Enhancing Soft Skills and Personality
Week 2/ Assignment 2
MSQ: 1-10
MCQ: 11-20
True/False: 21-25
MSQ
1. Which of the following are elements of Salvador Dali’s painting “The Persistence of
Memory?”
• A broken table clock
• Three Melting tables
• Melting clocks
• Frozen icicles
• A desert setting
• A torn wall calendar
(In Salvador Dalí’s painting, “The Persistence of Memory”, the following elements are
present: Melting clocks in a desert setting. Go through Lecture 6 to understand the
implications of the artwork.)
2. Choose the individuals following the right approach in controlling their time.
• Sharad decided to keep track of his daily routine by noting how much time he
spends on each activity over a week to identify areas for improvement.
• Ridhima spends days perfecting her to-do lists and colour-coding her planner but
rarely moves forward with her actual goals or deadlines.
• Tarun spends hours scrolling through social media feeds and watching random
videos daily, believing his productivity will eventually improve without any
intervention.
• Amrit realised he often gets sidetracked by extended coffee breaks and
unnecessary chit-chat at work, so he allocated dedicated slots for focused
tasks.
• Priyanka constantly delays her essential project tasks, making excuses and
allowing deadlines to slip past.
• Anant compulsively checks his email inbox every ten minutes, even when no
urgent messages are expected, distracting himself from high-priority work.
(There are several ways to manage time efficiently. A few of the significant ideas are to
observe and note down how an individual spends their time in a day to know which activity is
insignificant and wastes their time. Practising these methods will greatly help one to
understand one’s priorities and whether they are spending the time appropriately on them.
Sharad and Amrit are practising the control correctly. Refer to Lectures 6 and 7.)
3. Identify the individuals with a monochronic sense of time.
• Lajwanti, an executive in a corporate office, arrives early to each
scheduled meeting, ensures that the meeting starts and ends on time, and
gives her full attention to the current meeting before moving on to the
next. She avoids checking emails or answering calls during meetings,
sticking strictly to the agenda.
• A family enjoys their daily dinner where there is no fixed time to start or end
the meal, and they casually chat, take breaks, and get up from the table to do
other things.
• Roshan, an employee working in a creative environment, multitasks by
working on several projects at once, answering emails while on a phone call,
and jumping between tasks.
• Arohi has set aside specific hours in her day to study for her exam. She
follows a detailed timetable and focuses solely on one subject at a time,
ensuring that she completes each section of her study plan before moving
on to the next.
• Tahir, a doctor, sees one patient at a time, sticking to a strict schedule
where each appointment is allotted a fixed amount of time. If a patient
arrives late, the doctor reschedules them, as he needs to maintain the
appointment timeline for the rest of the day.
• Ashwin decides to spend a day with a group of his friends. They wander
around, change plans frequently, and go with the flow, deciding what to do
next based on how they feel.
(Lajwanti, Arohi, and Tahir have a monochronic sense of time because people with a
monochronic attitude in managing time will schedule events one at a time, with one event
following another. They have a linear sense of time. Refer to Lecture 6 for more details.)
4. The modern world is connected mostly through virtual means, where conversations
happen on online platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Emails.
Sometimes, checking the messages becomes tedious because of the overwhelming
messages/emails in the inbox. From the list of options given below, identify how one
can efficiently manage time when it comes to checking messages/emails.
• Keep specific time for checking messages/emails.
• Allow the inbox to become cluttered with unnecessary emails.
• Respond immediately to messages/emails as soon as you read them.
• Respond to emails as and when they arrive without setting any time boundaries.
• Always keep your inbox clear without any unread messages/emails.
• Always delay sending your responses to emails.
(As mentioned in Lecture 7, a few of the best ways to manage emails/messages are to allot a
particular time to check the emails so that one does not get distracted constantly. Further,
having a clean inbox by responding to all the emails immediately helps declutter the inbox,
which will help an individual navigate the emails without wasting time.)
5. Which of the following individuals are experiencing time leakage in their situations?
• Eshani manages a small team and is responsible for overseeing multiple
projects at once. Instead of delegating tasks to her team members, she
takes on every single responsibility herself.
• Jahanzeb works in an open office environment. Each time someone
approaches his desk, Jahanzeb spends several minutes answering
questions or engaging in small talk, even if he is in the middle of an
important task.
• Lily spends a lot of her time searching for files, tools, and reference
materials because she does not keep her workspace organised. Her desk is
cluttered with papers, external hard drives, and random items.
• Majid starts his day by reviewing his calendar and making a prioritised to-do
list. He focuses on the most important tasks first, delegates lower-priority
tasks to his team, and sets aside specific times to check emails and handle
smaller tasks.
• Tushar follows a well-structured writing routine. He sets aside a specific time
each day for uninterrupted writing. During this time, he receives neither any
calls nor any guests.
• Jasmine works in a busy hospital and often has back-to-back shifts with many
patients to care for. At the beginning of each shift, she takes a few minutes to
practice deep breathing exercises. She allows herself short breaks during the
shift to recharge, such as walks and meditation.
(Lecture 7 charts out several ways in which time leakage can happen. These include not
delegating tasks when required and necessary, letting other people interrupt you in your work,
not being organised, and keeping things in random places. Eshani, Jahanzeb, and Lily
demonstrate these habits among the individuals mentioned in the given options.)
6. Which of the scenarios demonstrate Parkinson’s Law?
• When Meher was given two weeks to finish a project, she stretched the
work and completed it just one day before the deadline.
• Asiya is not busy with other projects, so her manager gives her another
task. Despite having time, Asiya is distracted by social media and spends
too much time on trivial tasks, making her less efficient than a colleague
who has a full schedule and is better at focusing on priorities.
• Jawad has an assignment with no deadline. Since there is no pressure, he
keeps pushing it aside and does not start working on it until much later,
resulting in procrastination and inefficiency.
• A professor gives her students a week to submit their research papers but also
mentions an option for a one-week extension if needed. Many students,
knowing they have an extension as an option, decide to finish their papers on
time to avoid procrastinating and finish the work before the original deadline.
The possibility of an extension motivates them to complete the work within
the given time frame.
• Shivani has a colleague named Jehangir who is not working on other tasks.
She asks him to help her complete a report, and he finishes it in hours because
he has the time and focus to dedicate to it. It shows how people who are not
overwhelmed with other tasks can always complete work more efficiently.
• If Hiba has a month to complete a project, she will finish it in a week by
working intensively at the start.
(Parkinson’s Law essentially states that work expands to fill the time available. Meher
stretched a two-week project to almost the full deadline, Asiya got distracted by social media
despite having free time, and Jawad delayed starting his task due to the lack of a deadline. In
all cases, the work took longer than necessary because there was either too much time or no
pressure to finish sooner. Go through Lecture 8 to understand more.)
7. Choose the correct pairs according to Steven Covey’s Model:
• Urgent and important: Do it now
• Important and not urgent: Decide when to do it
• Urgent and important: Decide when to do it
• Urgent and not important: Delegate it
• Not important and not urgent: Dump it
• Important and not urgent: Do not do it
(Considering Steven Covey’s Model in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People,” the following pairs are correct: Urgent and important: Do it now, Important and not
urgent: Decide when to do it, Urgent and not important: Delegate it, not important and not
urgent: Dump it. Go through Lecture 7 for a detailed understanding of the model.)
8. Imagine that your friend, Sanj, has asked you for advice because she has been
struggling with procrastination and wants to change her habits. To truly help Sanj, you
must first help her understand the root causes behind her procrastination. Based on
your knowledge, what could be some of the reasons people like Sanj tend to
procrastinate?
• Sanj wants every task she takes on to be perfect, which often causes her to
delay starting because she fears not meeting her own high standards.
• Sanj fears the potential responsibilities or increased expectations that
come with success, so she subconsciously avoids completing tasks.
• Sanj believes she can finish tasks in the final hours before deadlines,
leading to rushed work and stress.
• Faced with a long list of tasks, Sanj finds herself overwhelmed and unable
to decide where to begin, causing inaction.
• Sanj procrastinates because she thinks it is more important to maintain a
“calm, relaxed” reputation and avoid stress, even at the cost of delayed work.
• Sanj fears being mocked by friends if she completes her work too quickly,
preferring to work under pressure instead.
(As implied in Lecture 8, people procrastinate because they keep expecting to do perfect
work and postpone it until the correct time. Apart from this, being afraid of success, hoping to
finish the job at the last minute and overburdening oneself with many tasks, leading to an
unorganised work culture, could lead to procrastination.)
9. Identify the appropriate answers pertaining to the Kaizen principle.
• Kaizen is a Japanese principle that insists on small incremental change.
• The Kaizen principle is also called the “One-minute principle.”
• The Kaizen philosophy promotes complacency by suggesting that the current state
of affairs is always optimal.
• Kaizen discourages the use of technology and innovative tools in the pursuit of
continuous improvement.
• Kaizen is simply about practising doing something for one minute each day at
the same time.
• Kaizen is a rigid and inflexible approach that discourages any changes or
improvements.
(The Kaizen principle or “One-minute principle” is a Japanese philosophy for living that
insists on small incremental change by doing something for just one minute each day at a
scheduled time. Refer to Lecture 9.)
10. Identify the people who are succumbing to the ‘compliance zone’ instead of being
assertive.
• Despite having valuable insights, Tarun often hesitates to voice his opinions in
team meetings because he thinks that, as a junior, he should not raise his
voice before seniors.
• Vidhi, despite the prevailing belief that a woman is unsuited for the job of a war
pilot, has successfully broken barriers by becoming a professional to drive a
fighter jet, challenging expectations and inspiring others.
• Aleeza is unable to showcase her expertise and take initiative in her
professional interactions because she yields to others’ opinions and decisions.
• Prashant’s hesitancy in setting clear work boundaries with his boss and
colleagues leads to an overwhelming workload, affecting his balance between
work and personal life and diminishing his overall job satisfaction.
• Kashaf, born into a family with limited financial means, defied societal
expectations by obtaining a scholarship and excelling academically.
• Despite belonging to different religious backgrounds, Ridhima and George forged
a deep friendship.
(Sometimes, people dare not stand up for themselves and voice their opinions. Such people
often obey others and move on. Tarun, Aleeza, and Prashant exhibit such compliance that
they all hesitate to express their opinions in different situations. Refer to Lecture 10 for
further understanding.)
MCQ
11. Which of the following people demonstrates the habit of creating time?
• A working parent who used to watch TV every evening for several hours
chooses to stop watching late-night shows. He replaces this time with
learning a new language, taking an online course, or practising a hobby
that improves his well-being and career prospects.
• An employee attends every meeting, including ones that do not align with
their job responsibilities or add value to their work. They do this even when
they know they have critical tasks or creative projects to focus on.
• A student loves spending time on social media and updating his friends about
his life. When his exams come closer, he takes time out from his study
schedule to maintain his presence on his social media handles.
• A creative artist spends a significant amount of time on non-creative tasks like
responding to emails, handling business paperwork, or dealing with logistics
instead of creating art. Despite feeling burnt out and uninspired, she does not
attempt to delegate or reduce these tasks.
• A freelance writer who works on multiple client projects each week uses a
time-tracking app to log the hours spent on each project.
• An employee spends a lot of time gossiping with colleagues about office
drama. He allows the conversations to take up significant portions of his day,
hindering both personal and professional growth.
(Creating time is one of the ways to take control of it. This includes avoiding
engagement with unnecessary activities. Starting by minimising them initially and
then subsequently eliminating them. Among the given scenarios, it is the working
parent who is creating time. Go through Lecture 6 to understand more)
12. Identify the person who is converting time-stealers into time-gifters.
• Despite looming deadlines, Ishita consistently procrastinates, engaging precious
hours in non-essential activities.
• Dawar often finds himself engrossed in online gaming, neglecting important
responsibilities and sacrificing productive time.
• Sarah frequently engages in lengthy and unproductive meetings, hindering her
ability to focus on meaningful tasks.
• Lavanya is a very busy person running three MNC companies. She optimises
her commuting hours by making meaningful family calls, ensuring she stays
connected with her loved ones.
• Despite having work to do, Pakeeza gets easily distracted by irrelevant emails,
leading to considerable time wastage.
• Roshan spends excessive time gossiping at the workplace, impacting his
productivity and the overall team dynamic.
(In our everyday lives, certain unavoidable activities, such as travelling to the workplace,
could waste our time. But it is important to convert such time leakages into useful time. Of
the people given in the options, Lakshmi is the one who converts this time into a productive
time by making phone calls instead of sitting idly. Lecture 7 discusses this in further detail.)
13. Which of the following can be classified as a “Time Cancer” according to this week’s
Lectures?
• Making detailed daily to-do lists
• Spending time organising your workspace once a week
• Discouraging postponement of tasks
• Not worrying about results before starting
• Believing that one can work well under pressure and delaying work till
the last moment.
• Prioritising one’s own job over others’.
(Believing that one can work well under stress is one of the “Time Cancers” mentioned in
Lecture 7. These acts consequently waste our time, leading to unproductivity.)
14. What is indicated by the term “Peter Pan Syndrome”?
• A condition where adults physically stop ageing.
• A syndrome where individuals prefer living in secluded forests.
• A psychological disorder requiring medication.
• A tendency towards emotional and social immaturity in adults.
• An obsession with flying or aviation.
• A syndrome named after a famous historical leader.
(“Peter Pan Syndrome” refers to adults who exhibit characteristics typically associated with
children, such as avoiding responsibility, being overly dependent on others, and resisting
maturity. The term is inspired by the fictional character Peter Pan, who never grows up.
While not a formal psychological disorder, it’s often used to describe individuals with
emotional and social immaturity. Go through Lecture 8 to know more.)
15. Complete the following quote by Leo Tolstoy, “God sees the truth, but _________.”
• ignores
• silences
• stalls
• waits
• forgets
• vanishes
(This quote is mentioned in lecture 8. The complete quotation reads: “God sees the truth but
waits.”)
16. According to Brian Tracy’s “eat that frog” concept, what is the recommended
approach to task management?
• Focus on a balance of easy and challenging tasks throughout the day rather
than addressing the hardest ones first.
• Start with the most manageable tasks to gain momentum.
• Prioritise completing the most challenging tasks first to build motivation
and confidence for easier tasks ahead.
• Save the complex tasks for the end of the day, beginning with simpler, less
demanding activities.
• Work on tasks randomly, without following any specific pattern or priority
based on difficulty.
• Begin with tasks that you enjoy the most.
(Brian Tracy’s notion of “eat that frog” means to complete the most challenging work first so
that you will feel motivated and confident to do the more manageable tasks ahead. Refer to
Lecture 9 to understand the concept further.)
17. Given below are some scenarios. Choose the one that demonstrates positive
procrastination.
• Sahiba knows she needs to have a difficult conversation with a coworker to
clear up a misunderstanding, but she avoids it out of discomfort. Over time,
the issue grows and negatively impacts team morale.
• Arjun procrastinates by scrolling through social media and chatting with
friends instead of studying for his final exams. When exam day arrives, he
regrets not starting earlier as he struggles to remember what he crammed at the
last minute.
• Rahul often waits until the night before a major project is due to start working
on it, leading to high levels of stress, mistakes in his work, and a lower quality
result. He intentionally avoids starting until it becomes unavoidable.
• Priyanka, a graphic designer, has a deadline to create a new logo design.
She initially feels blocked, so she decides to step away and engage in other
tasks for a few days, like walking in nature and exploring art exhibits.
When she returns to the project, she is full of fresh ideas and completes a
design that exceeds client expectations.
• Her doctor has told Areeba to exercise regularly to improve her health, but she
keeps putting it off. She distracts herself with TV shows and online shopping,
never developing a concrete plan to improve her well-being.
• Divya notices a leak in her roof but puts off getting it fixed, thinking it is not a
big issue. Over time, the leak worsens, causing extensive water damage and
leading to a costly repair job that disrupts her household.
(Positive procrastination is a way to use procrastination for our benefit. When someone is
indulging in positive procrastination, they usually replace doing difficult and time-consuming
tasks with small, manageable tasks. This way, tasks will get done without any anxiety or
pressure. Further, positive procrastination often makes one feel accomplished as they do a lot
of small work while taking a break. Priyanka is engaging in positive procrastination here.
Refer to Lecture 9 to learn more about this topic.)
18. Identify the quote exhibiting the significance of assertiveness and avoiding
compliance.
• “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get–only with what you
are expecting to give–which is everything.”
• “We’re all a little weird, and life’s a little weird. And when we find someone,
whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual
weirdness and call it love.”
• “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that
really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.”
• “I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.”
• “Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.”
• “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”
(One of the ways people comply with others is by saying ‘yes’ to please them. But as the
correct quote from the option says, it is vital to assertively say ‘no’ to things that are not
important. Refer to Lecture 10 for further explanation on assertiveness.)
19. According to Abraham Maslow, what choices do we face at any given moment?
• To step forward into growth or to step back into safety
• To step forward into safety or to step back into growth
• To step forward into success or to step back into safety
• To step forward into growth or to step back into comfort
• To step forward into love or to step back into hatred
• To step forward into change or to step back into familiarity
(According to Abraham Maslow, at any given moment, we face the choice “to step forward
into growth or to step back into safety.” This idea aligns with Maslow’s theory of self-
actualisation, where he suggests that individuals have the opportunity to grow by pushing
beyond their comfort zones and striving to fulfil their potential. Go through Lecture 10 for the
complete quotation.)
20. One of the ways to handle procrastination due to the enormity of tasks is to
______________
• break down the big task into manageable small tasks.
• desire for perfection until one meets unrealistically high standard.
• get uninterested in that work.
• have bad planning and time management skills.
• delay tasks that require choices or commitment.
• succumb to immediate gratification rather than focusing on long-term goals.
(As Lecture 9 indicates, one of the ways to handle procrastination due to the enormity of
tasks is to break down the big task into manageable small tasks.)
True/False
21. We all carry our biological clock based on the time, lunar cycle, season, or year.
• True
• False
(Our body is naturally attuned to the phenomena of day and night, based on which hormones
are secreted. Scientists call this circadian rhythm or the body’s biological clock. Refer to
Lecture 6.)
22. Caring about deadlines is considered an important aspect of time management skills.
• True
• False
(People with good Time Management skills are usually punctual and take deadlines seriously.
Refer to Lectures 6 and 7 for a detailed discussion on time management.)
23. The book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, was written by Jay Shetty.
• True
• False
(The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People was written by Stephen R. Covey. Go through
lecture 7 to understand its main principles.)
24. We often fall into the compliance trap, thinking that the known devil is better than an
unknown angel.
• True
• False
(People often prefer to be in their comfort zone and do what is familiar to them. But because
of this, people succumb to what everyone says or does. Thus, seeking new experiences and
exploring new options is essential. Refer to Lecture 10 to learn more about compliance and
assertiveness.)
25. Assertiveness is the ability to express oneself without considering the rights of others.
• True
• False
(According to Stanlee Phelps and Nancy Austin, “Assertiveness is the ability to express
yourself and your rights without violating the rights of others.” Go through Lecture 10 to
learn more about assertiveness.)
