Throughout the first and second year of studying Business and Human Resource Management, I was always able to manage stress and time effectively. During the First semester of Year three I also found that I was able to use my time effectively, My learning style is of such, which enables me to work better under pressure, However at the end of this final semester I have faced the problem of working nearer to deadline. I am able to complete tasks on time, but due to the deadlines being so nearby for all modules it has caused a bit of stress. Therefore I feel my strength is starting to turn into a weakness.
Once I realised this was the case I started to map out all the tasks needed to be completed and how I would prioritise my time more effectively without causing any stress. I also carried out a stress management quiz and time management quiz (Refer to Appendix 7 and Appendix 8) which shows that I am at the border line of managing stress effectively. However knowing that stress can cause health issues, I have started to take into consideration that although I work better under pressure it would be far more convenient to start work earlier, so that I do not worry so much about it later on nearing to deadlines.
Another weakness I need to focus on is on time management, for some reason I am not able to work in the library facility at University. I have found that I get easily distracted in a social setting, undermining my work, as it tends to get quite noisy time to time which makes it difficult to concentrate. Therefore, I have started to continue with my assignments from home, which is a lot more relaxing and my concentration levels are far higher. Although I still need to continue mapping out all my work so that I am able to go about tackling problems more effectively in order to get tasks done a lot quicker.
Cameron, (2009, p. 43) cited that “stress levels at work are typically highest during the early stages of a new job, whether in a new organisation or after promotion. ” Therefore, it is essential for me to start recognising stress and dealing with it before entering a job. As I have no experience of working, it may be far more difficult for me to adapt to a certain working environments, so being equipped and using my time effectively will enable me to adjust and handle situations when comes to problem solving and getting tasks done.
One of my major strengths is working under pressure, I am able to get work done a lot quicker when I am stressed, however this year was quite difficult nonetheless, I have managed to meet all my deadlines on time so far. I have always enjoyed working under pressure, it is like a tonic which boosts me but now I feel I need to keep it under control so it does not take a toll on me. In university this year, I took part in the consultancy project as well as other assignments which have specific deadlines for completion. Through completion of these projects I have learnt that it is essential to follow specific deadlines and work on schedule.
Although I work better under pressure, I do sometimes wish that I had planned ahead, so that I could have avoided the procrastination, and avoid the pressure that can sometimes cause stress. However throughout the final semester to avoid pressure, particularly on a deadline that has a tight deadline, I broke it into portions and completed it bit by bit. By doing this I was able to reduce the pressure that was put on me. In conclusion I have to admit that I have not been able to improve all my skills effectively however, I have started to make an attempt.
Knowing that I recognised the solutions to my weaknesses gradually throughout the two semesters, I have not managed to work on them as much as wanted to. Although through reflecting I have realised and understood far more and I am much more aware of which skills need improving or developing in regards to getting acceptance from a suitable job which I will enjoy. The activities I carried out and the weaknesses I identified at the start of the module, I was not able to give it much importance until now, as I had other modules and the deadlines were very near together in which I found it difficult to prioritising everything.
Through mapping out tasks I ended up doing tasks which had earlier deadlines leaving the latest submissions till last. Therefore I have learnt that I need to use my time more effectively than previously done before, as through time, things are bound to get more complicated and I need to be able to handle the pressure and situations effectively in order to be successful in the longer run.
Overall the PACE module has guided me to reflect on learning a lot more than I did previously as well as Identify my strengths and weaknesses, and how to go about improving and developing my learning style and specific skills through the use of several different exercises and sources. I will carry on working on improving on my skills so that I am able to meet the requirements of the graduate scheme I wish to take on after finishing my studies. Therefore I have carried out a three year Personal Development Plan (PDP) which is shown in the next pages.