Workplaces are such busy and high-pressure zones these days that it can be a challenge just to get from one end of the day to the other, let alone to fully digest and process all that has unfolded during those hectic hours. Yet neglecting the emotional impact that all this pressure has on you and on your colleagues can actually hold you back and make things more difficult.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that some people manage to take it all in their stride, treating each other with calm respect while dealing with their own problems quietly and effectively: there is a good chance that such a person has what we consider to be a high level of ‘emotional intelligence’. If you want to channel those same levels of grace and productivity, there’s nothing stopping you from doing a little work on your own emotional intelligence.

Your emotional intelligence, or EQ, is about your ability to recognize emotions in yourself and those around you, to carefully manage them, and even to utilize them by making the most of the particular energy that each emotion brings.

When it comes to yourself, EQ is very closely related to the idea of mindfulness, and indeed mindful techniques can help you recognize and manage your emotions as they arise. Take a few minutes each day to run back through the way you’ve felt and try to figure out some reasons and solutions for how things went awry. And when you get better at recognizing negative emotions as they happen, try to slow down, take a deep breath, and acknowledge them instead of racing on.

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Your EQ is also says something about your level of empathy. If someone at work seems to have a problem with you or with what they’re doing, put yourself in their shoes. Understanding why other people feel the way they do can help you negotiate a better outcome for all involved.

This new guide to emotional intelligence provides a handy resource for measuring where your EQ levels are already at – and offers some useful tips on how to take it to the next level.

How Your Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Through The Workday [INFOGRAPHIC]