Making Good Decisions: A Focus on Academic, Financial, Career and Stress Management Decisions

Making Good Decisions: A Focus on Academic, Financial, Career and Stress Management

Decisions

Chapter 4

4 | 2Copyright 2013 Harrington © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Questions to Consider

• What are the steps involved in effective decision making?

• How can you practice good decision making with your study choices? Is it important to study in a quiet environment?

• Does working while attending college positively or negatively impact school performance? How does it impact your family and involvement in clubs?


Questions to Consider

• How can financial decisions you make today affect you later?

• Is it important to decide on a major during your first year of college? Why or why not? How can you decide on a career path?

• Will your Facebook account impact your career opportunities? If so, how?

• What stress management techniques really work?


Kulm and Cramer (2006)

Research Question:

Does employment affect student success?

iQoncept/Shutterstock.com


The Study

Study time, GPA, Attendance, Socializing,

Family

Study time, GPA, Attendance, Socializing,

Family


The Findings


The So What Factor

• Working too much can negatively impact academic performance

• Working too much can also negatively impact your social and campus life

• Look at how many hours you REALLY need to work and whether working will help you achieve your goals


The Decision Making Process

See Figure 4.1 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!


Step 1: Keep your goal visible

• What do you want?

• How will this decision impact the likelihood of achieving your goal?



Step 2: Gather relevant information

See Gathering Information: What to Consider in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!


Step 3: Creatively identify and explore lots of possible options

• Be open and flexible

• Avoid judging options at this step

• Consider seeking ideas from others


Step 4: Evaluate options

• Keep goal visible• Pros and cons• Consider future

consequences and impact on others

• Seek input from others



Step 5: Decide and take action

Trust the process and act on your decision


Step 6: Assess whether your choice supported your goal and was effective

• Did your choice move you closer to or farther from your goal?

• Set a date to assess your choice


The Impact of Your Decisions on Others

• Some cultures place greater value on group versus individual (collectivist)

• Your decisions can have a personal impact on others

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com


Study choices: What decisions do you have to make?

• Studying in an environment with distracters (music, TV, friends) connected to lower grades (Gurung, 2005)

Diego Cervo/Shutterstock.com


Work and Money Management

• Some research shows connection between work and poorer academic performance (Lammers et al., 2001)

• Some research shows that students working 10-19 hours per week performed the best (Dundes & Marx, 2006)

Solvod/Shutterstock.com


Money Management

• Making impulsive financial decisions can be problematic because of the emotion-logic connection



Credit cards

See Table 4.3 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

Stop


Loans

Subsidized• Do not accrue interest

while you are a student• The amount you

borrowed is the amount you owe at the time you have to start re-paying the loan

Unsubsidized• Starts to accrue interest

as soon as you take out the loan

• The amount you owe will be more than the amount you borrowed at the time you have to start re-paying the loan


Career Decision Making: Knowing Yourself


Saving for the future

• Saving now will pay off later

• $10 a month for 40 years at average return rate of 5% can result in $15,000!

Dave Allen Photography


Values- What Matters to You?


Holland’s Career Theory

• Focused on interests• Person-environment fit



Finding Career Information

Websites • Occupational Outlook Ha

ndbook• Career One Stop• O-NET• Ferguson’

s Career Guidance Center

Information Interviews• Interview someone in the

field• Great for rich information• Be careful about relying

on information from only one person

• Great for networking!


Krumboltz: Taking Action

• Many enter careers because of “happenstance”- it was not planned

• Take Action Steps– Talk to others about careers– Take different courses– Seek out internship opportunities


Your Actions Today and How They May Impact You Later

• Make good impressions and decisions today

• Information posted electronically is never completely deleted1000 Words/Shutterstock.com


Bohnert & Ross (2010)

The influence of social networking web sites on the evaluation of job candidates.


The Study


The Findings


The So What Factor!

• Your actions today may matter tomorrow• Professional image is linked to more positive

outcomes• Be careful what you post on the internet


Stress Management Techniques

• Eat healthy

• Exercise

• Get enough sleep

AP Photo/Bradley C Bower


Stress Management Techniques

• Relaxation techniques– Deep breathing– Muscle relaxation

• Challenge negative thinking– How do you know?– What evidence exists?– What are the other possible outcomes?

• Talk with friends, family, or professionals


Avoiding Unhealthy Behaviors: Substance Abuse

• Addiction is a gradual process

• All college students do NOT drink alcohol in large amounts

• Alcohol use is associated with increase in:– Casual sex– Unprotected sex– Regret about sexual

activitiesNitroCephal/Shutterstock.com


Accessing Help for Substance Abuse

See Table 4.6 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

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Making Good Decisions: A Focus on Academic, Financial, Career and Stress Management Decisions