High emotional intelligence traits

The most emotionally intelligent people have these 12 traits

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What makes someone great at their job? Having knowledge, smarts and vision, to be sure. But what really distinguishes the world's most successful leaders is emotional intelligence — or the ability to identify and monitor emotions (of their own and of others).

Companies today are increasingly looking through the lens of emotional intelligence when hiring, promoting and developing their employees. Years of studies show that the more emotional intelligence someone has, the better their performance.

What most people fail to realize, though, is that mastering emotional intelligence doesn't come naturally. Tom, for example, considers himself an emotionally intelligent person. He's a well-liked manager who is kind, respectful, nice to be around and sensitive to the needs of others.

And yet, he often wonders, I have all the qualities of emotional intelligence, so why do I still feel stuck in my career?

This is a common trap: Tom is defining emotional intelligence too narrowly. By focusing on his sociability and likability, he loses sight of all other essential emotional intelligence traits he may be lacking — ones that can make him a stronger, more effective leader.

After spending 25 years writing books and fostering research on this topic, I've found that emotional intelligence is comprised of four domains. And nested within these domains are 12 core competencies.

(Click here to enlarge chart)

Don't shortchange your development by assuming that emotional intelligence is all about being sweet and chipper. By reviewing the competencies below and doing an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses, you can better identify where there's room to grow.

1. Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the capacity to tune into your own emotions. It allows you to know what you are feeling and why, as well as how those feelings help or hurt what you're trying to do.

Do you have the core competency of self-awareness?

Emotional self-awareness: You understand your own strengths and limitations; you operate from competence and know when to rely on someone else on the team. You also have clarity on your values and sense of purpose, which allows you to be more decisive when setting a course of action.

Developing the skills:

Every moment is an opportunity to practice self-awareness. One of the biggest keys is to acknowledge your weaknesses. If you're struggling with something at work, for example, be honest about the skills you need to work on in order to succeed.

Be conscious of the situations and events in your life, too. During times of frustration, pinpoint the root and cause of your frustration. Think about any signals that accompany how you feel in that moment.

2. Self-management

Self-management is the ability to keep disruptive emotions and impulses under control. This is a powerful skill for leaders, especially during a crisis — because will people look to them for reassurance, and if their leader is calm, they can be, too.

What core competencies of self-management do you have?

Emotional self-control: You stay calm under pressure and recover quickly from upsets. You know how to balance your feelings for the good of yourself and others, or for the good of a given task, mission or vision.
Adaptability: This shows up as agility in the face of change and uncertainty. You're able to find new ways of dealing with fast-morphing challenges and can balance multiple demands at once.
Achievement orientation: You strive to meet or exceed a standard of excellence. You genuinely appreciate feedback on your performance, and are constantly seeking ways to do things better.
Positive outlook: You see the good in people, situations and events. This is an incredibly valuable competency, as it can build resilience and set the stage for innovation and opportunity.

Developing the skills:

During moments of distress, do not brood or panic. Take a deep breath and check in with your emotions. Instead of blowing up at people, let them know what's wrong and offer some solutions.

Accept that there will always be sudden changes and challenges in life. Try to understand the context of the given situation and adjust your strategy or priorities based on what is most important at the time.

3. Social awareness

Social awareness indicates accuracy in reading and interpreting other people's emotions, often through non-verbal cues. Socially aware leaders are able to relate to many different types of people, listen attentively and communicate effectively.

What core competencies of social awareness do you have?

Empathy: You pay full attention to the other person and take time to understand what they are saying and how they are feeling. You always try to put yourself in other people's shoes in a meaningful way.

Organizational awareness: You can easily read the emotional currents and dynamics within a group or organization. You can sometimes even predict how someone on your team or leaders of a company you do business with might react to certain situations, allowing you to approach situations strategically.

Developing the skills:

First and foremost, social awareness requires good listening skills. Do not talk over someone else or try to hijack the agenda. Ask questions and invite others to do the same.

Challenging your prejudices and discovering commonalities is also key. Practice putting yourself in other people's shoes. When we do this, we are often more sensitive to what that person is experiencing and are less likely to tease, judge or bully them.

4. Relationship management

Relationship management is an interpersonal skill set that allows one to act in ways that motivate, inspire and harmonize with others, while also maintaining important relationships.

Which core competencies of relationship management do you have?

Influence: You're a natural leader who can gather support from others with relative ease, creating a group that is engaged, mobilized and ready to execute the tasks at hand.
Coach and mentor: You foster the long-term learning by giving feedback and support. You put your points into persuasive and clear ways so that people are motivated as well as clear about expectations.
Conflict management: You're comfortable dealing with disagreements between multiple sides and can bring simmering disputes into the open and find win-win solutions.
Teamwork: You interact well as a group member and can work with others. You participate actively, share responsibility and rewards, and contribute to the capability of your team as a whole.
Inspirational leadership: You inspire and guide others towards the overall vision. You always get the job done and bring out your team's best qualities along the way.

Developing the skills:

If you're a constantly negative person, you'll have a very difficult time managing long-term relationships. Instead of focusing on "the worst that can happen," try to see yourself as an agent of positive change.

Don't be afraid to go against the grain of conventional norms or take risks, either. These kinds of people ultimately leave the people they work with feeling inspired, motivated and connected.

Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and best-selling author of "Emotional Intelligence" and "Social Intelligence." His latest book is "What Makes a Leader: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters." Daniel received his PhD in psychology and personality development from Harvard University. His work has appeared in The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. Follow him on Twitter @DanielGolemanEI.

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14 Signs You Have a High Level of Emotional Intelligence

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Strategy

Travis Bradberry,

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2019-10-31T16:57:00Z

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Emotional intelligence sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design/Flickr

Dr. Travis Bradberry is coauthor of the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart.
He says that decades of research point to emotional intelligence as being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack.
If you're curious about people, are difficult to offend, and let go of mistakes easily, there's a good chance you're emotionally intelligent. Here are 11 other signs to look out for.
Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Dr. Travis Bradberry published this post originally on LinkedIn.

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 the "Emotional 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.

1. You have a robust emotional vocabulary

Francisco Osorio/flickr

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.

2. You’re curious about people

SFIO CRACHO/Shutterstock

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.

3. You know your strengths and weaknesses

Flickr/Flying Kiwi Tours

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.

4. You’re a good judge of character

Reuters/Regis Duvignau

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.

5.

You are difficult to offend

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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.

6. You let go of mistakes

Scott Barbour/Getty Images

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.

7. You don’t hold grudges

g-stockstudio/shutterstock

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.

8. You neutralize toxic people

Alena Vinokurova/Strelka Institute/Attibution License/Flickr

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.

9. You don’t seek perfection

Alper Çuğun/Flickr

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.

10. You disconnect

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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.

11. You limit your caffeine intake

wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

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.

12. You get enough sleep

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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.

13. You stop negative self-talk in its tracks

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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.

14. You won’t let anyone limit your joy

Strelka Institute/Flickr

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.

Bringing it all together

Unlike your IQ, your EQ is highly malleable. As you train your brain by repeatedly practicing new emotionally intelligent behaviors, it builds the pathways needed to make them into habits. As your brain reinforces the use of these new behaviors, the connections supporting old, destructive behaviors die off. Before long, you begin responding to your surroundings with emotional intelligence without even having to think about it.

This Linkedin story was originally published on Business Insider April 11, 2019.

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world's leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.

10 signs of high EQ | PSYCHOLOGIES

111,351

Know Yourself

When emotional intelligence (EI) was discovered and described in 1990, it finally became clear why, seven times out of ten, people with an average IQ achieve more in life than those with an average whose IQ is above average.

After a quarter of a century of research, scientists agree on one thing: it is the measure of emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ), that distinguishes outstanding people from ordinary people: 90% of outstanding members of society have a high EQ.

As important as it is, finding precise criteria for "calculating" emotional intelligence is not easy. However, there are several signs, the presence of which indicates a high level of emotional development. Think about how they apply to you - this will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

1. You have a rich emotional vocabulary

All people experience many different feelings, but not everyone is able to recognize and name their emotional state at the moment. Research shows that only 36% of us have this skill. All others face difficulties because they do not understand their emotions, and this often leads to irrational and meaningless actions.

People with high EQ know the art of writing down shades and semitones of experiences: where an ordinary person will say that he feels “bad”, an emotionally developed person will describe his feelings more precisely: “I am annoyed”, “angry”, “humiliated”, “tense”, "upset". The more precisely the word is chosen, the clearer the reason and how to deal with it.

2. You are interested in people

Whether extroverted or introverted, a person with a high EQ is interested in other people. This curiosity is a direct consequence of the tendency to empathy, that is, the ability to put oneself in the place of the interlocutor. Thanks to her, emotionally developed people make contact with others much easier.

3. You are open to change

High EQs are constantly changing and adapting to circumstances. Instead of being afraid of change, they wait for it and think ahead.

4. You know how to refuse

Emotional intelligence, among other things, implies self-control. The ability to deny yourself and others is the most important sign of emotional development.

A study at the University of South Carolina found that having to say "no" is stressful, but high-EQ people are good at saying no directly, avoiding vague phrases like "I don't think" or "I'm not sure I can. " By directly abandoning a new task, we thereby show how important the obligations already assumed are to us.

5. You give without expecting anything in return

An unexpected gift always makes the strongest impression. For example, you discussed with a friend of a writer whose latest book he has not yet read. You end the conversation, quite pleased with each other, and agree to meet again sometime. Next time you take that very last book with you and hand it to your friend. What's not the perfect start to a friendship?

6. You enjoy what you have

When we think about what we can be thankful for, our mood automatically improves, and the level of the stress hormone cortisol decreases by an average of 23%. The habit of thanking fate every day not only improves mood, but also gives vitality to cope with difficulties and open up new horizons.

7. You get enough sleep

Few things damage EQ more than lack of sleep. During sleep, the brain literally recharges, scrolling through and sorting through the memories of the day. People with high EQ understand that lack of sleep reduces their intellectual and emotional abilities and increases their stress levels, so they always make sure that they get enough sleep.

8. You don't let anyone spoil your joy

If your happiness or sadness depends on other people's opinions, you are no longer in control of your own life. An emotionally developed person rejoices without regard to others, even if everyone around him thinks that he rejoices in vain.

Of course, it is impossible to completely ignore the outside world and other people's opinions, but no one will forbid you to treat them with a share of irony - and then no one will be able to take away your self-esteem.

9. You know how to switch

The ability to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life is also a sign of high emotional intelligence. This skill is important because if you are in touch 24/7, doing something all the time, redoing, moonlighting, your stress level will skyrocket pretty soon.

It is necessary to disconnect from time to time - go to the country, turn off the laptop, do not answer the phone: give your body and mind a break. They will thank you a hundredfold.

10. You don't strive for perfection

Emotionally developed people know that perfection does not exist and do not try to achieve it. We are all not without sin and we are all imperfect, so if we set an unattainable ideal as a goal, the result will leave us with a gnawing feeling of incompleteness and failure, which will not want to take on a new business.

It is much more correct not to strive for the ideal, but to act in stages, breaking a large task into several small ones, in order to rejoice at what has already been achieved and look forward to future successes.

Text: Georgy Tatevosov Photo source: Getty Images

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When the term "emotional intelligence" (EQ) became known to the general public, he explained why people with an average level of IQ were 70% more successful than people with a high level of IQ. This anomaly cast a shadow over the widely held assumption that IQ is the only thing that determines success.

Decades of research into EQ suggests that EQ is essential to success. The relationship between emotional intelligence and success is very strong - approximately 90% of successful people boast a high level of EQ.

Emotional intelligence is something intangible, but it also influences a person's behavior, his interaction with other people and the process of making personal decisions.

Although emotional intelligence is very important, it is very difficult to measure it in order to identify shortcomings and work on them. Of course, you can always take a science-based test (such as the one from the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, but unfortunately you will have to pay for it. After analyzing the results of a survey of more than a million people, I found out what qualities all people with a high level of emotional intelligence have .Here they are:

1.

An impressive vocabulary of emotional words

All people experience emotions, but few can describe them clearly. Our research shows that only 36% of the population boasts a rich emotional vocabulary, which is a shame, because misdescriptions of emotions often lead to misunderstandings, irrational decisions, and other counterproductive actions.

Emotionally intelligent people are in control of their emotions because they understand them and use the right words to describe them. While the average person claims to "feel bad," a person with a high level of emotional intelligence may say that they are "angry," "upset," "depressed," or "depressed." The more precisely the words are chosen, the more understandable the emotions experienced by the speaker, and the more adequate the reaction of the listener.

2. Curiosity about others

People with high emotional intelligence are always interested in others, regardless of their temperament. This curiosity is caused by the ability to empathize, namely the ability to empathize is an integral part of emotional intelligence. The more you care about others and what is happening to them, the stronger your interest.

3. Willingness to change

People with a high level of emotional intelligence are flexible and constantly adapt to changing conditions. They know that the fear of change can completely paralyze them, jeopardizing success and happiness. They are able to anticipate changes and always plan their actions for such a case.

4. Knowing one's weaknesses and shortcomings

People with a high level of emotional intelligence not only understand emotions, but also know what they do well and what they do poorly. In addition, they know who and what is responsible for their success. A high level of emotional intelligence allows them to take full advantage of their strengths and hide weaknesses that can set them back.

5. The ability to judge characters

Most of the time, a high level of emotional intelligence comes down to social awareness, that is, the ability to "read" other people and understand what they are going through. Over time, this skill develops into the ability to read characters. People with a high level of emotional intelligence see open books in others, understand what they are thinking about and what they are striving for, even if someone is trying to hide it.

6. Inability to be offended

A person who knows exactly what he is like never gets offended if others say or do something wrong. People with a high level of emotional intelligence are self-confident, open to new ideas and in a good way "thick-skinned". They know how to laugh at themselves and allow others to do the same, because they clearly see the difference between humor and degradation.

7. Ability to refuse (oneself and others)

Emotional intelligence is, first of all, self-control. This is the ability to refuse pleasures and avoid impulsive actions. A study conducted by scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, proves that people who find it difficult to refuse something to someone are more likely to experience stress and professional burnout and are more prone to depression. For many, rejection is a serious test, but "no" is a powerful word that should not be feared. When it comes time to say no, people with high emotional intelligence don't use phrases like "I don't think I can do it" or "I'm not sure." Refusing new obligations, they do justice to existing obligations and get the opportunity to fulfill them.

8. Ability to forgive yourself for mistakes

People with a high level of emotional intelligence know how to distance themselves from their mistakes, but do not forget about them. They do not go over their mistakes again and again, but always remember them if they need to change something in themselves. They see this thin line between memory and oblivion. If you remember mistakes too often, you can completely lose faith in yourself, but if you completely forget about them, you can repeat them. This unsteady balance is based on the ability to see opportunities for growth in mistakes and, having stumbled, return to the right path.

9.

The desire to give without asking for anything in return

When someone gives you something without asking for anything in return, it makes a strong impression. For example, a person with a high level of emotional intelligence, noticing someone's interest in a book he has, can selflessly borrow it, and all because he builds strong relationships by constantly thinking about others.

10. Forgetfulness

Negative emotions that surround all vindictive people inevitably cause them stress. Remembering grievances, many subconsciously trigger survival mechanisms in themselves, try to defend themselves or attack in response. Of course, when the threat is real, such a reaction is quite acceptable, but if we are talking about matters of bygone days, it has a destructive effect on the body and, over time, can cause serious health problems. Scientists from Emory University have proven that constant stress increases blood pressure and provokes heart disease. Of course, when we hold a grudge, we experience stress, and people with a high level of emotional intelligence try to avoid it. They forget about grievances and thereby take care of their health.

11. Ability to resist ill-wishers

Communication with "difficult" people is annoying and exhausting. People with a high level of emotional intelligence have complete control over the process of interacting with ill-wishers by analyzing their feelings. If such a person needs to talk face to face with an ill-wisher, he uses a rational approach. He does not allow emotions to take over, does not fall into anger and does not fuel conflict. He tries to understand the point of view of the interlocutor and find a solution that will satisfy everyone. Even in the most hopeless situation, a person with a high level of emotional intelligence perceives what is happening with a fair amount of skepticism and does not allow himself to be humiliated.

12. No striving for perfection

People with a high level of emotional intelligence do not strive for perfection, because they know that it does not exist. People tend to make mistakes - that's their nature. If you strive for excellence, you constantly experience the bitterness of defeat, which reduces or completely destroys motivation. As a result, you spend a lot of time complaining and thinking about what could have been done differently, instead of moving forward, enjoying what you have achieved and setting new goals for yourself.

13. The ability to appreciate what you have

Thinking about what you should be thankful for improves your mood and reduces the level of the stress hormone - cortisol - by about 23%. Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that people who develop the habit of thanking their luck every day are more likely to be in a good mood and experience bursts of energy. Most likely, low cortisol levels play a role in this.

14. Ability to switch off

People with a high level of emotional intelligence know how to relax well. Rest allows them to control their stress levels and live in the moment. If you are ready to deal with work matters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you are constantly under pressure. You should step away from your computer from time to time and even turn off your phone to give your brain and body a little respite. Studies show that this simple technique significantly reduces stress levels. Technology allows people to send instant messages, so many feel like they can't afford to disconnect, but a vacation that's constantly wedged in by work emails and calls is never productive.

15. Limited caffeine intake

Excessive doses of caffeine cause the production of adrenaline, which is responsible for the activation of the "fight or flight" mechanism. This mechanism does not allow you to think rationally, but forces you to act as quickly as possible to ensure survival. This is fine if you're being chased by a wild bear, and totally unacceptable if you're parsing email. Under the influence of caffeine, the brain and body are subjected to severe stress, and all actions are performed under the influence of emotions. Caffeine is excreted from the body for a long time, and therefore the consequences of its intake do not pass without a trace. People with a high level of emotional intelligence know how harmful caffeine is and do not abuse it.

16. Healthy sleep

It is very difficult to overestimate the importance of healthy sleep. It has a positive effect on the level of emotional intelligence and reduces stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, organizes or gets rid of the memories accumulated during the day. As a result, you wake up with a fresh head. People with a high level of emotional intelligence know that lack of sleep reduces mental capacity, impairs memory, and causes inattention. Healthy sleep should be your top priority.

17. Lack of self-abasement

The more you think about yourself in a negative way, the more power these thoughts have over you. It is worth remembering that thoughts are not facts. When we believe that an event never happens (or, on the contrary, it constantly happens), our brain simply exaggerates the scale of the threat.

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