RESILIENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Today, in workplaces characterized by staff cutbacks, deadlines, rivalry and organizational change, success relies on an individual’s capacity to cope and even thrive when faced with stress. Resiliency is the ability to ‘bounce back’ after a challenge or setback that are an inevitable part of life.

Here are some tips on how you can become more resilient in the workplace:

Build Strong Relationships with Others

Develop personal as well as professional networks to be a source of guidance and support during times of stress

Nurture your work networks and consistently build trust with others

Practice Mindfulness

Practice mindfulness to decrease your stress and enhance your cognitive flexibility

Develop Strong Communication Skills

Be an effective communicator and actively listen and respond to your colleagues and their emotions

Compartmentalize Your Cognitive Load

Create dedicated times in the day to do specific work-related activities and not others

Take detachment breaks especially during periods of low energy and productivity

Manage Your Stress

Do not let it be overwhelming or detrimental through engaging in self-care

Develop mental agility and “decenter” stress through pausing our stress reaction, observing the situation from a neutral standpoint, and then trying to solve the problem

Physical and mental health go together so take care of your health by going for walks, drinking less caffeine, eating more mindfully, or by working out

Be Authentic

Be true to your ‘real’ self and behave in ways which align with your values and beliefs

Don’t Give Up

Show grit and have a fighting spirit to keep your passion and pursue your long-term goals

Be Flexible

Be adaptive to manage inevitable changes and deal with novel scenarios

Monitor Your Thinking

Be self aware and notice any patterns of thinking that may impede your chance at occupational success

Develop ‘mental agility’ to switch gears in your mind from reacting to stress to responding to stress and be determined to learn from your mistakes and challenges

Cultivate Compassion

Cultivate compassion for towards yourself and others as it increases positive emotions, creates positive relationships, and increases cooperation and collaboration

The ability to build resilience is a skill that will serve you well in an increasingly stressful work world.

What can you do today to build your resilience skills to effectively navigate your work life? If you implement some of these strategies, you will not only be able to cope at work, but ideally, to thrive!

REFERENCES

1. Heather Craig. PositivePsychology.com. Resilience in the Workplace: How to Be More Resilient at Work. https://positivepsychology.com/resilience-in-the-workplace/
2. Richard Fernardez. Harvard Business Review. 5 Ways to Boost Your Resilience at Work. https://hbr.org/2016/06/627-building-resilience-ic-5-ways-to-build-your-personal-resilience-at-work
3. Brenda Wong. Insight. 7 actionable ways to build resilience in the workplace. https://debut.careers/insight/resilience-in-the-workplace/