BUILDING RESILIENCE. HOW DO YOU DEVELOP OR ENHANCE YOURS?

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Resilience-01

I am not sure how everyone else feels, but I can honestly say that these recent school holidays crept up on us, a bit like Christmas does, with no notice! It doesn’t feel like 2 minutes since the Easter break and the kids returning back to the classroom for face to face learning. That was last week right? The holidays at our house have been pretty relaxing and I guess very low key, mostly spent at home with some time exploring down the beach, a fair bit of baking and a couple of awesome bush walks. Upside has been at least we could do a little more than what was allowed to do over the Easter break and it’s been great that kids sports are back on – which leads me on to tell you about a rather “grown up” conversation I had with my daughter recently whilst we were waiting for a celebratory hot chocolate following her first soccer game where they won 12-0! Yep, 12-0!!

Obviously, she was super chuffed as it was the first game back of the season (after a very long break!), and the most goals they had scored in one game – ever! She felt like she had lost some confidence over the past few months and we were chatting about how they played really well as a team, how their passing skills had improved and that the practice they had all been doing during lock down had clearly paid off – and that all came down to bouncing back after the challenge of lockdown and being resilient. She then asked me what “being resilient” meant…

Resilience – in short – is the ability to cope when things go wrong, or don’t go to plan. Coping when we are faced with difficult times. Coping when life throws challenges at us – with no warning. Coping with COVID. It also means trying your best and giving things a go – which is the answer I gave my daughter regarding her confidence on the field and bouncing back after such a long break off the field.

I think she got it…

Resilience in the workplace is much the same and will be a vital necessity in helping with the “bounce back”. One client said to me recently that the aftermath of COVID is most certainly going to be a marathon, not a sprint and how we bounce back very much depends on our mindset, and how resilient we can be. The key will be how and if we are comfortable with uncertainty, and the mindset we have adapting to our new world of work. But I truly believe that everyone can learn how to be resilient. Granted, COVID has truly pushed us to the limits but it really is how we deal with situations and stress that counts and with practice, anyone can learn how to get back on track after negative things happen.

I am a true believer that in times of uncertainty it’s even more important to focus on our well-being, especially when we are surrounded by fear and anxiety which can be overwhelming. I think there are some easy things we can identify to build on our resilience and manage any “job stress” we have and aiding the bounce back:

  • Communication – with your family & friends and also your team mates and work colleagues! Interaction is key….
  • Identify things which you do not have control over – we can only do the best that we can!
  • Develop and stick to a daily routine – and try and make it as similar as possible to the routine you had before COVID!
  • Know the facts and be informed, but every now and then, take a break from social media & the TV – it can be exhausting!
  • Focus on the positives – things will return to a “new norm”, and I think people may even look back and wish they had allowed themselves to enjoy it more!
  • Create balance & breathe. Take a pause and observe…..its amazing what stopping and taking a breath can do…

Ultimately, I think riding out the COVID-19 wave is going to require inner strength and a lot of resilience. But I think flexing our resilience muscles can help us to deal with the ups and downs that come our way. I know mine are definitely stronger than they were 4 months ago. And I don’t think I would be alone when I say that. Building resilience in the workforce is key to adapting to challenges both in and out of the workplace. Throughout history, times of crisis have always heightened the opportunity for bringing out the best in us. Seeing the positives has never been more important.

#staypositve #staysafe #beresilient