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Being in the health science field, we have all faced the pressure of doing well in exams. Having the scores to prove our intelligence and show that we possess the qualifications to move forward is not unique to our profession and ones like it. However, as to-be vets, we deal with animals and wide variety of clients with an even wider range of emotions. All the book smarts, street smarts and practical knowledge, may not amount to much, if we do not know how to deal with them properly. Everyone is familiar with the infamous estimate of one’s intelligence quotient, the best measure for intellectual abilities of an individual. People with the highest IQs are considered to be the smartest in the world. But are they always the most successful? Life isn't made up of numbers and scores, nor is it only about fulfilling relationships and interactions. It is about finding balance and thus, success requires a balance between IQ and EQ. In an emotionally-demanding profession like ours, it can be argued that when dealing with stakes like health or a life, emotional intelligence is equally, if not more important as the technical knowledge that we often prioritize. The key skills for building your EQ and improving your ability to manage emotions and connect with others are:
Self-managementThink about a time when you were overwhelmed. Was it easy to think clearly or make a rational decision? Probably not. When you're stressed, your ability to think accurately assess emotions—your own and those of the people around you—is compromised. With the ability to manage stress and stay emotionally present, you can learn to go about an emotionally demanding job without letting it get to you. To engage your EQ, you can start by :
Self-awarenessBeing able to connect to your feelings is the key to understanding how emotion influences your thoughts and actions, and to eventually be able to keep them under check. Let’s assess how connected you are with your emotions.
If you answered no to all of the above questions, there’s a chance you may be suppressing your emotions. To become emotionally healthy, you must reconnect to your core emotions, and become comfortable with them, by practicing mindfulness. The cultivation of mindfulness has roots in Buddhism. Prayer or meditation techniques have become widely known for their ability to help calm the mind and the body. It helps shift your thoughts toward appreciating the moment, and brings a larger perspective on life, i.e. self-awareness. Social awarenessSimply said, social awareness is the ability to read the room. Picking up on the atmosphere, which consists of the emotions of the people around you, is not something everyone is born with, but an acquired skill. So to build social awareness, the importance of mindfulness comes up again. Being in the moment, paying attention to subtle cues, both verbal and non-verbal, in others’ actions- these things are impossible if you aren’t mentally present or are simply scrolling on your phone. Let’s look at how to go about it:
You must be wondering what paying heed to other people's emotions has to do with your own. As mentioned, identifying and naming your feelings is one of the first step to working on your EQ. It is always easier to see something in others, than in our own selves. Relationship managementRelationships are not confined to only the world of the personal. Professional relationships are one of the most fulfilling parts of a job and can be the key to success for many. Working well with others is a process that begins with emotional awareness and your ability to recognize and understand what other people are experiencing.
2. Use of humor: Humor and laughter bring your stressed mind into check, to help calm down, sharpen your mind to put things into perspective. 3. Conflict can be an opportunity to grow closer: Don't run from arguments or disagreements. Sometimes the truth needed to resolve an issue only comes out when people are upset. So, within reason, letting emotions take over isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When conflict isn’t perceived as threatening or punishing, it fosters freedom, creativity, and safety in relationships. It’s important to remember that there is a difference between simply learning about EQ and applying that knowledge to your life. Just because you know you should do something doesn’t mean you will—especially when overwhelmed by stress, it is hard to put theory into practice. So practice mindfulness and ways to feel all your emotions and thus regulate them effectively in your day to day life, so the good habit enforces itself when you need it most. For more on the subject, check out the sources we used:
1. The Meaning of Emotional Intelligence https://www.ihhp.com/meaning-of-emotional-intelligence/ 2. Improving emotional intelligence - an article on helpguide.org 3. Emotional Intelligence . Developing Strong "People Skills" https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_59.htm
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What is SCoCA?The Standing Committee on Career Attributes (SCoCA) aims to complement veterinary education with opportunities to improve career attributes, aiming a successful future career in veterinary medicine for all veterinary students around the world. Archives
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