Emotional Intelligence

The movie we viewed in class illustrated ten ways to improve one’s EQ. These pointers included:

1.Listen to how you talk to yourself.
2. Use your thoughts as instructional self statements.
3. Be aware of your intentions.
4. Observe your behavior.
5. Learn to relax.
6. Generate humor.
7. Become a good problem solver.
8. Practice the power of positive criticism.
9. Listen to the message of emotions.
10. Make tasks underwhelming.

I can honestly say that there are a few of these pointers I could use some work on, but if I had to choose just one it would have to be making tasks underwhelming. I have the tendency to overanalyze situations. I realize that this happens the most during a heavy semester. If I have a full class load consisting of five classes that administer an overwhelming amount of assignments I tend to make the smallest assignments seem impossible. Instead of just evaluating the list of things I have to get done, and systematically getting each task completed one after the other, I often times stress and exhaust each of my tasks. This habit of mine only seems to make matters worse. I not only stress myself out, but I waste more time panicking than I do getting my work done. I have spent an endless amount of time on the phone with my friend just complaining and venting about the amount of work I have to get done. Thinking about this now if I had just used that time to work on my assignments I would have been helping myself in the long run.

The video mentions that it’s important not to over think. A simple tip is to take a few minutes a day to worry about the task at hand, rather than committing an extended amount of time. I tend to the latter with my 30-45 minute venting sessions with my friend. If I just learn to allow myself to engage in a healthy amount of stress, brief moments over a greater number of time, it will be to my benefit.