Gatsby Benchmarks
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Seven steps to enhancing your resilience
Resilience helps us cope , thrive and flourish at school , work and in life . The good news is it can be developed at any age .
ersonal resilience is not simply present in some
P people and lacking in others . On a personal level , you can change your responses to pressure and change by modifying your thoughts and actions . This can be described as developing a resilient attitude .
Find your sense of purpose
Having structure , commitment and meaning in your life boosts resilience . A clear sense of purpose helps you to assess setbacks within the framework of a broader perspective . Consider who and what is important to you when you feel stressed and under pressure and why you do what you do .
Develop you own problem-solving strategies
The way you perceive situations , address problems and manage change is crucial . Reflect on how you approach challenges and how often your judgement is clouded by emotional and irrational thinking .
Maintain self-awareness
Reflection fosters learning , new perspectives and a degree of selfawareness that enhances resilience . Develop self-belief by looking back at memorable and challenging experiences ( positive and negative ).
Embrace change
Flexibility is essential to resilience . By learning how to be more adaptable , you ’ ll be better equipped to respond when faced with unexpected work challenges or life crises . This may
ASHRIDGE EXECUTIVE EDUCATION involve moving outside of your comfort zone , through increasing your curiosity and openness to new experiences in and outside work . Resilient people often take an adverse event as an opportunity to branch out in a new direction ( eg . a redundancy as a chance to set up your own business ).
Become a continuous learner
Learn new skills , gain understanding and apply these during times of change . Do not hold on to old behaviours and bad habits , especially when it ’ s clear that they don ’ t work any more . Start thinking about what drives these behaviours and habits and why you retain them .
Practise self-care
When feeling stressed , it can be all too easy to neglect your own needs . Losing your appetite , avoiding exercise , and getting insufficient sleep are common reactions to everyday pressure and a crisis situation . By taking care of your own needs , you can boost your overall health and resilience and feel fully prepared to confront life ’ s challenges .
Take positive action
In situations of increased work pressure , it can be difficult to continue doing things you enjoy . People often focus on solving the challenge at hand and may work longer and later , to their own detriment , of other elements of their life . You will feel revitalised if you take positive action and also do what makes you feel good about yourself , even when you feel like you lack the energy to do so .
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