5 tips for using emotional intelligence to boost productivity and peace at work

Eric Forseter, AWS senior sales manager and EQ evangelist

“Savoring is a beautiful word, and something that we sometimes forget to do on a daily basis,”  Sokol said, adding that it only takes a few seconds to notice “thin slices of joy” that happen around us.

“Whether it’s your favorite coffee or the food you’re eating or hugging your family, you should live that moment, not just go through it,” she said. “Experience the joy in the middle of that, and realize there’s gratitude in it, too. Because these little moments actually make our lives.”

These moments of joy happen at work, too. Recognizing and celebrating these experiences, whether it’s an inspiring conversation or a fun collaboration, has a long-term impact on your positivity.

"It’s important to take the extra second to savor these moments,” Forseter added, “because little things like that are going to retrain your brain to think more positively and feel less stressed at work.”  

Making friends at work is essential to a positive outlook.

“When we can laugh and exchange stories and talk about our lives, we connect on a different level,” Sokol said.  

Starting a conversation with someone you don’t know can feel awkward, but it’s worth it as you connect and get to know more.

“It can be as simple as having coffee with a colleague, asking about their day,” Forseter said. “At AWS, we also have employee resource groups, Slack channels, and volunteer opportunities that make it easy to find and connect with your community.”  

Forseter points out that while time management is great, it winds up being a tool to make everything fit into your schedule.

“When we fill our calendar, that actually adds to our burnout,” he said. “Instead, we’ve got to figure out how to build recovery time into our work.”

Recovering our energy happens on several timelines:
•    Macro recovery (monthly): half-day to full day
•    Meso recovery (weekly): 1-2 hours
•    Micro recovery (daily): minutes

For micro recovery, Forseter recommends focusing on optimizing your energy by leveraging your natural energy cycles — commit to 60- or 90-minute bursts of focus followed by time to reset and recharge. Find the reset that works for you, whether it’s a brisk walk, standing in the sunshine, or a quick dance session in the living room.

For macro recovery, Forseter said it’s important to fully disconnect from work. That means not checking email during PTO, for example. For managers, leading by example and fully disconnecting sends the message that you trust your teams to handle whatever comes along.

“Trust with a period, not with a comma,” Forseter said.

“We sit too much,“ Forseter noted, “and too much sitting can reduce well-being and increase anxiety, depression, obesity, and more.”

Whether you are working at home or the office, it’s important to get up and move around. Stretch while you’re waiting for a call to start. Pace around the room when you’re on the call. Practice your dance moves when the camera is off. Whatever physical activity you choose, Sokol and Forseter emphasize that moving your body is good for your brain.  

Daria Sokol, AWS enterprise support manager and EQ evangelist