Motivation Archives

Emotional Intelligence can decrease the stress of the EPPP.

Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, is the ability to effectively express, understand, and manage your own feelings. It also includes the ability to successfully engage and navigate the feelings of others. Because EQ is the ability to manage feelings, those who have a high EQ are better able to manage stress; an important quality when it comes to preparing for the EPPP.

Unlike a person’s Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, EQ can be improved. A person’s IQ does not drastically change over time. Approximately 90% of high performing employees have a high EQ whereas 80% of low performing employees have a low EQ. Conclusively, EQ can be a determining factor of success. Furthermore, the higher your EQ, the less overcome by stress you are.

Ultimately, EQ is an important part of effectively studying for the EPPP. Here are 3 ways to increase your EQ and subsequently decrease stress during the EPPP preparation process.

Reduce Negative emotions

One way to increase your EQ is to increase positive emotions and reduce negative ones. This can be done through gratitude. Expressing gratitude literally detoxifies your brain and over time can drastically reduce stress and increase your emotional intelligence. Gratitude also has many health benefits such as decreasing anxiety and depression and improving sleep.

A practical way to express gratitude while you prepare for the EPPP is to put a positive mantra in your study space. Think of an encouraging phrase that grabs you, write it down, and pin it where you can see it whenever you are studying.

Express your emotions when necessary

Per Dr. Travis Bradburry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 emotionally intelligent people have four main skills:

Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship management

To increase your EQ, learn to appropriately express your emotions by first understanding what emotions you are experiencing and then expressing them in a safe environment with someone you trust. Practice appropriately expressing your emotions when you are stressed and overwhelmed with studying for the EPPP.

Be proactive

When it comes to adversity, be proactive instead of reactive. For example, if someone upsets you, be proactive about your response to them. Take a deep breath and respond calmly instead of reacting out of being upset.

When it comes to studying for the EPPP, be proactive about stress. Don’t let your study schedule happen to you, create one before all the study materials and practice tests pile up with little time to learn anything. Procrastination, though, is not always the only thing that will cause stress. Studying for the EPPP in general can be a stressor. Therefore, expect the stress and be proactive about how you will manage it when it happens.

Resources

Ni, P., M.S.B.A. (2014, October 5). How to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence ― 6 Essentials. Retrieved May 22, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201410/how-increase-your-emotional-intelligence-6-essentials

Further Reading

Unmotivated students are more likely to procrastinate studying which, in turn, affects their likelihood of a passing score. Are you struggling to stay motivated while studying for the EPPP? You are not alone.

Here are 5 study habits that will improve your motivation to study for the EPPP.

1. Personalize the Material.

The EPPP material is more than just concepts and terms to memorize for a test. When you study for the EPPP, think about how you will be able to use certain concepts once you become a licensed psychologist. Match ideas and scenarios you come across in studying with what you are experiencing in your life.

So much of the content can be associated with real-life scenarios in and of itself. But you can overcome your lack of motivation by personalizing terms, concepts, and scenarios with important people and places in your life.

2. Take Breaks

Avoid burnout by scheduling regular breaks into your study sessions. Furthermore, listen to what your body and brain needs. For example, tiredness can be a major factor in lack of motivation. Check in with yourself. Are you getting enough sleep at night? Getting sufficient sleep is a basic step towards creating a successful lifestyle in general.

Another type of tiredness is cognitive exhaustion. Breaking up your study sessions with rest will help you avoid mental fatigue. These breaks should ideally be taken outdoors involving some sort of activity that oxygenates the brain such as jogging, walking, or riding a bike. If weather is keeping you indoors, try eating a healthy meal during a break, take a bath, do yoga, listen to music, or just sit and do nothing. Whatever your method is for taking breaks, stay away from technology during this time.

3. Avoid Distractions

Ask yourself what it is that is distracting you from your EPPP studies. The idea is to remove the distraction so that you can more easily pursue studying. There are certain distractions, however, that are not removable such as work, family, and friends. In this case, consider studying in a place where you are away from family and friends like a library or coffee shop.

Maintain focus in your distraction-free environment by turning off your social media and email notifications. If you need to, give yourself a timed break to check email and media accounts. Furthermore, remove the distraction of sporadic thoughts (such as suddenly remembering to feed the neighbor’s cat) by keeping a notepad and pen next to you as you study. As sporadic thoughts appear, remove them from your brain by writing them down where they can serve as a reminder later.

4. Plan

Looking at the overall task of studying for the EPPP can be overwhelming. This can lead to not knowing where to begin or a lack of motivation to begin at all. Many people who are overwhelmed with the entirety of studying decide to randomly skip around study material without structure. Avoid random and unproductive study by making a realistic schedule so that you do not overload your working memory. Ask yourself what you can learn for today and focus on just that.

The Taylor Study Method can help you create your own personalized study schedule based on how much daily/weekly time you have as well as when you want to take your EPPP. Our team of researchers and engineers have identified the most effective ways to structure your study time. Our online tools break down your EPPP studies into manageable parts tailored to your unique schedule.

5. Visualize Success

Lastly, at the beginning of each study session, remember what all of this is for. Imagine all that you will be able to accomplish when you are a licensed psychologist. Imagine what it will feel like to get that passing score. Visualize the big picture success from and then back up to the smaller picture of having a successful study session today. Positive thinking is a powerful tool that leads to success.

Further Reading