How To Build Resilience In The Workplace
Let’s be honest; working life is never perfect. Even if you’re doing a job you love, it goes without saying that there will be obstacles, difficulties, and days that make you question whether or not you’re doing the right thing. Therefore, it essential to build resilience to help you through the ‘lows’ of working life.
In today’s piece, we’re going to look at six strategies you can implement to bolster your resilience and make your working life even better.
Six Steps To Building Workplace Resilience
#1 – Understand Your Setbacks
Being adversely affected after being reprimanded by your boss or receiving unexpected negative feedback is completely natural. If you find yourself in this unenviable position, the key is to process your initial emotions, whatever they might be, and try not to stay in that frame of mind for an extended period of time.
The ability to do this is often referred to as ‘mental agility’. Those who possess the propensity to (pro)actively alter their mindset can modify the process of reacting to stress, instead responding to stress in rapid fashion. This alteration of mindset is crucial to understanding and dealing with your setbacks; after all, reacting is driven by emotion, whereas responding is a more logical and objective approach.
#2 – Build a Robust Support Network
Although the cliche “no man is an island” is often overused, this phrase is particularly apt here; after all, we wouldn’t still be using it if there wasn’t a crumb of truth to it. But how does it relate to building resilience in the workplace? Well, creating a strong support network is an exceptionally effective way to help you through particularly challenging times. Whether this is family, friends, colleagues, or even those on social media, it is vital to have support when you’re not feeling at your best.
#3 – Work/Life Balance
If there’s one thing that will take its toll on you, it’s having a poor work/life balance. Why? Because if your life revolves solely around one thing, you’ll be far worse for wear when life throws curveballs in your direction and adversely impact that sole purpose. Never put all of your eggs in one basket. Always find things to do outside of work, be they hobbies, sports, or anything else that puts a smile on your face. Make sure you put sufficient effort into maintaining relationship outside of the office and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and try new things. By doing all of this, you’ll help to build resilience because it will allow you to see that there’s more to life than work.
#4 – Health
Building resilience isn’t just having the ability to respond (to stress) – it’s also about boosting your mental health in general. However, this isn’t an easy task if your immune system isn’t firing on all cylinders. Therefore, it is essential that you enhance and optimise your immune function by exercising regularly and providing your body with an abundance of essential macro and micronutrients to keep it in tip-top shape.
#5 – Self-compassion
Let’s get this straight right away: we all make mistakes; making mistakes is part of being a human being. Therefore, you should never, ever beat yourself up about mistakes you make or difficulties you face. Feeling angry, upset, ashamed, embarrassed etc. is entirely natural, but instead of being overly hard on yourself, take a step back, take a break, and allow yourself to feel compassion for your number one – you.
#6 – Keep Working On It!
No-one can build resilience overnight; therefore, you should prepare yourself for a long journey that will take hard work, application, and dedication. That being said, it’s possible to make progress and get that little bit stronger each and every day. Always reflect on what has happened and don’t afraid to go back to the drawing board and alter your plan.