Many times we convince ourselves that it is necessary to 'leave our emotions out' when we cross the threshold of the workplace.
But it is by no means an easy thing.
Emotions are not like a coat that we can hang up at the entrance.
Studies reveal that negative emotions affect interpersonal relationships, as well as our ability to express our full potential: concentration, attention, memory, physical and mental health suffer a major decline when we are overwhelmed by emotions such as stress, frustration, fear or anger.
It is therefore essential to learn how to manage them. And this is precisely where emotional intelligence comes in.
Three pillars of emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-regulation and positive connections.
Here are three exercises to start developing these skills, as suggested by Professor Emma Seppälä of Yale University.
SELF-AWARENESS
Observe the state your body is in: on an energy scale ranging from completely exhausted to full of vigour, where do you stand today? Analyses your body. Pay attention to the sensations: are there areas that are contracted or relaxed?
Observe your thoughts and their 'traffic level': the mind is traversed by thoughts throughout the day, a continuous flow that comes and goes. If every thought were a vehicle, what would be the traffic density? Are you on a clogged motorway, a placid country lane or somewhere in between?
SELF-REGULATION
A survey conducted by Yale found that breathing exercises are one of the fastest and most effective ways to regulate emotions in real time. Using the breath can take us from a state of agitation to one of calm in a matter of minutes.
When you feel the need to remain calm, try this exercise: close your eyes, inhale counting to four, then exhale counting to eight.
POSITIVE CONNECTIONS
Have you ever noticed that there are people who leave us exhausted, without energy, while others manage to make us feel energized and full of motivation?
Why does this happen? In the second case, you have probably met a 'positive energizer', a person with a strong emotional intelligence who knows how important it is to bring out the best in others.
Research shows that these people not only contribute to improving our state of well-being, but also contribute to increasing productivity in organisations.
You can cultivate your capacity as a positive energizer by looking for small moments to lift the morale of others.
And it is not, of course, about being artificial, but about generating positivity in a genuine way, through humility, empathy, compassion, honesty and integrity.
It takes less than a minute to offer a compliment, share a laugh, a kind word or even just a smile. Yet, the effect is immense.