In what ways can you use psychology in your regular life? Do you think psychology just interests people who go to school for it and end up working in the field? Try again. There are many applications of psychology because it is both a practical and theoretical science.
Although academic papers aren't exactly beach reading, the practical implications of scientific tests and investigations are often rather interesting. Here are a few examples of how you can put psychological knowledge to use right now.
Motivation
Lessons from health psychology can help you stay motivated to do anything, whether it's learning a new language, giving up smoking, or losing weight. You can approach tasks with more enthusiasm by employing techniques borrowed from cognitive and educational psychology.
To maintain your attention, try some untried things.
To avoid becoming bored, try switching up your routine.
Develop your skills and knowledge base by taking on new challenges.
Have objectives that are specific to the job at hand.
Get something nice for yourself as a reward.
Leadership
Whether you're an office manager or a volunteer with the local youth organization, you'll likely need to demonstrate strong leadership abilities at some time. Not everyone is born with natural leadership skills, but you may improve as a leader by following a few easy guidelines based on scientific studies of human behavior.
Three types of leadership were the focus of one of the most cited studies on the subject. Follow some of the advice below if you're in a position of leadership, based on the results of this study and other studies.
Give the group some direction, but also give them a chance to share their thoughts.
Discuss potential answers with the other people in the group.
Pay attention to inspiring ideas and be ready to acknowledge originality.
Communication
There is so much more to communication than just words on a page. According to studies, nonverbal cues are a major component of our verbal exchanges with one another. To convey your message clearly, you must master not just the art of nonverbal expression but also the art of reading the nonverbal indications of people with whom you interact.
Be sure to make eye contact.
Learn to decode people's body language.
Master the art of reinforcing your message with your tone of voice.
EQ, or Emotional Quotient
Emotional intelligence is as valuable in your personal and professional life as the ability to read nonverbal cues from others around you. Emotional intelligence is the capacity to recognize and manage one's own feelings and those of others.
The EQ-i is a score that measures how smart you are in the emotional realm. Psychologist Daniel Goleman suggests that EQ is more consequential than IQ. The following are some suggestions for improving your emotional acuity.
Think carefully about how you feel.
Keep a journal and write down how you're feeling.
Think about things from the viewpoint of someone who is not directly involved.
