Many of us now work in constantly connected, ‘always-on’, highly demanding work cultures where stress and the risk of burnout are widespread. For men, and working Dads, in particular, burnout presents a significant risk with 72% working dads claiming to be physically and emotionally worn out by their work and working environment. Since the pace and intensity of our modern-day work culture are unlikely to change, it’s more important than ever to build resilience skills to effectively navigate our work life.
Today we’re sharing tips on how to build our Resilience and Equanimity.
First off, let’s understand what we’re talking about here. Resilience is not about armouring up. It’s not about charging ahead even when you’re not firing on all cylinders. Rather, resilience is about our ‘bounceback-ability’ and how we regulate our emotional state. And equanimity is about how we bring balance to our lives, how we stay in the present, stay aware and stay in control of ourselves.
So how can we develop resilience and stay motivated in the face of chronic negative stress and constantly increasing demands, complexity, and change?
Obviously, this is easier said than done. We’ve all been in the situation where we feel like we’re juggling a hundred balls and it’s just a matter of time before they all bounce off out of reach and out of control. That feeling of being out of control is common for many of us. But just as we must practice activities to improve our physical health so we also need to practice activities to improve our mental health.
Practice mindfulness. People are increasingly turning their attention to mental training practices associated with mindfulness. Connecting with yourself is the key to maintaining your equanimity even in the face of changing circumstances and pressures. Through connecting, we can overcome and move on from everyday challenges. By noticing and reflecting, we recognise our emotions and pause for long enough to moderate our response, remaining calm and in control. And the more that we do this, the easier it becomes.
Stop trying to multitask. To the extent that it is possible, avoid switching activities. When you consider that switching from one type of task to another makes it difficult to tune out distractions and reduces productivity, then compartmentalising your work is a helpful approach. Create dedicated times in the day to do specific work-related activities and not others. Through this, you’ll notice and increase in your productivity as well as a sense of control over the work that you are carrying out.
Take a break. We all know the times of day where we experience energy peaks and troughs so be aware of these and plan for them. It is useful to step away from our work for even a few minutes to reset our energy and attention levels.
By recognising our emotions when we experience unwelcome or unexpected disruptions we can regain our control and equilibrium as quickly as possible, building resilience and greater immunity to the road bumps in our everyday lives.
You can find out more about Talking Talent’s Wellbeing Programme by contacting Rob Bravo at rob.bravo@talking-talent.com
