Table of Contents
Introduction
Beginning statement: This article will provide an introduction to the topic.
A Problem A Day
In conclusion,
Introduction
Original: The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject.
Paraphrased: The goal of this report is to give an extensive overview of the topic.
The process of critical thinking involves carefully evaluating the information that is presented (Coombs 2014, pg. 122). In everyday life, most people aren’t their best selves. You can develop skills like critical thinking and solution solving by setting a longer-term goal to change your way of thinking. (Paul, 2001)
A problem a day is one of Paul’s strategies for developing critical thinking. It can be applied daily. Paul recommends that a person identify one problem to solve in their life at the start of every day. The importance of choosing a problem within one’s control is stressed.
This first step is to clearly identify and define the problem. A daily problem I have is that there never seems to be enough time. It seems that this is a problem we will never solve. It’s overwhelming to think about all that I have to do in 18 hours. Although each item can be done in a day, the challenge is to get the important items done without feeling rushed.
The components I’ve listed make me feel as if there isn’t enough time for meaningful conversations.
Get your children ready for school by waking them up.
Making lunch and breakfast for 2 kids.
The meaning of breakfast can be enhanced by eating it together.
Take the first student to school by 6:30 am.
Preparing for the Day
It may not be a good idea to take the second kid 20 minutes from home at 8 am (40-minute round trip).
Keep active by spending 1 hour at the gym.
Spend 2 hours in school when the children aren’t home.
The meaning of this phrase is: Dedicate 4 working hours when your children aren’t at home.
Do your housework.
Pick-up first child 1:20 pm. (Can add meaning).
The second child can be picked up at school by 2:40pm (can have a deeper meaning).
Run errands.
It is important to give the kids 1 hour of homework time.
Take your kids out to play sports (football or Baseball).
Make dinner and have it with your family.
Evening bedtime rituals (needs a deeper meaning).
I was able, after carefully laying all the necessary items to maintain a functional household for the entire week, to better approach the fourth step. Then I looked at each item and saw where I needed more meaning. I was able see four areas in which I felt I needed to make the most of my time.
In order to do this, I had to identify areas in which I could find the needed meaning without burdening my family with those moments. In looking at this, I realized that it was a problem I had that I thought needed to be fixed. However, this may not apply to others. This realization was interesting to me. I couldn’t focus solely on my needs. There are also other peoples needs that need to be considered. My children might need more time for unwinding from sports and school because I think I need more meaningful conversations.
I wanted the ability to take in all of the data and develop a plan to implement a lasting action. For this problem and Step 5, it was more about time than power or money.
Step six was to determine how to add more time for the things I thought needed to be made more meaningful. Time is not something that can be increased. Then I started to think back on my day. This led me to look back at what I do throughout the day.
I carefully evaluated my situation and kept in mind that others’ needs are also important. Two of these items were removed. After careful consideration, I removed two of those items.
Step seven was to use the new three times that I had identified to alter my behavior and find meaning. These three times were during breakfast time with my children and the ride home from school. I was initially thinking of the ride to and from school with both children as an opportunity. But, then I realized that they would need time to get themselves ready.
I decided to make an effort to use breakfast time to ask my kids about their preparation for the week. I also asked them if there were any concerns or worries. I went over what we did the previous day and talked about our favorite things. I started to compare it to dinner. How can I make the breakfast time similar if it feels like I was able to gain some meaning from this time? I did this for each child’s ride home. It was better to ask questions that engaged the children than simply “How were you today?”
I found it easier to focus on new opportunities and draw meaning from them than to examine the other four items that I thought had meaning, but I still needed more.
To make my life more meaningful, I will limit the multitasking that I do. When I speak to clients, this happens. By establishing a certain time for work I can ensure I am available at my desk to fully listen to the conversation. It would make it easier to form better relationships with clients, since I could absorb what they were saying. It was difficult for me to process information while driving or chasing children.
When it was time for dinner, I decided to keep it that way. I decided that I wouldn’t be responding to email or doing dishes when my family was eating dinner. It is important to focus on the task in hand. This can be work or dinner.
As I continue this journey of capturing more meaningful moments in life, I will address step eight. Life is always changing and I know that my plan will not always work. This will help me achieve a greater sense of fulfillment in the long run.
Conclusion Critical thinking is essential to the quest for excellence. We can better understand the potential for solving problems by being open to constant questions, analysis and rational interpretation.
