In the current context of the technology era, it gets challenging for every parent to teach time management for kids. The world has presented them with multiple distractions from Netflix, Prime, Online Games, Zoom classes. When the distractions are more, it is difficult to learn and build cognitive skills.In the age where technology rules the world, it's also important to inculcate good old habits with an agreeable example. Developing cognitive skills helps to plan and prioritize things better, they internalize them and helps them for lifelong success.

Time Management for Kids

Remember the famous Stanford Marshmallow experiment? This was a study on delayed gratification on small children, where the child was offered a choice between one small but immediate reward, or two small rewards if they waited for a period of time. During this time, the researcher left the room for about 15 minutes and then returned. The reward was either a marshmallow or pretzel stick, depending on the child's preference. In the follow-up studies, children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes, educational attainment, other life measures

Practice waiting

Few suggestions<ul><li>Start making a count-down chart in your fridge for the birthday party, Christmas, New Year, Vacation, others. Brings up the excitement and teaches the kids to practice waiting</li><li>Use routine charts with rewards, make chores time fun and creative</li><li>Though we are living in the 'click of a button' age, it is ok to tell your kid to wait for a few days to buy the favorite book/series/games/toys they ask</li></ul>

In the classrooms, the students are assigned certain places to keep their books, files, lunch box, etc. Following a similar technique helps in keeping the kid on top of things and also being responsible. Few suggestions<ul><li>Keeping the remote control on the TV table</li><li>Using docking stations to charge the gadgets</li><li>Arranging the books, toys, others in places where they belong</li></ul>

Follow the Keep here routine

The goal here is to make the child manage the tasks effectively and efficiently. During the initial, the timer could create anxiety and stress, but over the period of time, they will learn to manage the task with greater efficiency and more importantly in an effective manner. Timer helps the kids to also manage consequences better, learn the make better estimation of the task, break a larger task into small chunks and fit into their agenda, etc. This makes them manage their stress better, make them more accountable and responsible for their activities.

Use Hourglass/ Visual timer

Few suggestionsPlan to make canvas drawing, build a lego model, others<ul><li>Set a timeline by when you should complete the activity</li><li>Write down the materials required along with the kid</li><li>Plan for shopping</li><li>Schedule some time for the activity</li><li>Draw this entire thing on a piece of paper</li><li>This helps to understand the overall process, estimation, planning</li><li>Don’t forget to reward on you finish it together</li></ul>Planning to complete the homework, use a visual timer or hourglass

Spending a few minutes every day with the child to list down the activities helps understand the backlog. It is important to talk to them that some tasks are short, some are long, some are immediate and some can wait. Not everything can be achieved in the same day and it's important the child understands this. Certain activities may be part of the goal, make sure you draw the timeline and mark important milestones with them. Kind of intermediate reward which keeps them motivated.

Understanding the priorities

Most importantly it's ok to fail to complete a task, this helps them introspect together, gives an opportunity to learn, understand what caused the shift. It will create a sense of understanding and improve the chances of them coming directly to you to discuss their tasks. The most famous example: Rock- Pebble - SandRocks represent the truly important thing, pebbles represent things that matter and sand represents material possession.

Developing cognitive skills helps to plan and prioritize things better, they internalize them and help them for lifelong success. 

habits

Habits

parenting

Parenting

timemanagement

Time Management

How to catch the time?

Dreams helps us to drive towards goals and stay focussed. Improves your memory and broadens your thoughts.

Remember your dreams

Be proud to start your day with a completed task.

Make your bed

Drinking a glass of water in empty stomach, keeps the digestive track healthy

Drink a glass of water

Using non dominant hand for possible tasks, makes you smarter and strong

Non dominant hand

Deep breathing early morning for 15 min every day improves mindfulness

Breathing excercise

Drinking tea rich in antioxidants helps memory function and keeps the brain active

Brain Tea

Writing journal every day helps orient towards our goals, redefine them, makes us feel proud of our achievements

Journal your thoughts

15-20 min of high intensity workout keeps us in good health, sense of accomplishment and active during the day

Workout

Plan drinking different colored smoothies everyday. Colors bring smile and the smoothie takes care of the health

Smoothies

Atleast 15 - 30 min of reading everyday. Suggestion : How does setting a goal of reading 52 books per year sound? HIghly ambitious but its possible :)

Read a book

Starting the first hour of your day with a list of productive activities will energise the whole day, makes you to accomplish more during the day and gives good satisfaction to end the day with a big smile.

Reserve the first hour 

Make every morning productive with these simple techniques

mindfulness

Mindfulness

health

Health

Early Morning Habits

The 5 dysfunctions of a team is a book written by Patrick Lencioni. The author brings out in depth analysis based on the study about the pitfalls the team faces when they grow together, explores the fundamental causes for organisational politics and team failures.

The 5 dysfunctions of a team

Every individual in the team is unique with their  own strengths, weakness, interests, culture, skills and capabilities. Together its more important for a team to be productive and happy with a collective goal in mind.

Do your team members openly and readily disclose their opinions? : Reflects how vulnerable the team is and the trust between the team membersAre your team meetings compelling and productive? : Reflects conflict managementDoes your team come to decisions quickly and avoid getting bogged down by consensus? Reflects the team's commitmentDo your team members confront one another about their shortcomings? Reflects the behaviour of accountabilityDo your team members sacrifice their own interests for the good of the team? Reflects contribution towards team's result and effectiveness

 Author starts asking these 5 questions about every team before we look into the dysfunctions

The five dysfunctions are stacked in a pyramid and are hierarchical, much like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Without building a strong foundation on the bottom, there is no achieving the higher level goals.

Trust is one of the fundamental block to build a high performing team. Normally teams believe they can trust only if they know each others. The pace at which the teams are growing in every organisation, be it co-located or virtual, building trust becomes an integral part Author cites that vulnerability based trust is very important for a team where the team can raise their hand every time they need help, admit their weakness and limitations, own up the mistake. When you want to make something part of the culture, nuture the habit. The leader of the pack sets as an example, others will follow.

#1 : Absence of trust (Bottom most part of the pyramid)


Suggested team activity<ul><li>Team introduction : Share name, details about family, geography, culture, memories of childhood, challenges, etc</li><li>Personality based tools</li></ul>These activity helps build team dynamics, create empathyOnce the trust is build part of the culture, rest assured on the foundation of the pyramid.

During discussions, brainstorming, meetings the team's important role is to discuss openly so that the discussion is healthy and fruitful. Conflict discussions without trust gets manipulative, resulting in unconstructive, unhealthy discussions. Trust between the teams will improve by sharing appreciations, sending a thank you note, sharing a critical feedback displays bold character. Preparing ourself to be uncomfortable, discussing a bad idea to see everyone agrees or avoid the conflict, team introspection will help in building trust and there by resolve fear of conflict.

#2 Fear of Conflict 

If there are disagreements during the discussion, instead of pushing it as offline discussion, encourage the team to discuss by interrupting them. This opens up the world of different perspectives both for the leader and the team to understand

It is very important for a team to have clear goals, clarity on the key decisions and actions. Every discussion should have clear goals set, review the key decisions at end of the meeting and have the every individual to commit to the actions agreed upon. People should weigh in their opinion and improve on their commitment. Commitment to the decisions are achieved when the conflicts are healthy within the team

#3 :Lack of Commitment

Accountability becomes a collective behaviour of the team. When a team member does not commit to a clear plan of action, the peers hesitate to call on the actions which becomes counterproductive for the entire team. This behaviour pulls down the overall team's productivity and performance rather than being self disciplined team. Team members should challenge difficult issues to hold each others accountable. Clear protocols defined on team behaviour by the team themselves, regular introspection, appreciations would ensure the team stays healthy and accountable for their actions

#4: Avoidance of Team Accountability

Suggested team activity to practice accountabilityTeam effectiveness (360 deg feedback)<ul><li class="ql-indent-1"> Understand the behaviour, habits that make them great as a team</li><li class="ql-indent-1">Top one or two things that hurts in the team</li><li class="ql-indent-1">One thing they can do it differently to improve</li></ul>Every team member commits to an action before they complete this activity. (creating accountability)

Team's collective goals are key for success of the business. When the teams have build good trust, healthy conflict, stand by their commitment, be accountable for their actions and are recognized within their organisation with rewards/others, teams are naturally inclined to stand by their collective goals, stay focused and be resilient.

#5: Inattention to results

Lets break the walls to build in a good synergy with the team. As a leader you would enjoy working with the team, feel accomplished for your teams success and happiness and of course for your business goals as well.

Every individual in the team is unique with his/her own strengths, weakness, interest, culture and capabilities. Together its more important for a team to be productive and happy with a collective goal in mind

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams. Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

teamwork

Teamwork

books

Books

The New York Times best-selling team leadership handbook for modern executives, managers, and organizations After her first two weeks observing the problems at DecisionTech, Kathryn Petersen, its new CEO, had more than a few moments when she wondered if she should have taken the job. But Kathryn knew there was little chance she would have turned it down. After all, retirement had made her antsy, and nothing excited her more than a challenge. What she could not have known when she accepted the job, however, was just how dysfunctional her team was, and how team members would challenge her in ways that no one ever had before. For twenty years, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has been engaging audiences with a page-turning, realistic fable that follows the travails of Kathryn Petersen, DecisionTech’s CEO, as she faces the ultimate leadership crisis. She must unite a team in such disarray that it threatens to derail the entire company. Equal parts leadership fable and business handbook, this definitive source on teamwork by Patrick Lencioni reveals the five behavioral tendencies that go to the heart of why even the best teams struggle. He offers a powerful model and step-by-step guide for overcoming those dysfunctions and getting every one rowing in the same direction. Today, the lessons in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team are more relevant than ever. This special anniversary edition celebrates one of the best-selling business books of all time with a new foreword from the author that reflects on its legacy and lessons.

Patrick M. Lencioni is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Patrick M. Lencioni has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Patrick M. Lencioni's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Patrick M. Lencioni

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Everyone knows that success at work depends on being—and being seen as—both competent and likable. You need people to notice your growth and accomplishments while also enjoying your company. But if you draw attention to the value you’ve created, to ensure that managers and peers recognize it, you risk coming across as a shameless self-promoter. No one likes a braggart. In this article the author explains how to highlight your accomplishments at work without having it backfire.

Art of Self Promotion

Drawing from a fascinating strain of laboratory research, she advises against several popular tactics such as “humblebragging” and “boomerasking” (asking a question in the hope it will be reciprocated so that you can bring up your own accomplishments). The trick is to know when to talk about our achievements and when not to do so. That calls for maturity, judgment, and a degree of spontaneity. Here are some tips given by the author. Author Leslie K. John is a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.

Humility is admirable. But if someone requests information or an answer that requires you to reveal positives about yourself, you should oblige. Most of the time people in this category earn recognition through consistent performance.Eg: What are your strengths?How did you finish the task quickly?In such situations, being humble would downplay us when not answered. Let questions arise organically, and when you see opportunities to highlight your successes, make the most of them.

Share when asked

Research indicates that in situations where others share too, people can successfully convey their accomplishments without coming across as unlikable, egotistical, or inconsiderate.Sharing something personal often triggers a reciprocation. Based on the research conducted by the author, bragging seems to dissipate when others in the room are engaging in self promotion. In another job interview study, people who took time to outline their strengths, experience, and achievements were more likely to be rated by their interviewers as suitable for the job and of greater interest to the organization.

Share when others are sharing

You can find intermediaries, including peers, bosses, mentors, and sponsors, who will be happy to speak up on your behalf—as long as you are respectful in your solicitation. We must also remember that when we praise and endorse others consistently, others are bound to praise us. Reciprocity is one of the key principles on which the world runs. If someone unexpectedly compliments you publicly, resist the instinct to humbly downplay it; a smile or a simple “Thank you” will suffice.

Find a promotor

Research indicates that when people present a balanced picture of themselves, rather than discussing only successes, they come across as more credible and affable. Those with high positions, in particular, should acknowledge failures and foibles as well as achievements, not only because such candor is laudable, but also because it makes them less likely to come across as brash, unlikable, and worthy of envy.

Strike a balance

We all want our achievements to be recognized and applauded. It’s a boost to morale and well-being. And there are ways to celebrate without coming across as boastful. One is to find a circle of close friends at work and outside it who will cheer your victories as if they were their own. Research shows that telling confidants about your successes can improve those relationships. The reverse is also true

Celebrate the right way

Knowing how and when to boast—and when to refrain—is one important way to advance your career. I personally feel, bring humble is a culture thing or even genetic behaviour, every habit can be cultivated, practiced and nurtured. Deeper self-reflection could bring you far more personal benefit than self-promotion ever will.Your thoughts?

To Summarise

Knowing how and when to boast—and when to refrain—is one important way to advance your career.

The delicate art, and science, of bragging

career

Career

communication

Communication

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Savvy Self-Promotion

Feynman Technique involves breaking down information into small, manageable pieces and then using mental images to help understand it — and can be applied to convey complicated topics in a short amount of time.

Learn anything in 4 simple ways

In 3 simple steps,<ul><li>Start with a topic you want to learn - New language, drawing skills, coding skill, etc</li><li>Break down the components of the topic and examine each piece individually</li><li>Once you understand the individual parts, join the puzzle and see how it fits in a big picture</li></ul>(Feymann mental model can help in training the mind)

Pick a topic and study it


Attempt to explain what you have learnt to a childDescribe the subject to the child, use hand gestures, try drawing a doodle, use you creativity

Explain the topic to a 5 year old

Assess yourself if you were able<ul><li>Explain the topic as a basic term</li><li>Record the most challenging part, write it down</li><li>Record your feelings, write them down</li><li>How did you manage jargons while explaining</li></ul>Practice makes it perfect

Examine any gaps in your knowledge

<ul><li>Organise your learning in steps (1,2,3….) which is comfortable for you</li><li>Use images, doodles, analogies for easy understanding</li><li>Add fun elements - game, cards, model, flipbook, charts etc</li></ul>

Organise, analyse and simplify

Feel free to use the Trello board I have created to practice and make it a habit.<a href="https://trello.com/b/619dda9e4e77ae3e07089ce2">Trello : Feymann Technique Template</a>

Template

Learning is a continuous process, its important to culture this as a habit

This remarkable methodology can help you learn everything from playing bongos to quantum theory.

How to catch the time?

Early Morning Habits

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Savvy Self-Promotion

How to Learn Anything in 4 Steps with the Feynman Technique

Keerthy V