The average workweek is 35 hours, which adds up to 1,795 hours per year and just under 90,000 hours in a lifetime. Therefore, it’s clear that work-related resilience can positively impact the quality of our lives.

Resilience is not just a buzzword but a powerful tool that combines mindsets and behaviours, empowering us to thrive in the face of challenges. It’s like a stress sponge, allowing us to absorb the chaos, squeeze out the nonsense, and remain ready for the next round. The qualities and skills necessary for resilience are a combination of inherent characteristics, learned responses, and skills we acquire, making us capable of overcoming any work-related challenge.

WORK ISSUES REQUIRING RESILIENCE

Sometimes, it’s not easy to separate personal and professional life, but for the sake of this article, I will do just that.  Here are some work issues, whether we are employed or self-employed, which require resilience:

• Change of role, company policy, leadership support. We can’t always rely on the parent company to look after us; nourishing and supporting ourselves individually is core to sustainable resilience.
• Relationships. Many of us enjoy our connections with work colleagues, but sometimes, conflict can add to the weight of a challenging workplace. Bullying or harassment, as well as diversity and inclusion, come into this category of stress.
• Isolation. In our hybrid working society, we may find ourselves based at home, in the office, or on the road, resulting in a fluid work life without the security of a fixed base.
• Too little/too much work. Getting the balance right between work demands can be challenging, especially when staff cutbacks need to be made, and one person ends up taking on the tasks of two people. Equally, insufficient work can lead to boredom or a lack of challenge.
• Continual travel. While we may need to travel between jobs or locations, too much travel can be stressful.
• Hazards. These roles could involve working with hazardous machinery or chemicals, interacting with the public (and potential abuse), or serving in the forces or special services.
• Redundancy/contract end. Much of the workplace for employed or self-employed individuals involves funding, short-term contracts, or zero-hour contracts.

PERSONAL ISSUES AFFECTING WORK-RELATED RESILIENCE

Even if we are resilient at work, our home or personal lives can sometimes overwhelm us, and we can carry this stress into the workplace.  Personal issues which may affect work-related resilience include:

• Being an older worker. Several years ago, I worked with a client who had spent 40 years in the print industry. He was made redundant at 50 and couldn’t return to the trade. This gentleman had to face the end of his printing life and find the courage to reinvent himself. Eventually, he reinvented himself in the healthcare support profession, which valued his life experience.
• Health challenges. This may include disabilities, special needs, or the management of long-term conditions.
• Working from an ethnic background. Cultural or religious influences may impact someone’s working life.
• Carer responsibilities. This morning, I was talking with a client who runs a successful flooring company. Both she and her business partner are currently having issues with elderly parents. Their stress levels are being tested by having to manage family problems plus a demanding work environment.
• Financial needs. We all experience financial hardships and may sometimes need to change our work situation to increase income.
• Career frustration. We might be fantastic at our job but crave something different or better.
• Returning to work. Any of us may take a break from work to start a family or care for someone, or we may need to care for ourselves; returning to the workplace can then present additional challenges.

THREE MINDSETS CONTRIBUTING TO REDUCED RESILIENCE

I include strong emotions contributing to negative thinking when referring to a mindset.  Three key emotions are:

• Sadness characterised by disappointment, hopelessness, disinterest, and low mood. Our coping mechanisms may include withdrawal and ruminating on negative thoughts.
• Fear is characterised by a fight-or-flight response with withdrawal as a primary coping mechanism.
• Anger can be characterised by agitation, frustration and antagonism towards others. To cope with anger, we might engage in impetuous decision-making, depression, excessive drinking, eating or substance abuse. Cathartic coping strategies include clarifying our needs and finding solutions.

THREE STRATEGIES TO INCREASE RESILIENCE

The following three interventions are key to increasing resilience at work:

1. When our confidence is high, and our self-esteem is strong, we can better manage strong emotions and ask for support when needed. Your easy wins to increase confidence:

• • Improve your body language.
  • Take ownership and express your thoughts clearly and respectfully. Be open to compromise.
  • Remembering strong emotions can be a catalyst for positive change.

2. By enhancing our focus with mindful awareness, we can prioritise and manage our time productively while allowing for rest and nourishment. Easy wins to develop conscious awareness:

• • By staying in the present, you can allow space for positive change.
  • Focus on one task at a time.
  • Set one realistic goal for each workday.

3. Wellbeing is a way of life you and I deserve each day. Easy wins to take control of your well-being:

• • Eating nutritious snacks and staying hydrated will enhance your mental focus and energise your body.
  • Create a realistic well-being plan to improve your daily well-being.
  • Take regular movement breaks.

In summary, strengthening your work-related resilience is a learnable set of skills based on mindful awareness and a willingness to change.  Good luck.

To purchase my latest book, Resilience at Work, go back to my home page where the links will take you where you want to go.