Let’s chat about stress.
It’s a taboo word that way too often many of us are afraid to admit that we have it. I think it’s because we associate stress as being something bad or that we’re incapable of handling it. Stress is the norm in many working environments. I’d even suggest I’d be more concerned about someone NOT having stress in their work environment – which could indicate that he is not being challenged or stretched to new capacities. Stress is simply energy. We can use that energy in a positive, negative, or even a neutral way. However, if the stress is left unnoticed and unchecked, it can negatively impact job performance. Negative stress becomes a detrimental impact to our relationships and makes us vulnerable to things such as depression, anxiety, and burn out.
Given that stress is the norm. We need to build resiliency within the workplace. For resilient individuals, highly stressful environments appear to have little or even no effect. Resilient people can even thrive in those types of environments. If we build a high level of resiliency, it can provide an organization with an opportunity to succeed beyond expectations. Resiliency protects employee’s health, mentally and physically, and will lead to a consistent higher level of quality performance.
So, given all that, how do we do it? How do we create resiliency within our organization?
We can build a resilient mindset in the right environment and with the right understanding of what resiliency is.
Resiliency is on a continuum spectrum.
It reflects how we can bounce back in the event of a situation. The low end of a continuum reflects an inability to bounce back, and the high end indicates the ability to recover and even thrive during a challenging event. The good news is that resiliency is not a fixed item. It is malleable. It is changeable and something that we can increase with commitment and actions.
One of the most important things about building resiliency is connected to our mindset. With so much focus on creating a growth mindset within the workplace environment, it’s important to know that mindset is the set of beliefs that we have. The way that we think will ultimately result in what we believe, and then that creates the mindset or a mental schema for the kind of attitude (positive, resilient, or negative) If we are able to reflect and step back from a situation, we can choose to have a positive growth mindset to that situation. We begin to look at the world as an opportunity for learning and growth, and that becomes our mental schema that strengthens with each opportunity. Here are a few things that we can do to improve our mindset.
In addition to stepping back for reflection review, we need to stay curious. Ask more questions. From there, we can see that we have an opportunity to make positive changes.
We need to release our ideology of perfection. Nothing or no one is perfect. If we change our attitude or approach from perfection to progress, we are better able to look at situations as a way of building resiliency. We can believe that each step, moment, or opportunity, is a chance to progress forward.
We build resiliency by having a commitment towards being a lifelong learner. There is so much to learn. We should look at every opportunity as a chance for learning something new.
Try something new. Insert yourself into things that make you feel uncomfortable.
Finally, I believe that the number one thing that we can do to improve our resiliency is to have Optimism. When we think positive thoughts and look for the good in our situation, we ultimately know that we can move on and build that strong muscle of resiliency.
The good news is that it’s up to you.
You have a choice all the time on how you can use that stress energy to create beautiful things in your life.
Drop me a line, send a chat - let me know how you are using your stress energy.
Barbara Ann Sharo, Chief Learning Officer of the Training Edge. basharon@trainingedge.com or 610.454.1557