Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Social awareness, Empathy, and Social skill make up EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient). This article explains the meaning of self-awareness and its significance.
Self-awareness is a critical aspect of emotional intelligence (EQ). It refers to the ability to have a profound understanding of one's emotions, strengths, shortcomings, and how they impact others.
Individuals who exhibit high self-awareness can identify how their feelings affect themselves, other people, and their work performance. For instance, in a work environment, such individuals will have a clear understanding of their personality and tendencies, carefully plan their work, and create a conducive environment that facilitates timely completion of projects.
For instance, Noriko often struggled with writing reports and meeting deadlines. To address this, she conducted a self-assessment to determine why she was unable to complete the reports on time. She analyzed the tasks involved in report writing, including writing and time management, and identified the stage at which she was getting stuck. After careful consideration, she realized that her writing skills were inadequate and that it was taking her too long to complete her reports. To address this, Noriko took a writing course to improve her writing skills, created a report template, and had her colleagues review her reports before submitting them. By elevating her self-awareness, Noriko was able to identify her weaknesses and take steps to overcome them.
When dealing with a difficult client during negotiations, it can be helpful to understand the underlying reasons for your own feelings and frustrations. By doing so, you can turn negative emotions into positive ones. For instance, if you are offered a job that may provide financial benefits but is not in line with your personal principles or long-term goals, you can explore the connection between your principles and the offer at hand. This can help you make the best decision for yourself while maintaining a realistic perspective.
When we enhance our self-awareness, we become capable of responding to things in an objective and thoughtful manner, without getting influenced by temporary emotions. Being able to manage our emotions is one of the most valuable skills that one can possess, and self-awareness is the fundamental basis for developing this skill.
Here are five effective ways to increase self-awareness:
1. Practice mindfulness: This involves paying attention to yourself and your surroundings, such as by focusing on one thing during meditation. It helps you become more aware of your internal states and your reactions to things.
2. Do yoga: Yoga is not just a physical workout, but also a mental one. While moving your body, your mind learns discipline, self-acceptance, and awareness. Combining yoga with mindfulness can also increase self-awareness.
3. Make time for reflection: You can reflect in various ways. You can journal, speak out loud, or simply sit quietly and think. Anything that helps you reflect on yourself.
4. Write in a journal: Writing in a journal allows you to identify and embrace your thoughts and feelings. It helps you discover what you want, what you value, and what works for you. It can also help you discover what is not important to you and what is not working for you.
5. Ask your loved ones: While it is important to know yourself inside out, feedback from others can also be helpful. Ask a family member or close friend to describe you. Talk to a variety of people to make a comprehensive assessment of yourself, rather than just taking one person's word for it.
There are certain skills related to emotional intelligence that you can practice on your own, but coaching is the most effective way to improve them. Coaching is a process of discovering and learning about yourself, which can help you become a better leader.
BrainMaid offers executive coaching services that can help you develop the leadership skills required to guide teams and individuals with creativity and innovatively. Their fully customized program follows the coaching process of the International Coach Federation (ICF), which can help you anticipate how your decisions, words, and actions will impact the entire organization. This is crucial for staying ahead of the curve and being able to foresee future outcomes and plan accordingly.
To get started, BrainMaid offers a free 30-minute trial coaching session. If you're interested in learning more, please click here.