situations that are classified as
eustress are enjoyable and for this reason are not considered to be a threat.

Distress: The unfavorable or negative interpretation of an event (real or imagined) to be

threatening that promotes continued feelings of fear or anger; more commonly known simply
as stress.

There are two kinds of distress: acute stress, or that which surfaces, is quite intense, and
disappears quickly; and chronic stress, or that which may not appear quite so intense, yet
seems to linger for prolonged periods of time (e.g., hours, days, weeks, or months).

13
 An example of acute stress is the following. You are casually driving down the
highway, the wind from the open sunroof is blowing through your hair, and you feel
pretty good about life. With a quick glance in your rearview mirror you see flashing
blue lights. Yikes! So you slow down and pull over. The police car pulls up behind
you. Your heart is racing, your voice becomes scratchy, and your palms are sweating
as you try to retrieve license and registration from your wallet while rolling your
window down at the same time. When the officer asks you why you were speeding
you can barely speak; your voice is three octaves higher than usual. After the officer
runs a check on your car and license, he only gives you a warning for speeding.
Whew! He gets back in his car and leaves. You give him time to get out of sight, start
your engine, and signal to get back onto the highway. Within minutes your heart is
calm, your palms dry, and you start singing to the song on the radio. The threat is
over. The intensity of the acute stress may seem cataclysmic, but it is very short-lived.

Chronic stressors, on the other hand, are not as intense but their duration is unbearably long.
Examples might include the following: being stuck for a whole semester with “the roommate
from hell,” a credit card bill that only seems to grow despite monthly payments, a boss who
makes your job seem worse than that of a galley slave, living in a city you cannot tolerate, or
maintaining a relationship with a girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife that seems bad to
stay in but worse to leave.

Acute stress: Stress that is intense in nature but short in duration.

Chronic stress: Stress that is not as intense as acute stress but that lingers for a prolonged
period of time (e.g., financial problems).

Yerkes-Dodson principle: The theory that some stress (eustress) is necessary for health and
performance but that beyond an optimal amount both will deteriorate as stress increases.

A concept called the Yerkes-Dodson principle, which is applied to athletic performance,

lends itself quite nicely to explaining the relationship between eustress, distress, and health.
When stress increases, moving from eustress to distress, performance or health decreases and
there is greater risk of disease and illness. The optimal stress level is the midpoint, prior to
where eustress turns into distress.

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FIGURE : The Yerkes-Dodson curve illustrates that, to a point, stress or arousal can
actually increase performance. Stress to the left of the midpoint is considered to be eustress.
Stress beyond the midpoint, however, is believed to detract from performance and/or health
status and is therefore labeled distress.

Coping mechanisms- Emotion-focused and problem-

focused
coping refers to efforts to master, reduce, or tolerate the demands created by stress.

Coping is an action, a series of actions, or a thought process used in meeting a stressful or

unpleasant situation or in modifying one’s reaction to such a situation. Coping strategies
typically involve a conscious and direct approach to problems, in contrast to defense
mechanisms.

People cope with stress in many ways. It is most adaptive to use a variety of coping
strategies. Even with so many tactics to choose from, most people come to rely on some
coping strategies more than others. The ability to use multiple strategies (called coping
flexibility) is more desirable than consistently relying on the same strategy. Flexible copers
can differentiate among stressful events in terms of controllability and impact, which is
important information to know when choosing a coping strategy. In addition, the ability to
select a particular coping tactic to deal with a specific adversity helps people avoid becoming
hindered by a problematic strategy. Coping flexibility has been related to positive mental

15
health outcomes (Liao, 2014) including increased resilience (Galatzer-Levy, Burton, &
Bonanno, 2012) and reduced depression, anxiety, and distress (Kato, 2012).

Classifying coping strategies. There are literally hundreds of coping techniques. Carver and
Connor-Smith (2010) point to four important distinctions or groupings of coping strategies
that have proved to be meaningful. The groupings are listed here, along with a representative
example from each category. As with other distinctions, there is significant overlap among
the categories. As you can see, people use quite a variety of coping strategies.

Coping strategies vary in their adaptive value. In everyday terms, when we say that someone
“coped with her problems,” we imply that she handled them effectively. In reality, however,
not all strategies are created equal. For example, coping with a painful breakup by destroying
your ex’s car would clearly be a problematic way of coping (no matter what pop songs would
lead us to believe). Hence, we distinguish between coping patterns that tend to be helpful and
those that tend to be maladaptive. In general, the use of maladaptive strategies is associated
with poorer psychological adjustment, whereas adaptive strategies are related to enhanced
well-being. Bear in mind that our generalizations about the adaptive value of various coping
strategies are based on trends or tendencies identified by researchers. No coping strategy can
guarantee a successful outcome, and the adaptive value of a coping technique depends on the
exact nature of the situation

Problem-Focused and Emotion-Focused Coping

A distinction that was made early on by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) and their colleagues is between
problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping is aimed at the
stressor itself. It may involve taking steps to remove the obstacle that the threat represents or to
evade the threatening stimulus.

Emotion-focused coping stems from the fact that stress experiences typically incorporate distress
emotions. Emotion-focused coping is aimed at reducing those emotions. There are many ways to try
to reduce feelings of distress. Thus, many coping responses have been characterized as being
emotion focused. If the point of a given response is to try to make oneself feel better, that response

16
would thereby seem to be emotion-focused coping. Relaxation exercises would represent emotion-
focused coping; going to the movies to take one’s mind off the problem might be seen as emotion-
focused coping; for some people, shopping is emotion focused coping.

Another important kind of emotion-focused coping is accommodation to the stressor’s existence, or

acceptance of its reality, or perhaps a reframing of the situation to emphasize its positive aspects
(Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub 1989; Wade et al., 2001). This sort of response seems to permit the
person both to feel better about the situation and to remain engaged in other kinds of coping
efforts.

Time management
Time management is the ability to plan and control how someone spends the hours in a day to
effectively accomplish their goals.

Time management is an essential skill for balancing work, personal life, and other
responsibilities. Here are some practical strategies to help you manage your time more
effectively:

1. Prioritize Tasks

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  Use the Eisenhower Matrix: Categorize tasks by urgency and importance to identify
what to do now, what to schedule, what to delegate, and what to drop.

 Identify Your MITs (Most Important Tasks): Focus on completing these first each
day to ensure key priorities are met.

2. Plan Your Day

 Daily To-Do List: Make a list each morning or the night before with realistic goals.

 Time Blocking: Allocate specific time slots for each task or type of work.

 Set Time Limits: Establish a set amount of time to complete tasks to prevent them
from dragging on.

3. Avoid Multitasking

 Focus on One Task at a Time: Multitasking can reduce overall efficiency.

Concentrate on one task to enhance productivity and quality.

4. Minimize Distractions

 Turn Off Notifications: Reduce interruptions by silencing your phone or turning off
non-essential notifications.

 Create a Dedicated Workspace: Set up an environment that supports focus and

minimizes distractions.

5. Use Productivity Tools

 Task Management Apps: Tools like Todoist, Trello, or Asana help track tasks and
progress.

 Calendars: Use digital calendars like Google Calendar to schedule blocks of focused
work, meetings, and breaks.

6. Take Regular Breaks

 Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This helps
maintain focus and prevent burnout.

 Mindful Breaks: Use breaks to stretch, walk, or do a quick relaxation exercise to

refresh your mind.

7. Learn to Say No

 Recognize your limits and avoid taking on more than you can handle. This preserves
time for priorities and helps prevent overload.

8. Review and Adjust

 Reflect Weekly: Assess what worked well and what didn’t during the week, and
adjust your plan for the following week.

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  Be Flexible: Adapt your schedule if unexpected tasks arise or priorities shift.

9. Set Boundaries

 Work Hours: Define when your work starts and ends to avoid it spilling into personal
time.

 Communicate Your Availability: Let colleagues and others know when you are free
or focused on deep work.

10. Practice Self-Care

 Sleep, Nutrition, and Exercise: Good physical health supports focus and energy
levels.

 Downtime: Allocate time for hobbies, relaxation, or social interactions to recharge.

These strategies can help you maintain balance, reduce stress, and increase productivity over
time.

End

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