According to the Harvard Business Review, a quarter of employees see their work as a huge contributor to stress in their life. Most of us are constantly working, and it seems there is never enough time in the day/week to complete the tasks given to us. This sort of work culture poses the risk of constantly burning out or breaking down. Since it seems this will be the norm for the future of contemporary work, we must devise resilient skills and strategies to manage our work life and strike that ever-evading balance.
Here are some tips that can help in building personal resilience at work:
1. Take advantage of your support system
This can be in the form of a colleague, family, or friends you can trust and rely on when the going gets tough. Reach out to them whenever you feel like you cannot handle the pressure of work/life. Merely talking to someone about your stressor can help alleviate it, and they will often know the skills needed for you to cope and excel.
2. Do not beat yourself up
There is a saying, you win some, and you lose some. Losing or failing sometimes can feel very daunting, and we tend to beat ourselves up or wallow in self-pity. This, in turn, affects our work and delivery. To solve this, see failing/losing as a learning curve, use it as an opportunity to develop your skills.
3. Develop a mindset shift
How we react to events often affect our overall well-being and stress levels. Develop a mindset not to dramatise or overthink challenges or crises. Take a deep breath and come back to the challenge when you are calmer. You will be in a better position to handle it better.
4. Be realistic
It is important that you are not getting yourself up to fail before you start. Set SMART-ER goals – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based, Evaluate and Revise.
5. Celebrate your little wins
We often celebrate our big wins neglecting the little victories we achieve along the way. Celebrate those small wins as they contribute towards motivating you to aim higher and achieve bigger.
Resilience is a critical life skill that goes back a very long time. This ability is needed to excel in times of uncertainty, chaos, and stress. It is a skill required to progress not just at the workplace but in life in general. It is important to develop and master resilience skills and strategies to continue to forge ahead in life.
Written by:
Joan Azubuike
Assistant Consultant
