"There’s a fine line between working on your likability and ease of connection versus people-pleasing, which can be detrimental," Woo adds.

In the workplace, Woo says likability increases when people give credit where it’s due. “It’s about sharing the spotlight,” she says.

Some people feel like they need to “code switch” or hide or change some aspect of themselves to fit in or not seem threatening. That can take its toll, Woo says. However, that awareness can also help you handle issues when they arise—and leave a memorable impression when you break through stereotypes or preconceived notions and achieve connection and understanding, she says.

With her distinct insights and success, Woo's approach to managing gender bias through emotional intelligence provides critical strategies for others encountering similar professional hurdles. "As an Asian American female, I rely heavily on my emotional intelligence skills to navigate and influence others' perceptions and assumptions of me. They don't teach these skills in school: the ability to read a room, establish rapport with individuals from diverse backgrounds, defuse tension and distrust, and appear assertive without being perceived as aggressive."

Gen Zers and millennials consistently ask Woo to explain how to set boundaries with their older managers. “Younger generations experiencing higher stress and mental health challenges find it more difficult to engage effectively with managers from older generations, who may have different approaches to work and communication,” Woo says. “Older managers struggle to adapt to younger employees’ expectations and work habits, and vice versa.”

“You can imagine, the typical water cooler conversations and interactions with human coworkers are less existent when you are allocated to working with computer screens,” Woo said. “So what the study, hot off the press, has really found is that mental health has taken an impact, predominantly because of an increased sense of loneliness by these AI researchers and workers.”

Along with loneliness, Woo says other behaviors observed among AI researchers were insomnia and an increase in alcohol consumption.

“What’s a hobby you’ve always wanted to pick up?”
This question can spark fun and introspection, says Jenny Woo, who teaches emotional intelligence at the University of California, Irvine, and created 52 Essential Conversations, a social-emotional learning card game. (She also tried rock climbing recently for the first time, and loved it.) Don’t forget the built-in follow-up question, Woo advises: “What’s stopping you?” You’ll learn an interesting tidbit and might inspire your conversation partner to carve out time for a new interest.

You don't have to hide who you are to succeed. “Personalities shape our self-perception, how others perceive us, and our interpersonal interactions in the workplace, which are crucial to career progression and satisfaction,” explains Jenny Woo, PhD, founder and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion. “Our personality traits are the lens through which we gauge our capabilities and interests, guiding us toward career choices that resonate with our individual dispositions,” she adds.

It can be difficult to predict or recognize the early signs of emotional distress, according to Jenny Woo.

“Take a few minutes each day to reflect on your feelings and the things that annoyed you,” she tells Yahoo Life. “This frequent emotional check-in will help you detect negative thinking patterns and personal triggers. Practicingmindfulnessand meditation will also help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings as they occur in real time.”

Consider Jenny Woo, the founder and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion. She funded the production of the minimum viable products (MVP) through Kickstarter campaigns. Her initial campaign was overfunded by 700 percent.

"Crowdfunding enabled me to raise capital quickly and turn my funders into brand ambassadors," she says. "I engaged with my backers from day one and shared my entrepreneurial progress long after the campaign ended."

“This is especially important when brainstorming difficult topics such as turnovers, project slippage, and product defects,” Woo says.

“When I’m facilitating a brainstorming session online, I ask all participants to type out their ideas in chat,” she says. “Then, everyone presses ‘send’ simultaneously.”

“Humming acts like a natural stress reliever," Woo tells Yahoo Life. "When we hum, the vibrations we generate stimulate the vagus nerve, one of the key players in our body's relaxation response. This can lead to a lower heart rate and blood pressure and help us to calm our body and mind. Humming was also found to lower our stress index and improve heart rate variability, which benefits overall cardiovascular health. The essence of its effectiveness lies in being mindful and consistent with your approach."

"While sharing is nice and fun, no one is obligated to pack extras to share with others." says Woo, who also suggests emphasizing to your child that the food portion in their lunchbox is meant to give them energy for the rest of the school day.

"If kids continue to pester you, then encourage your child to come up with "out-of-the-lunch box" thinking about how to make their lunchtime enjoyable and stress-free," Woo says. "For example: still pack 'fun' snacks that your child loves, but in less flashy packaging to attract less attention."

Also known as rough-and-tumble play, roughhousing is a type of physical activity that includes activities like wrestling, pillow fights, tumbling, and fighting for fun, says Dr. Woo "Yes, engaging in roughhouse play can help children become more confident and well-adjusted adults," Dr. Woo says. Research also shows "roughhousing with fathers can help kids manage aggressive impulses and learn to control their emotions during physical activity," Dr. Woo says. "Roughhousing should never result in bruises and injuries, significant discomfort, or fear," adds Dr. Woo.

When our days are filled with so many stressors and stimuli, especially from the screens in our pockets, it often feels like everyone is short on time and patience, no matter how old you are. It can be hard to fully and genuinely engage with one another. 

As a Harvard-trained EQ researcher and mom of three, I understand from both my professional experience and personal struggles how tough it can be to raise emotionally intelligent kids right now, especially when our attention spans are so divided. Here are three phrases I say to my kids to help them become more emotionally intelligent:

“Peer pressure can begin as early as the preschool years when children are first exposed to peer dynamics outside the family. However, it tends to become much more pronounced and frequent during the preteen and teenage years.” As for why it’s so effective, Dr. Woo says this has to do with the fact that the adolescent brain is still evolving.

Dr. Woo adds that it can be helpful to role-play various scenarios at home. “Teaching children about the power of choice and helping them develop a strong sense of self can empower them to resist negative peer pressure,” she says. “Open communication about daily experiences can help kids and teens feel supported when they decide not to go along with the crowd.”

Dr. Jenny Woo describes parental phubbing as the habit of parents focusing on their phones instead of interacting with or paying attention to their children. A 2022 study showed that parental phubbing was significantly correlated with parent–child attachment, ego depletion, and learning burnout.

“When parents need to use their phones while with their children in these spaces, they can explain what they’re using them for, demonstrating that it’s for a specific purpose rather than the act of aimlessly scrolling and browsing,” she adds. 

“We make it a bonding family experience. Once a week during dinner—or dessert—we spend five minutes writing down things we’re grateful for on separate, colorful Post-It Notes,” Dr. Woo explains.

“I’ve noticed better attitudes and manners in my kids. They express more words of appreciation and are gentler toward each other,” she explains. “There have been times when my kids go into a gratitude journaling session as disgruntled siblings, complaining about each other, and leave as cheerful playmates full of silly giggles.”

“Parents, educators and health care practitioners must not assume that all children are impacted in the same way and to the same degree,” Woo says. “We must account for social, economic, racial and household factors.”

“Quality time and interaction between parents and preschoolers can not only buffer pandemic learning loss but also accelerate children’s cognitive development, as demonstrated in this study,” she says.

“It’s that back-and-forth element that needs to stay on track. If someone digresses or isn’t really answering [the] question or relating to someone talking, then that’s when it gets awkward.”

"While you may assume a strong conversation is simply based on content, it also involves other non-verbal cues — like being an active listener or responding with your body language.” We’ve all been in a conversation with someone who seems to be distracted or starts looking at their phone. This can easily deter us from wanting to continue the conversation.