6 ways to boost resilience at work

Could you benefit from knowing how to boost resilience at work?

It’s not always easy juggling work alongside other stuff going on in our lives. And life isn’t always exactly smooth all the time. We each have our own hurdles and obstacles to overcome, as well as setbacks and knockdowns – in work, as in life.

Resilience is what enables us to deal with all of this and to keep on going when things get tough. Life is a marathon and not a sprint, after all.

Many of us have experienced first-hand how challenging the last 18 months have been – including dealing with furlough, working from home, redundancy, homeschooling, self-isolation, illness, loss, and grief, as well as supporting others with all the above too.

And this is on top of all the normal life stuff we need to deal with – shopping, cooking, cleaning, financial and health concerns, etc.

The great news is that many of us are way more resilient than we give ourselves credit for. We may just not fully realize or appreciate it.

I believe resilience is hugely important. In fact, I consider it to be a superpower. Maybe not the sexy type – but it can certainly protect us and keep us going when times are tough.

If we can understand this better, we can also boost resilience at work, to help protect us and sustain us for the longer term too. You can also boost or build your resilience by taking my online course on resilience.

Build resilience

Are we either resilient or not? Is our resilience fixed or is it possible to enhance it?

I referred above to resilience being a superpower, but it’s also a kind of muscle that we can tone and strengthen. Partly through use, and partly through specific exercises.

We don’t know when or how we might need to call on our resilience in the future, so we should proactively work on it, to enable us to be as prepared as possible, as and when needed.

“In times of change, we need natural resilience – being able to naturally bounce back, when times are tough. That means not ‘pushing on through’ or pretending you’re feeling fine.

It’s about being able to find that inner still-point, deep inside, so we can ride the emotional waves, aiming for thriving, instead of surviving.”

Clare Josa – Leading UK author and speaker

Personal resilience

Ultimately, resilience relates to how we deal with things life throws our way.

We are humans first and foremost before anything else. We’ve learned more than ever that our whole selves need to be present to be able to deal with different situations.

We might have different roles and responsibilities at work and outside of work, but we are not different people. Although sometimes the lines become very blurred with the different aspects freely bleeding into each other.

For me, personal resilience comes first. These are the skills we’ll need throughout life (wherever / however we are working, or not) and could prove also to be a factor in how long and well we live too, in the longer term.

Career resilience

In what ways might we need to boost resilience at work?

I can think of many examples, where resilience could be useful:

We know by now that there isn’t such a thing as a job for life. Roles become redundant, and organizations restructure. Even the biggest organizations aren’t guaranteed to last.
You probably won’t get on with everyone, all the time. However nice, supportive, well-intentioned, etc. you are.
Sometimes you won’t get the visibility/opportunities/recognition/rewards that you merit.
Sometimes it seems like other people have it way, way easier than you do.
And sometimes, simply Sh*t happens and we have to deal with it.

But how we deal with these situations is the most important.

There is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes the answer might be to stick it out. Sometimes it might be to know when enough is enough and to call it a day.

Being able to come out the other end, relatively unscathed is key, to help us start again.

Tips for resilience

Here are my 6 favorite tips to boost resilience at work:

Self-awareness

Knowing what things impact us positively and negatively. Understanding our boundaries and what we’re willing to put up with.

We always have options

Even if we can’t immediately see them. We may feel stuck in our situation or beaten down by what we’re dealing with, but it certainly doesn’t have to be this way.

Transferrable skills are key

Whether you’re considering moving to different roles, different organizations, or different sectors. What favorite skills could you use in different ways? Which other skills are lying dormant today?

Take time out

Taking time for ourselves is critical, whether in the form of regular breaks (during the day as well as time off work), time for reflection, and personal development too.

Know where to get help

This could include speaking to others – peers, managers, and HR. Or it could be about seeking some outside help in the form of a coach or a counselor.

Empathise with others

Understand that others are also dealing with stuff – we only see the world through our eyes. It’s natural. But each person has their own set of challenges to deal with. Empathising with others will improve our relationships with others and can help us to be more self-compassionate too.

Wrap-up

It’s not always easy juggling work alongside other stuff in our lives. We each have our own hurdles and obstacles to overcome, as well as setbacks and knockdowns.

Resilience is what enables us to deal with all of this and to keep on going when things get tough.