How to Increase Your Social Intelligence

Having a social intelligence of 120 means that you are above average. Obtaining a score of 100 means that you are considered average. But what does one take to achieve a high score? Does it mean that you have to read and memorize cover to cover an encyclopedia (or dictionary for that
matter)? Do we need to take in gingko biloba twice a day? Do we need to be considered a gifted person in order to be called a "social genius"?

I believe that acquiring a 120 score for a social IQ test does not mean you have to bury your brows in the books to know all of the issues around you and what is going on in the world.

Here is some advice that can help enhance your social intelligence:

First and foremost, you need to be aware of current events; whether it concerns information on sports, weather, medical field, mathematical formulas or the simplest issue like, "What is the best stain remover for a wool jacket". Actually, having an above average social IQ is through understanding and acquiring well-balanced information of old, new and sophisticated issues as well as knowing how to become street smart.

What you should do is to read the newspaper every day in order to keep you updated. Whenever you watch television; make certain that you will be able to view recent and popular shows so that you can be well-informed. In daily conversations wherein one of your colleagues might discuss about a television program; at least you can relate and converse about simple details concerning the subject matter.

Second is to actively participate in one or two social networking sites. From this, you will become enhanced to cope with the latest trends. Eating gives the body nourishment, but if you read quality issues; healthy information feeds your brain. We are in a fast-paced era so time is
getting more precious than ever. Sparing time to see online music videos will help you get updated with what is receiving the greatest hits. Participate in organizations within your community. It's recommended that individuals should be surrounded by different sorts of people; you will surely learn from them. Be observant, speak less and hear more. Find time to watch classical movies to remind you of the old goodies.

Hang out with friends as much as you can for you to be well informed of what is the hottest happenings in town. Make your vacation leave fruitful and educational. Travel to different places and countries that you have never been to in order to understand their history, culture and delicacies.

Reference:

- Korgeski, G. P. (2008). The complete idiot's guide to enhancing your social IQ. New York,N.Y.: Alpha
Article Resource: Anna Olalia

How to Become More Efficient

Working efficiently means that your efforts should go to high-priority task that contribute to accomplishing your goals. Many people find themselves working hard all day, yet at the end of the day little is accomplished. Let's look at ways you can become more efficient, at accomplishing
your goals.

Working efficiently does not eliminate hard work. Being efficient requires planning and using your time and energy wisely to accomplish your goals in a shorter period of time. You should start each morning making a list of all the tasks that need to be accomplished for the day. Make sure you list the items on your list in order of importance, from most import on top to least important on the bottom. Make sure that your income producing activities are at the top, as those will be most important.

Always look for shortcuts in every task you do. You don't have to make drastic changes to the way you do things, however think of small changes you can make to your daily routine that will make the tasks get done faster. For example, if you need to go out shopping for different things try to find a place that sells everything you're looking for under one roof. That way you don't have to drive to two different locations, saving you time and gas money.

Make sure you stay flexible. The world is always changing, and we must change with it. If we don't we will be left behind. Also make sure to avoid over scheduling yourself. When making your list, be realistic. List only the things that you know you can accomplish in one day. Sometimes it's good to wait for tomorrow to finish certain tasks. When tired productivity and efficiency can suffer.

Always think of ways you can become more efficient. Try do similar things at the same time. For example if you need to pay your electricity bill as well as your phone bill, fill out the checks and mailing envelopes at the same time. This is more efficient than paying your electricity bill, then switching to dropping the kids off to school and then later in the day paying the phone bill.

If possible try avoiding multitasking. In today's fast-paced world we have become used to the concept of multitasking, doing different things at the same time. However multitasking is not always good. You will become more efficient if you focus on finishing one task, and only when you're
done with that task starting another one.

Finally try to find people that are efficient and learn from what they do. It is true that knowledge is power, and the more you know the more efficient you will become. Remember becoming more efficient is all about thinking smart, not working hard. Although hard work is required, if you take time to plan things out and are willing to think of new ways to become more efficient you will soon see better results from all your hard work.

A Risky Proposition: How to Take Smart Risks to Find Success

Most people dream of living a more successful life: they want a better job, a salary increase, more responsibility at work and the respect of their peers. Unfortunately, few people are willing to take the needed risks to make their
dreams a reality. Instead, they sit back and watch a select few climb the corporate ladder, while they wallow in self-pity and wonder why good things never happen to them.

The fact is that good things don't just happen to anyone. Good things happen to those who take risks, thus making their positive outcomes possible. For example, consider sports athletes. The truly great superstars of their game take risks every day. They risk injury during a game with daring plays. They risk getting yelled at by their coach when they make a split-second game decision. They risk complete failure and letting down their entire team when they follow their gut instinct and alter the play mid-game. Sometimes their risks pan out, and sometimes they don't. However, those who do take risks are the athletes who are household names.

The same is true in business. Every company has a handful of superstars or top achievers who rise among the ranks. And what usually separates these superstars from the masses of employees is the individual's ability to take a risk. Granted, risk taking isn't always easy, but it is doable if you follow some solid guidelines. Use the following risk-taking process to enable you to take smart risks and further your professional life.

1. Know what you want to achieve.
Before you take any kind of risk, you first have to know your ultimate goal. Do you want to be the company president within five years? Do you want a thirty percent salary increase at your next review? Do you want to be promoted to management and get the corner office? Whatever your big
dream is, state it clearly. Depending on your answer, you can work backwards to map out the steps you would need to take to get there. For example, maybe to get a promotion or a salary increase you need to take a risk by volunteering for new projects. List out all the steps and risks you can think of. Now you have a starting point of how you need to proceed to achieve the goal you've outlined.

2. Be aware of the different kinds of risks.

As you're likely aware, there are smart risks, and then there are stupid risks. A smart risk is calmly and professionally confronting your boss about an injustice that has transpired in the department. A stupid risk is vandalizing his car to make your point. To be successful, you have to take smart risks. That means that before you take the risk you have to do your research. You have to find out what that risk entails so you can make an intelligent decision of whether it's a good risk or a bad risk. A good risk has a high probability of success. If the odds are stacked against you, you probably won't succeed. Therefore, you have to make sure you have the facts. For example, if you're investing money you have to check out the investment: What's the success rate? What's the return potential? What's the timeline for the return? Once you know the facts you can make an informed decision.

In general, there are five kinds of risks to be aware of:

* Risks that are not yours to take. In other words, it is not up to you to do something or make a decision, so don't.


* Unnecessary risks. This is when you take risks without enough information or without thinking it through.


* Risks you can take. These include volunteering or getting more education. They usually deliver low failure and high success.


* Risks you can't afford to take. With such risks, the failure is high, and success is low.


* Risks you can afford to take. These may be costly but are very rewarding.


The key is to be prepared before you take a risk to make sure it's something worthwhile and not something that's going to set you back.

3. Don't let external conditions distract you.
Often, people let external conditions intimidate them and force them to back away from a risk. For example, perhaps you want to apply for a promotion at work. You mention something to a co-worker about your decision and learn that you'll have a lot of qualified competition for the job.
You do a little checking around and find out that these more-qualified people are indeed applying for the same promotion as you. Because of this information, you decide not to take the risk and not to go for the promotion. You let the competition intimidate you. While knowing what external conditions you're facing is important, you can't let this information be your sole decision criterion for whether or not to take the risk. Instead, analyze the external conditions and figure out what makes you different or more likely to succeed. Focus on those positive qualities you bring to the table. Chances are your unique positive attributes will make all the difference.

4. Plan for failure.

Minimize your chances of a negative outcome by always questioning assumptions and by asking yourself what you would do if things don't go your way, including unanticipated delays, increased expenses, and actions beyond your control. Successful people are never surprised when they take a risk because they have thought through the uncertainties. In their minds, they have been there before. Therefore, they can better respond. So assess and evaluate the worst possible outcome, and keep in mind that things often take longer than expected. In order not to become frustrated in the process, multiply your expected timeframe by three. Finally, make a list of action steps you must take to offset any negative factors you might face.

5. Stop being a spectator.

Getting ahead in business is not a spectator sport. So just because you know what risks you need to take doesn't mean you'll achieve success. You now have to get involved and get your hands dirty so you can get where you want to go. If you're scared, realize that the best way to minimize your fear of a risk is by taking action. Often, our fears are unfounded and have no basis in reality. And the more action you take, the smaller your fears become. So talk to your boss about that raise you want. Ask for more responsibility on the job. Take a prospective mentor out to lunch. As you move forward, be prepared for rejection. Whenever you ask for something, there are only two answers: yes or no. Just because someone says "no" to you doesn't mean you're not worthy or that you're not going to get where you want to go. That's just part of taking that risk. So take action and do whatever is necessary to make your goals a reality. Remember that a risk without action is merely a dream. Have the courage to take meaningful action steps today.

RISK: A Smart Four-Letter Word

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our risks don't pan out. Realize that failure is part of the risk-taking process. If possible, have a "plan B" ready in case your risk does not go your way. Then, dissect your results so you can see what happened, learn from your mistakes, and move on.
When you move forward with knowledge, your next risk will usually turn out better.

No matter what you want in your professional life, you'll likely need to take a risk or two to get there. And while the thought of taking risks can be scary, remember that the results are what will set you apart from the crowd. So start planning your next risk right away. The more smart risks you take in your life today, the more positive results you'll achieve in your future.

Tips from a Bonafide University Student on How to Be Smart:

When you're smart you have far more social license to do whatever you want. You can eat eccentrically in restaurants - use chopsticks however you like; sip from your salad dressing container. People will hang off your words and maybe drop their napkins on the floor too. You can get used
to not apologizing for things. You don't have to bother with tact, consideration, or fashion sense because you're an important mind, not some well-mannered clotheshorse.

Yes, the future will be bright for you, you budding intellectual. Here are three big ways to begin:

Read the Classics

Even among the sparsest of intellects you've probably heard the term 'reading the classics' being batted around, likely accompanied with an associated guilt of not having done so. These people are right. You need to read the classics. Go on the internet and get a feel for what they are (cross-reference websites when compiling your lists; skip sites that insist on graphic novels or Gertrude Stein.) Philosophy books are good too: go for the real jerks and the guys who've been dead for a long time. Get a master list together, and then, very slowly and perhaps taking notes, read the Coles Notes version of each one. Read the character and theme synopses too; they're particularly helpful. Develop plausible opinions on where the author was going with 'it all'. Drop them into casual conversation whenever possible (i.e.: this coffee reminds me of that time in War and Peace when; isn't this water-cooler shaped just like the guy from...)

Get Wordy and Stuff

So now, for all everyone else can tell, you're well-read. Don't let the opportunity to vocalize sail past: seize it by expanding your vocabulary. People listen longer when your words have lots of syllables. Habitually inserting six six-syllable words per sentence is a great way to start: go big and then learn to ease off. How do you achieve this? Easy. Read the dictionary.

There are relatively painless ways to do this (relatively viz. less taxing than school, more taxing than eating hot dogs). Every time you swear, raise your voice, or enthusiastically fantasize about introducing your boss's shirt to the coffee grinder/fryer/paper shredder, look up a word
in the dictionary. Or, try playing a delayed-gratification drinking game in which every word you teach yourself throughout the day translates into a Jägermeister shot later. Temper your education with unmistakable class.

Become a Passionate Debater

So now, for all everyone else knows, you're well-read and glotally dexterous. Next, you must learn to shut other people down intellectually. Teach them the gut-rending humiliation you can barely remember from times table week in elementary school. When you are faced with holes in your arguments, admit you are wrong: make things up. Use your sprawling vocabulary to prop up your straw men and elliptical arguments. Be vague. Get angry. Ask your opponent if they are serious or if they really just said that as many times as you feel you need to, or until they shrink in their seats a bit. Make up statistics. Master a subtle eye-roll. Gesticulate. Do not let them finish speaking at any point. If you are eating, that's even better: you will have an opportunity to showcase your eccentric eating and speak with your mouth full and wave your food around. Try doing both at the same time. It is important not to look at your opponent when they are talking; focus on objects over their heads instead, or on your cuticles. Check your watch a lot. They must never forget that your time is precious.

Moving Forward

There is certainly more to learn, but part of becoming a true intellectual is acquiring the shallowest understanding you can get away with, and then running with it. Go forth and intellectualize!

How to Study Smart, its not Hard !

There is so much competition within the academic world that having the proper study techniques is essential for survival. Unfortunately, students are not given lessons on how to study. The educational system has made it the student's responsibility to learn his or her own way of learning.
For some students, this becomes a difficult and challenging task because they take the wrong path of learning. These students may feel they are studying efficiently when they actually are not. There are students who are almost on the right track, who have fairly good study skills but just need that extra boost to take them to the top of the academic success.

I am going to teach you how to study smart and not hard. By using the simple techniques you will start to notice an improvement in your test scores and grades. Followed by a wonderful sense of accomplishment and esteem that will further encourage you to study smart.

SIT IN FRONT OF THE CLASS

Students who sit in front of the classroom are more stimulated and get more out of a lecture class than those who sit in the back. This is because you are more likely to pay attention in class if you feel your instructor is only talking to you. This also reduces your chances of day dreaming and falling asleep, or being disrupted by some other pupil.

BE A GOOD LISTENER

Lectures especially in large classes tend to be boring for students. Students will often look around the room, daydream or even take a nap. This is the negative attitude some students have adopted. A good way to prevent the boredom is to develop a positive attitude. Sit up straight and concentrate on what the instructor is saying. Remind yourself that listening and taking good notes will benefit you during the examination.

BECOME A BETTER NOTE TAKER

Most students take lecture notes but they have trouble selecting what is and isn't important. Some instructors will give their students a detailed outline of what they are going to say but some do not. So an approach you can take is understand the organization of the lecture early in the year or semester.

There are common phrases that instructors will use to let you know what is important. Here are a few examples:

"Remember this..."
"This is important..."
"Let's review the material.."
"Write down this idea..."
"The main point is..."

In addition to these phrases, there are other clues to watch out for. Here are a few
examples:

Points that the instructor stresses or repeats.

Tone of voice. For example if the instructor slows down it may indicate that the information is important.

Written information presented in class (e.g. overhead, chalkboard).

Terms defined by the instructor.

REWRITE YOUR LECTURE NOTES

To be successful in life you have to be organized, this takes into account your lecture notes. Lecture notes are never flawless; they are often inaccurate and incomplete. Revising and organizing your notes is helpful.

Revision should take place the day of the lecture when the information is still fresh in your mind. This way you are likely to make sense of what you have written.
Make revision a creative and fun exercise. Revise your notes with great imagination. The reason behind this idea is for you to enjoy reading your notes and at the same time increase your chances of recall. We are more likely to pay attention to things that are unusual and interesting to us. Here are some suggestions on creative note taking:

Draw symbols.

Use pictures rather than words.

Type your notes.

Use crayons, colored pens, paint and glitter.

Use different material to write on (e.g. construction paper, card board).

ATTEND STUDY SESSIONS

Study sessions involve studying with other people such as, friends, tutors, classmates and teachers. These sessions enable you to ask questions, compare notes, quiz each other and share information. A small study group between two or three is usually more helpful than a large study group because it allows everyone to stay focused on the subject matter. Often in a large study group a series of minispeeches with no real discussion takes place. Everyone becomes occupied in socializing rather than learning.

ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOR HELP
Some students are intimidated or are afraid to approach their instructors for help. They view the instructor as a bad person who can outsmart them in anything. This leads to an outward show of being unfriendly and does not influence an appearance of cordiality by the instructor. Fight off
negative thoughts. Remember the instructor is there to help you not to make your life pitiable. See your instructor after class or during office hours when you have questions. This will let your instructor know that you are concerned about learning the material. It shows you are trying which may determine the letter grade your instructor decides to give you.

DO EXTRA CREDIT

Never miss out on extra credit! You can never be sure what the final grade in the class will be. Extra credit is a chance to raise your grade. It could be the difference between a B+ and an A.

PLAN A WEEKLY SCHEDULE

The value of time is so great that it shouldn't be used up on the thought of "What should I do next?" This is why making a schedule for each week is essential. Part of the reason a schedule is planned each week is for you to make sure that certain hours are put aside for studying. This is one way to avoid procrastination. Before making a schedule there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

1. What do I usually do each day?

2. What do I need to achieve each week for each class?

3. What is the amount of study time required for that week?

When you are determining what you usually do each day this means thinking about activities such as eating, working, attending class etc... Finding out what you need to achieve for each week for each class can be done by asking your instructor. Many times the instructor will hand out a syllabus on the first day of class describing what will be covered for that semester or year. Determining the amount of study time needed for that week will depend on how many classes you are taking, what type of class you are taking (need to spend more time in biology class than art class), and who's your instructor. These are all the things you need to consider when making your schedule.

STUDY AT A TIME THAT IS BEST FOR YOU

Do you study in the morning, evening or at night? It doesn't matter when you study just as long as it is at a time when you are better able to grasp and retain information. Some students study better in the early hours of the morning, while others study better at night. Check your schedule and see if you are able to study at your best time and make that a part of your schedule.

SELECT A REGULAR PLACE TO STUDY

Concentration becomes easier when studying is done in the same place. Cues will be set off in that environment which will let you know it's time to study. This will help set a particular state of mind or feeling for studying.
When selecting a place, look for a favorable surrounding with good study conditions. Where you decide to study is up to your. It could be at home, in the library, or even at a park. However, some of the conditions you should consider is temperature, lighting, quietness and the comfort of
your environment.

TAKE BREAKS

Usually after two hours you will become too tired to study. Concentrating becomes difficult so take a break. For example, watch television, have a snack (preferable something sweet to give you energy), or go for a walk. Just do something to keep your mind off studying for a while. Also you don't have to wait two hours before you take a break. Rest periods between five to fifteen minutes should be taken at least every hour. For longer tasks, shorter rest periods are more beneficial. After your break, you will feel energized to resume your studies.

TURN THE TELEVISION AND RADIO OFF

When the television or radio is on they serve as distractions that may cause you to lose your train of thought while you are studying. You may think that you are retaining the information that you are studying, but actually, you are not. We have a limited capacity for attending. In other words, we can attend to the radio or our studies but not both.

AVOID STUDYING IF YOU'RE TIRED, SICK OR HUNGRY

It becomes difficult to study and learn when you're tired, sick or hungry. When you're tired, do something to refresh yourself. For example, splash water on your face or go for a swim. When you are sick, the last thing on your mind is studying. My advice to you is drink tea with lemon and get some rest. When you're hungry, your focus will only be on food, not on your studies. So satisfy your stomach and eat something.

READ, RECALL AND SUMMARIZE THE CHAPTERS

There are three major steps in learning the chapters of a textbook. The first step is reading actively. Reading actively is intense reading that involves concentration. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself when reading actively.

1. What are the main points of the chapter?

2. What are the important details of the chapter?

3. What are the important terms of the chapter? Hint: Usually important terms are italized or typed in boldface.

As you're reading actively outline the main points, important details, and important terms with a highlighter. Highlighting will allow you to go back and summarize the essential parts of the chapter, which will later reduce your reading time.

The second step is recalling. After each paragraph, recall in your own words what you read. Also, at some point of the reading take the time to recall everything from the beginning of the chapter. By the end of the chapter you should be able to remember everything that was important.

The last step is summarizing. Most students believe that summarizing a chapter should be done a couple of days before an exam. However summarizing should occur from the first time you have studied your material. This way you will have a better chance of retaining the information you have
studied; hence, your chances of forgetting the previously studied material decreases considerably.

RELATE WHAT YOU READ TO YOURSELF

Relating information to the self enhances our ability to remember. This is because we pay more attention to information that is relevant to the self. For instance, when memorizing the bones of the body, touch your own body as you say the names. Relating information is fun and a simpler approach to learning.

USE A DICTIONARY

As you're reading, don't pass up words you don't know. Look it up in the dictionary to help clarify the meaning; otherwise, you might misinterpret what you read. A dictionary also comes in handy when you don't know how to spell a word. So get in the habit of using a dictionary in spite of what you are reading or writing.

STAY CURRENT WITH YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

Complete homework and reading assignments before each class. This will help you avoid catching up and cramming before an exam. Cramming is ineffective because your brain can only retain a limited amount of information at time. So reading and learning the assignments over night is impossible. This is why you should put a greater emphasis on reviewing the night before an exam.

READ TO YOURSELF

The rate of reading is faster when you read to yourself than when you read out loud. This is because we tend to perfect every word that is vocalized, which slows the reading. We are less aware of perfecting words when we read to ourselves. As a matter of fact we often skip words without awareness. Even though we skip a word here or there, the sentence will still make sense to us.

ATTEND ALL YOUR CLASSES
There are days, which you won't feel like going to class however think about the consequences that may follow. First, many instructors will make attendance a part of their grading system. So every time you skip a class points may be deducted from your grade. Second, you may miss
information that is going to be on a test. Third, your instructor may decide to give a pop quiz without giving anyone the chance to take a make up exam. Therefore, an automatic F will be given to students who missed the class. If you do miss class, make sure you get the notes from one of your classmates.

TURN HOMEWORK IN ON TIME

Most instructors will take off points from students who turn their homework in late. This will also give your instructor the impression that you are not a very responsible student and you don't care about how well you do in class.

You should be able to notice a dramatic difference in your progress in school once these methods are used. You may also have a few ideas of your own that have been very helpful that you may add on. Just remember to study smart and not hard that is the true success of a student.