Monday, 22 February 2016

[HM:258350] 10 Ways to Enhance Memory for Children!

By Crystal Maria Andrade,

You may wonder how you manage to remember information for a test. Parents often worry how well their children are learning and whether schools are meeting educational standards. Parents and teachers have big dreams that their children and students should become successful in their life. But, whether you succeed or not, all depends on this one aspect: your mind. Your mind matters and what matters more is your memory. Memory has three stages which include sensory information (replica of what you see and hear/ also called encoding), short-term memory (active/working memory also called storage) and long-term memory (permanent memory/retrieval). Learning is the outcome of memory and learning depends on how well you have processed the information. As ability to recall information is needed for students, the information they learn should be passed on from the short term memory to long term memory in order to retain information during exams, tests or whenever required.

Photo Credit: http://www.hu/photo/1056131

Here are some tips for learning that will enhance your ability to recall information and achieve excellent results:

How much is too much: There's a need to understand the span of attention of students and their capacity to store information in their working memory. It is not educationally sound to impose on the students huge amount of information for long period of time, this will leave them confused and clueless. Instead, giving them limited information for study and helping them to learn with vigour will aid in retaining the information for a longer period of time.

1. Adding Emotion: Anything taught with the element of emotion will be easily retained in our memory. This means students are likely to recall information that induces an emotional response. Teachers can use this tactic in English, History and Science classes. For example: if the lesson is on galaxy, the teacher can induce emotions in the students by showing them videos or pictures of the galaxy and stars.

2. Reading, writing and recollecting: Anything which is read out loudly will enhance your retention than just reading it. Writing down the important points or facts will help in retention and will be useful while studying for exams. Recollecting is the ability to retain the information after reading and writing. If you have encoded the information efficiently then you will be able to retrieve the information.

4. Rehearsal: It is said 'Practice makes a man perfect', therefore, rehearsing information till you master any concept is very important. Rehearsal improves your memory and gets etched onto your long-term memory. Also, rehearsing the right information is essential because unlearning the inaccurate information which is passed on to the long-term memory will be a challenging task. Hence, practice over time and ace your exams without cramming all information in one night.

5. Give meaning: If there is any subject which has many names, dates and figures; then it is always better to associate these facts with something. Giving meaning to meaningless concepts or information through ways such as poems, mnemonics, music and rhythm will improve retention of this information for future use. Nevertheless, you can use an aid such as chunking which plays a significant role in enhancing the short term memory transfer to long term memory. Chunking numbers, colours or aspects in groups helps in remembering and learning the concepts faster.

6. Make connections: It is vital to make connections or associations between the new information and the previously learnt information. The higher the number of associations made, the more chances of retaining that information easily and this in turn induces your memory power through which you can retrace the information easily.

7. Avoid distractions: While studying, choose a quiet and peaceful environment, comfortable seating and table, bright light, proper ventilation and avoid distracting things around you. Here, distracting elements include anything that diverts your attention, for instance: video games, T.V., music player, phones, and the like. While studying, if distraction persists then encoding the information suffers leading to forgetting. Hence, for encoding to be efficient you shouldn't give ways to distraction instead concentrate and give maximum attention to avoid the inability to retrieve information.

8. Get some rest: Take a break between learnings. You have heard that 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy', so take breaks after few hours of studying and relax your mind. Not only breaks but physical exercise and sound sleep strengthens your ability to retain the information. Sleep is very crucial to boost your memory. Sleep helps us learn new information and pass the information to the long-term memory. However, for most of the problems including imbalance of mind and body, stress, preparing for exams- the best prescription commonly given is get some sleep! So, say goodbye to cramming all night.

9. Teach others to help you revise better: Whatever you have learnt will be useful when you share that knowledge to another person. So, one of the best ways to learn is to teach what you've learnt to another person. This is the reason why teachers have mastered the concepts they teach because they have to teach the same lessons and concepts to many batches in school. Adding to this, if the concepts are thought using real life stories and examples or experiments, then the students are likely to remember them for life because anything visual stimulates our attention and learning takes place faster.

10. Questioning enhances learning: Asking questions like why, how, what helps in learning concepts well because here the reasoning, thinking and analysis is involved. Anything which triggers our mental processors helps in learning the concepts faster and better. Finding answers to these questions makes memory work out as all the mental processors are involved making the memory charged and active. Besides, another way to ask question is by taking the quizzes or tests which will help in reasoning and in a way enhance your memory power. Here, the end process will be getting feedback from the tests which plays a vital role in knowing what is right and what is wrong. All this collectively heightens your memory power because your brain is at its maximum functionality.

These are the 10 ways which will help you learn efficiently and remember information so that they can be retrieved whenever in need. If these procedures are followed anyone can learn anything quickly and retrace the information efficiently. However, all these procedures have to be followed in a systematic way and one shouldn't end up multi-tasking. The reason is because our brain processes and stores the information systematically. This is not practiced then certain glitches can occur in the process of learning which will lead to forgetting. Now, you know that the old myths of rote learning don't work. These guidelines will help students as it will help them reason and learn using the above methods which will have a great impact on the way they can retrieve information whenever asked for. Therefore, retention depends on how well you make use of these sure-fire ways to become more effective learner by simply enhancing your memory power for excellent results. Ultimately, don't forget that remembering is a skill that takes lot of practice and learning is a life-long process and has to go on for our existence on earth. So, happy learning as memory is like a computer, you need to press Ctrl + S (Save) for all important information, press Backspace for all irrelevant information and press Delete for unused/useless information. Now F5 (Refresh) your mind and practice these useful methods.

About the Author: Crystal Maria Andrade is a Content Developer at Learnhive. Nature, travelling, music, movies and fun interests her. She has a profound passion for writing. She believes making the most out of every opportunity. Her hobbies include collecting quotes, learning new words and playing crosswords and puzzles. She's a fun-lover and is surrounded by fun-loving people. Spreading happiness is her mantra.

Junaid Tahir
www.DailyTenMinutes.com

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Saturday, 20 February 2016

[HM:258349] 7 Ways Introverts Can Become Master Minglers

We're all familiar with the concept of networking, and there are some myths about this social practice that I'd like to clear up. First of all, there's an assumption that you have to be "good" at networking or it won't get you anywhere. We're often told that while it's important to know a lot of people, I agree with my wise and witty Granny Johnson, who always said, "It's not who you know, it's who knows you."

Networking is an essential key to business success that unlocks professional doors and opens up new opportunities. But putting yourself out there doesn't come easy to everyone, and interacting with a roomful of strangers can make anyone uncomfortable.

Don't let being on the shy side stop you from reaping the rewards of connecting with people in social and professional settings. All you need to feel at ease talking with anyone is a solid strategy and a little practice. Follow these seven tips to master your mingle-ability skills.

1. Step out of your comfort zone.

Don't allow your fears to inhibit you from interacting with others. An optimistic outlook on life attracts people, so go in with the attitude you're going to have a good time meeting interesting people. To take the pressure off, focus on others and less on yourself. Topics common to everyone like travel and food are ideal conversation starters.

Don't underestimate yourself. You have more to contribute than you think. If you never make the effort, you'll cut yourself off from potential opportunities as well as deprive others of your unique gifts.

2. Choose quality instead of quantity.

Instead of spending small amounts of time with a lot of people, spend more time with a smaller number of carefully chosen people. You may find it comforting to know that the strength and longevity of your relationships depend more on the quality, and far less upon the quantity, of your connections.

3. Network before you need it.

Practice speaking and introducing yourself to strangers in low-threat situations so you'll be more comfortable interacting with people you don't know that when opportunities present themselves. Listening attentively shows respect for both the person speaking and what they have to say. Making a personal connection is the very first step towards building mutually beneficial partnerships.

4. Mind your body language.

Most of what we say is communicated not in words, but subconsciously in gestures, voice tone, posture and other aspects of how we physically hold ourselves. Stand tall, keep an open stance and look people directly in the eye. These actions go a long way toward creating meaningful connections. Practice power poses in private before networking events to get in the right frame of mind and to boost your confidence.

5. Practice remembering names.

Whenever you're introduced to someone, say his or her name in conversation. This will show you are paying attention and will make the other person feel important. If you can't remember someone's name, simply say, "It's been one of those days, please tell me your name again."

Remembering everyone you meet is impossible, yet when you make a concerted effort to remember two or three names at each event you attend, you'll become better with practice.

6. Keep it simple.

When you are interested in others and they will become interested in you. Inquire about what matters most to people, then center your conversations around their priorities. A mutually-beneficial relationship is one based on trust, respect and goodwill. The result is a long-term quality connection in which information and resources are freely exchanged.

7. Enjoy yourself.

Nothing is more attractive than sincerity. If you're having a good time, people will pick up on your enthusiasm. Exuding positive vibes is a social and professional magnet but don't fake it. It must come from an authentic attitude. . Focus on having fun and presenting your best self. If you win some new friends and clients in the process, that's the icing on the cake.

Source:

entrepreneur.

[HM:258348] The Ripple Effect

When you throw a stone into a pond, you'll see a splash and hear a specific sound generated by the touch of stone with the water. You will notice circles rippling out from the point where stone hit the water. The stone touched the water only once however the number of waves was more than that. Did you also noticed that you did one simple act of throwing a stone but it resulted in several waves generation in all directions travelling to a large distance? This is what we call Ripple Effect.

If you closely observe your day to day life, you will notice that most of your acts are generating ripples in the society since a lot of people are getting affected either positively or negatively. If you are doing a positive act, the ripple effect is going to be positive. For example, if you help your friend or colleague, there is a most likely chance that he will help you and others when he finds you or others in any crisis. Hence I believe that positive acts result in positive ripples and negative effects generate negative ripples. Since this article is going to be read by all kind of intellectuals so I will summarize some basic example of positive and negative ripples.

1-    When you share some inspiring article/video/story with your friends through email, Facebook, Google Plus, blog, website or any other online media, it will have a positive impact on hundreds of lives; Just to elaborate, if you have sent this article by email to 100 friends and only 20 of those share the same information with their colleagues/friends then this article will reach and inspire another 20*100 = 2000 people. This won't stop here since these 2000 people are going to share that with another thousands of people so the article consequently touches millions!

2-   When you work on some humanity service project (for example, giving some money for charity on monthly basis, opening an orphan house, installing water tanks in areas where water is not available to drink, visiting hospitals to help poor people etc) you are generating an unstoppable ripple effect. Hundreds of people will get inspired by you and start doing the same (more or less) acts.

3-   When you want to show your driving 'skills' and 'thrills' by bad or speedy driving while your friends or family members are with you, you are encouraging them to do the same when they are given a chance. These friends will probably do the same and encourage more people for this bad act. Down the road in 6 month you might become the root cause of rash driving for 100+ people or more!

This paragraph is for Muslims only: If we closely think, the positive ripples can become a source of Sadqa Jaria which is extremely required after your death. If you have done something similar to Point-1 and Point-2, these deeds will keep sending you the Hasanat (currency of Aakhirah) in your after-death-bank-account. Always remember that dollars, pounds or euros wont help you on the day of Judgment, the thing which will help you is your acts of kindness and their usage by the society. If you inspire and convince more and more people for any good deed (by your words or by doing the task actually) you are basically ensuring your share in the Hasanat which they is going to do (while their share will not be impacted).

Conclusion: Positive Acts of kindness can bring magical results on earth. Everyone need to understand the concept that all of his/her acts are generating ripples in the society which are either improving or polluting the society.

Do you audit yourself on how much pollution or prosperity you are contributing to the society?

Thursday, 18 February 2016

[HM:258347] 7 Qualities of Ethical People

By Junaid Tahir:

People are ethical because of social norms, religious beliefs and laws. Ethical foundations in an individual define the way he lives the life by differentiating between right and wrong and behave in a way which improves the situation directly or indirectly however doesn't harm it at any cost. Ethics have been defined by relevant governmental and religious authorities for several domains of life however below article occupies 'blanket' coverage for all norms of life.

Below are top seven qualities of highly ethical people.

1- They are Empathic: Ethical people have high degree of emotional intelligence. They understand things from multiple perspectives covering all the direct and indirect stake holders.. They seek first to understand than to be understood. They have strong observatory, listening and analytical skills to understand things deeply. This quality makes them unique which enables them to win the trust of others; consequently, people share their problems with them with open heart and seek their support.

2- They Forgive and Forget: It requires a brave heart to forgive and forget. Ethical people don't keep grudges for long duration. They have the tendency to establish peace all the times hence keeping the brawls open does not suit them. They stay away from such complications and move ahead with life by forgiving and forgetting the matters.

3- They are Always willing to Help: Highly Ethical people always want to improve the situation regardless of their relationship with a person who is in trouble. They take either corrective, preventive or suggestive initiatives for resolving issues. Corrective approach ensures that the matter is fixed by doing some specific actions. Preventive approach guarantees that such particular matters do not appear again. They use preventive approach to reach the root cause of the issue so as to fix it permanently so as to avoid further frequency of such incidents. Suggestive methodology is used by them for guiding someone to do some specific act in order to overcome a tragic situation.

4- They are Implosive: Ethical people are not hyper sensitive or explosive personalities. They possess a cool mind and a soft heart. They avoid frequent mood swings in order to develop a consistent and stable personality. They handle indecencies with decency. They know how to ignore hard and harsh comments and still converse softly. They know how to handle idiotic situations. They have high degree of anger management skills which further empowers their implosive personality trait.

5- They Mind Their Own Business: A lot of people have the habit of having serious curiosity about every other person's life. This habit causes them talk about people too much, spreading rumors and scattering false news in the society without any verification. Unlike those, ethical People do not interfere in others' lives unnecessarily; they mind their own business. Ethical people understand the fact the character assassination is equally a great sin so they don't give attention to rumors and focus on crystal clear matters; and avoid peeping into others' personal matters.

6- They are Flexible & adaptable: The wise says, it is better to bend than to break. Ethical people possess a great deal of elasticity. They adapt themselves according to the situation. They don't stick to one mind set. Their continuous thought process enables them to change their minds easily in order to improve a situation without making it a matter of ego. They are not stubborn at all instead portray a flexible behavior in all kind of tough situations.

7- They Do not criticize: Too much criticism is the root of several social and professional problems. Ethical people do not criticize at first place. In case they need to condemn or criticize something they follow a positive methodology to approach the relevant person and advice in a way which doesn't hurt anyone and convey the message in an effective way.

What are the other traits of highly effective peopl

Junaid Tahir
www.DailyTenMinutes.com

[HM:258346] 8 Things Better Than IQ at Work (Infographic)

Source:inc

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

[HM:258345] The Journey of being a Management Student

What those duck headed boring Professors won't teach you in classroom.

Every Student who joins MBA Programme will have big dreams & expectations from the course in terms of fat salaries, job in top companies, posh lifestyle and a sweet girl/boyfriend.

But then, a Management Student carries huge load of stress from ever demanding parents, family & friends.

Following are few questions that haunt a Management Student from different directions:

How is the campus placement going on in your institute?

Did you get placed in the campus recruitment?

What is the salary package offered to you?

How much is your Education Loan EMI?

The Journey of a Management Student is completely different from that of other students. The MBA journey teaches you many things than the destination itself can teach you.

Solving Case Studies, classroom presentations, learning business jargons & terminologies, writing business plans, decoding revenue & business models, understanding corporate strategies, acquiring spreadsheet skills, back to back exams, assignments etc. can eventually force you to travel through the different levels before you reach the peak of self-actualization on Maslow's hierarchy of

needs pyramid.

Besides the academic load, it also involves building your resume brick by brick in terms of projects, internships, certifications etc. with a strong focus on "CGPA"growth rate.

That said, being a Management Student can be fun & successful, if you have the required skills to manage a project called "LIFE".

Let me warn you that, this write-up is completely "out of Syllabus", in the sense, I wish to discuss those very important things which are not taught in a B- School.

Don't have a girlfriend? Get one or else you may fail:

Yes, you heard it right, impressing a girl and impressing an interview panel have lot in common. Both make a detailed analysis about you before accepting you. Very few students experience the sheer thrill of getting a girl / boy say "yes" to their proposal. It requires well refined "Marketing Strategy" with loads of GUTS. Unfortunately, B-Schools won't teach you how to improve your "GUTS"

What you may have studied in "Consumer Behavior" and "Business Communication & soft skills" may not really help!!!

If you cannot impress a girl in your life, chances are you do not possess key business skills like cold calling a client, consistently follow up the client till he gives business, accepting & dealing with rejections etc. Winning a girlfriend can teach you great Management lessons.

Dump those Text Books:

Text books can at max help you pass exams. A text book like "Principles of Business Statistics" cannot teach you how to effectively design business strategies using the data. It only introduces statistical concepts to you.

Instead, read a book like "Naked Statistics" by Charles Wheelan and you will know why your Stats professor is not so cute!!! Bingo

Here's a small list of books a Management Student must read before he moves out of campus:

Losing my Virginity by Richard Branson

All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin

When to Rob a Bank by Levit & Dubner

Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey by Captain Gopinath

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish by Rashmi Bansa

There are plenty of valuable books which can shape up your career, find them & read.

Why your "Entrepreneurship" Professor did not become a successful entrepreneur himself?

Have you anytime asked such questions to your Professors? Ask him if you can risk getting low internal exam marks.

The reason according to me is that most of the B – School Professors are neither creative nor risk takers. They are only good at theories and concepts which they have been teaching for ages. Moral of the story is, being good in understanding theories like "Meaning & importance of Entrepreneurship"; "Screening of Ideas" etc. won't help. So, stop following your dim & dip Professors, take risk, go out & try something new. Enjoy the taste of failure.

What is the Correlation between numbers of beer bottles you consume vs. your exam score?

The correlation Coefficient in this case is Zero. So it means, you can party more, drink more and yet score more in your exams. Get a life & acquire the skills to balance it. Enjoy late night parties but attend all the sessions next day in college. Roam around, watch movies but submit assignments on time. Fight with your friends but ensure you deliver on team projects. Your Life is not a "Balanced Score Card" created by someone. It should be created by you and only you.

It all depends on the Strategy that you adopt to be happy.

By the way, what the hell is your strategy? Share your stories, I would love to read & share. Till then, signing off...

Regards,
Kiran.

[HM:258344] Are You Emotionally Intelligent? Here's How to Know for Sure.

LinkedIn Influencer, Dr. Travis Bradberry, published this post originally

When emotional intelligence (EQ) first appeared to the masses, it served as the missing link in a peculiar finding: people with average IQs outperform those with the highest IQs 70% of the time. This anomaly threw a massive wrench into the broadly held assumption that IQ was the sole source of success.

Decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. The connection is so strong that 90% of top performers have high emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the "something" in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions to achieve positive results.

Despite the significance of EQ, its intangible nature makes it very difficult to know how much you have and what you can do to improve if you're lacking. You can always take a scientifically validated test, such as the one that comes with theEmotional Intelligence 2.0 book.

Unfortunately, quality (scientifically valid) EQ tests aren't free. So, I've analyzed the data from the million-plus people TalentSmart has tested in order to identify the behaviors that are the hallmarks of a high EQ. What follows are sure signs that you have a high EQ.

You Have a Robust Emotional Vocabulary

All people experience emotions, but it is a select few who can accurately identify them as they occur. Our research shows that only 36% of people can do this, which is problematic because unlabeled emotions often go misunderstood, which leads to irrational choices and counterproductive actions.

People with high EQs master their emotions because they understand them, and they use an extensive vocabulary of feelings to do so. While many people might describe themselves as simply feeling "bad," emotionally intelligent people can pinpoint whether they feel "irritable," "frustrated," "downtrodden," or "anxious." The more specific your word choice, the better insight you have into exactly how you are feeling, what caused it, and what you should do about it.

You're Curious about People

It doesn't matter if they're introverted or extroverted, emotionally intelligent people are curious about everyone around them. This curiosity is the product of empathy, one of the most significant gateways to a high EQ. The more you care about other people and what they're going through, the more curiosity you're going to have about them.

You Embrace Change

Emotionally intelligent people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness. They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan of action should these changes occur.

You Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Emotionally intelligent people don't just understand emotions; they know what they're good at and what they're terrible at. They also know who pushes their buttons and the environments (both situations and people) that enable them to succeed. Having a high EQ means you know your strengths and you know how to lean into them and use them to your full advantage while keeping your weaknesses from holding you back.

You're a Good Judge of Character

Much of emotional intelligence comes down to social awareness; the ability to read other people, know what they're about, and understand what they're going through. Over time, this skill makes you an exceptional judge of character. People are no mystery to you. You know what they're all about and understand their motivations, even those that lie hidden beneath the surface.

You Are Difficult to Offend

If you have a firm grasp of whom you are, it's difficult for someone to say or do something that gets your goat. Emotionally intelligent people are self-confident and open-minded, which creates a pretty thick skin. You may even poke fun at yourself or let other people make jokes about you because you are able to mentally draw the line between humor and degradation.

You Know How to Say No (to Yourself and Others)

Emotional intelligence means knowing how to exert self-control. You delay gratification, and you avoid impulsive action. Research conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Saying no is indeed a major self-control challenge for many people. "No" is a powerful word that you should not be afraid to wield. When it's time to say no, emotionally intelligent people avoid phrases such as "I don't think I can" or "I'm not certain." Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

You Let Go of Mistakes

Emotionally intelligent people distance themselves from their mistakes, but do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and adjust for future success. It takes refined self-awareness to walk this tightrope between dwelling and remembering. Dwelling too long on your mistakes makes you anxious and gun shy, while forgetting about them completely makes you bound to repeat them. The key to balance lies in your ability to transform failures into nuggets of improvement. This creates the tendency to get right back up every time you fall down.

You Give and Expect Nothing in Return

When someone gives you something spontaneously, without expecting anything in return, this leaves a powerful impression. For example, you might have an interesting conversation with someone about a book, and when you see them again a month later, you show up with the book in hand. Emotionally intelligent people build strong relationships because they are constantly thinking about others.

You Don't Hold Grudges

The negative emotions that come with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. Just thinking about the event sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. When the threat is imminent, this reaction is essential to your survival, but when the threat is ancient history, holding onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you're holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Letting go of a grudge not only makes you feel better now but can also improve your health.

You Neutralize Toxic People

Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. High EQ individuals control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation rationally. They identify their own emotions and don't allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos. They also consider the difficult person's standpoint and are able to find solutions and common ground. Even when things completely derail, emotionally intelligent people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

You Don't Seek Perfection

Emotionally intelligent people won't set perfection as their target because they know that it doesn't exist. Human beings, by our very nature, are fallible. When perfection is your goal, you're always left with a nagging sense of failure that makes you want to give up or reduce your effort. You end up spending your time lamenting what you failed to accomplish and what you should have done differently instead of moving forward, excited about what you've achieved and what you will accomplish in the future.

You Appreciate What You Have

Taking time to contemplate what you're grateful for isn't merely the right thing to do; it also improves your mood because it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis, found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy, and physical well-being. It's likely that lower levels of cortisol played a major role in this.

You Disconnect

Taking regular time off the grid is a sign of a high EQ because it helps you to keep your stress under control and to live in the moment. When you make yourself available to your work 24/7, you expose yourself to a constant barrage of stressors. Forcing yourself offline and even—gulp!—turning off your phone gives your body and mind a break. Studies have shown that something as simple as an e-mail break can lower stress levels. Technology enables constant communication and the expectation that you should be available 24/7. It is extremely difficult to enjoy a stress-free moment outside of work when an e-mail that will change your train of thought and get you thinking (read: stressing) about work can drop onto your phone at any moment.

You Limit Your Caffeine Intake

Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline, and adrenaline is the source of the fight-or-flight response. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response to ensure survival. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you're responding to a curt e-mail. When caffeine puts your brain and body into this hyper-aroused state of stress, your emotions overrun your behavior. Caffeine's long half-life ensures you stay this way as it takes its sweet time working its way out of your body. High-EQ individuals know that caffeine is trouble, and they don't let it get the better of them.

You Get Enough Sleep

It's difficult to overstate the importance of sleep to increasing your emotional intelligence and managing your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, shuffling through the day's memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams) so that you wake up alert and clearheaded. High-EQ individuals know that their self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when they don't get enough—or the right kind—of sleep. So, they make sleep a top priority.

You Stop Negative Self-Talk in Its Tracks

The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that—thoughts, not facts. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brain's natural tendency to perceive threats (inflating the frequency or severity of an event). Emotionally intelligent people separate their thoughts from the facts in order to escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive, new outlook.

You Won't Let Anyone Limit Your Joy

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from the opinions of other people, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something that they've done, they won't let anyone's opinions or snide remarks take that away from them. While it's impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don't have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people's opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within.