Why Todays Workers Must be Resilient to Survive

Introduction

Today's Workers Must be Resilient to Survive

There is an ever-increasing demand that workers must be resilient to keep up with the expected fast changing pace of work. The modern workforce is constantly evolving. In today’s rapidly changing economy, companies and industries are shifting at an unprecedented pace. The emergence of new technologies and the changing demands of customers mean that businesses must be agile and adaptable. As a result, workers must be resilient also to keep pace with the demands of the modern workforce. In this article, we will discuss why today’s workforce must be more resilient.

What Does Resilience Mean for Modern Workers?

Resilience is the ability to adapt to changes, overcome challenges, and bounce back from setbacks. In today’s workforce, being resilient is essential because the work environment is always changing. In the past, workers could rely on a set of skills to carry them through their entire careers. However, in today’s world, technology is changing at an exponential rate, and workers need to constantly adapt to new tools and processes. Being resilient means that workers can quickly learn new skills and stay ahead of the curve.

5 Reasons Why Today’s Workers Must be Resilient

Today's workers must be Resilient

We identified 5 reasons why today’s workers must be resilient:

  1. Automation and Artificial Intelligence
  2. Gig Economy
  3. Pandemic and Remote Work
  4. Challenging Modern Workplace
  5. Modern Workers Highly Competitive

Let us explore them one-by-one…

1. Automation and Artificial Intelligence

One of the biggest reasons why the workforce must be more resilient today is the rise of automation and artificial intelligence. These technologies are rapidly transforming industries, and many jobs that were once performed by humans are now being automated. This means that workers must constantly adapt to new roles and new industries to remain employable. Those who are resilient are better equipped to make the transition to new roles and industries.

2. Gig Economy

Another reason why today’s workers must be resilient today is the shift towards a gig economy. More and more people are working as freelancers, contractors, and temporary employees. This means that workers must constantly hustle to find new opportunities and projects. Being resilient means that workers can quickly adapt to new work environments, build new relationships with clients, and manage their finances effectively.

3. Pandemic and Remote Work

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught both employers and employees anything, it has highlighted the need for workers to be resilient. The pandemic has disrupted industries and forced many people to work from home. For those who have lost their jobs or had their hours reduced, being resilient has been essential. Workers who are resilient can adapt to new work environments, learn new skills, and find new opportunities. They can also manage their stress and emotions effectively, which is critical during uncertain times.

4. Challenging Modern Workplace

workplace stress shows modern workers must be resilient to overcome anxiety and be positive

Being resilient is not just about being adaptable to changes in the work environment. It is also about maintaining a positive mindset and staying focused on your goals. The modern workplace can be challenging, and it is easy to become discouraged or overwhelmed. Resilient workers are able to maintain a positive outlook, even when faced with setbacks or obstacles. They are also able to set realistic goals and work towards achieving them, even in the face of uncertainty.

5. Modern Workers Highly Competitive

Modern workers must be resilient to get ahead

Finally, being resilient is essential for workers who want to advance their careers. The modern workforce is highly competitive, and workers must continually improve their skills and knowledge to stay ahead. Resilient workers are more likely to take risks, seek out new opportunities, and push themselves out of their comfort zones. They are also more likely to bounce back from setbacks and continue to pursue their goals, even in the face of rejection or failure.

In Conclusion

The modern work environment and its workforce is constantly evolving, and workers must be resilient to keep up with the changes. Resilience is essential for workers who want to remain employable, adapt to new technologies and processes, and maintain a positive mindset. Those who are resilient are better equipped to navigate the challenges of the gig economy. And the disruption caused by automation and artificial intelligence requires upskilling or reskilling. If they are resilient workers are also more likely to advance their careers and achieve their goals. Therefore, it is essential for today’s workers to develop and maintain their resilience.

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Addendum

Here are some ways employees can develop and maintain resilience in the workplace:

  1. Build a support network: Having supportive colleagues, mentors, and friends can help employees navigate difficult situations and build resilience.
  2. Practice self-care: Taking care of one’s physical and emotional health through exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques like meditation or deep breathing can help employees stay resilient.
  3. Set realistic goals: Setting achievable goals and breaking them down into smaller steps can help employees maintain a sense of control and progress, even in challenging situations.
  4. Maintain a positive attitude: Focusing on the positives, reframing challenges as opportunities, and celebrating small wins can help employees maintain a positive outlook.
  5. Learn from setbacks: Viewing setbacks as learning opportunities and reflecting on what worked and what didn’t can help employees build resilience and develop new strategies for the future.
  6. Seek feedback: Seeking constructive feedback from supervisors, colleagues, or mentors can help employees identify areas for growth and develop new skills and strategies for building resilience.

By practicing these habits, employees can develop and maintain resilience in the workplace, which can help them navigate challenges, adapt to change, and achieve their goals.

References:

Barker, E. (2016, April 26). 10 ways to boost your emotional resilience, backed by research. Time. https://time.com/4306492/boost-emotional-resilience/

Cherry, K. (2020, January). Use these 10 tips to improve your resilience. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-become-more-resilient-2795063

Waters, B. (2013, May 21). 10 traits of emotionally resilient people. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/design-your-path/201305/10-traits-emotionally-resilient-people

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Work

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Work – It’s More Than Just Being Tired

Sleep deprivation at work

You might be surprised to learn that sleep deprivation affects your ability to be productive at work. While sleep deprivation may seem like a harmless condition, the effects of sleep deprivation on work can be detrimental to your performance, your ability to work well with co-workers, and even your ability to function normally.

As a result of sleep deprivation on work, the body’s ability to perform tasks can be undermined. For example, studies show that sleep deprivation can cause a decrease in attention, which can lead to a decline in your ability to focus on tasks at work.

It can also affect your mood and mental performance. This is because a lack of sleep can make you more irritable, more inclined to frustration and less patient. This can lead to you having a weaker ability to keep calm and handle stressful situations.

Effects of sleep deprivation at work

Sleep Deprivation Explained

Sleep deprivation is the act of depriving yourself of sleep. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, shift work, shift work with irregular hours, and medications.

The effects of sleep deprivation can be immediate, but they can also be long-term.

In the short-term, you may experience more errors in your work performance, along with a decline in cognitive function as well as an increased risk in certain medical conditions.

How does sleep deprivation affect your ability to function?

Sleep deprivation has been linked to a wide variety of negative effects on your physical and mental health.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Additionally, poor sleep habits can affect your memory, mood, reaction time, and concentration.

How can sleep deprivation affect your ability to be productive at work?

Because sleep deprivation has been linked to numerous negative health outcomes, it’s important to consider the impact of sleep deprivation on your work.

When you’re not getting enough sleep each night, it can have a negative impact on your ability to function at work. It can make it more difficult to concentrate and focus, which can lead to errors in your work.

Unable to wake up due to sleep deprivation at work

Studies show that sleep-deprived employees are more likely to make mistakes than employees who have gotten adequate sleep. Furthermore, sleep deprivation impacts your work in more ways than just errors or mistakes.

It can also affect other aspects of your work life, including your mood and your ability to maintain healthy relationships with co-workers.

Tips for improving your productivity at work if you’re sleep deprived

According to experts, the best way to combat sleep deprivation is to get a good night’s sleep.

As you may know, getting a sufficient amount of sleep is important for a host of reasons.

One of the most important reasons is that a lack of sleep can have a negative impact on your work performance.

If you perform your assignments at a diminished level, your work is suffering as a result of chronic sleep deprivation.

Tips to overcome tiredness at work

Therefore, the following tips may help:

Counteract Sleep Deprivation

Find other ways to compensate for the lack of sleep:

  • If you work nights, consider finding a way to make up the time during the day. This can include taking a quick nap during lunch or sipping on a cup of coffee instead of a late-night snack.
  • If you’re on a rotating shift schedule, identify ways that you can improve your sleep habits when you’re on days off. Consider setting an alarm to put you to sleep earlier than usual.
  • Take a warmer shower or bath before bed. The increased warmth will help you relax and fall asleep more quickly.

If you have a health condition that keeps you from sleeping:

  • If you have a medical condition that keeps you from sleeping, or you take medication that makes it harder to fall asleep, discuss these options with your doctor.

Getting sleep with a health condition

Set aside a period for downtime:

  • Make sure that you set aside time during the day to relax and unwind. Take a short nap during the day.  You can rest appropriately and bounce back to a higher performance level.
  • Try to schedule time for exercise during the day. The increased movement during the day can help you stay awake and alert.

If you’re also struggling with substance abuse:

  • If you’re struggling with substance abuse, you should treat that before you can address the root cause of your sleep deprivation.

It’s important to remember that sleep deprivation is not an appropriate course of action if you’re feeling overwhelmed, under stress, or dealing with a medical condition.

medical status and performance

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to address your sleep needs if you feel sleep deprived.

Conclusion

Sleep is an important part of every employee’s life. Without it, workers are at greater risk for certain medical conditions.  They are prone as well to mental and physical health problems.  In addition, sleep-deprived workers could experience trips and falls or accidents in the workplace.

The effects of sleep deprivation can be long-term, and they can be severe.

Taken to extremes, chronic sleep loss can lead to medical conditions and even death.

In order to avoid the negative effects of sleep deprivation, it’s important to get enough sleep each night. Along with sleep, managing your stress levels is also vital. It is also important to find activities that you enjoy in order to keep your mind off of work.

Balance Personal and Job Responsibilities Without Losing Sleep

Balance Personal and Job Responsibilities

With all the obligations on your shoulders, you can expect to have some challenges to balance personal and job responsibilities.  Especially with the pandemic, the up and down economy and other challenges we face at home and in the workplace at this time.

balance personal and job responsibilities

To balance personal and job responsibilities can be difficult. You probably feel like the only way to get everything done is to sacrifice sleep. But nothing could be further from the truth!

Balance personal and job responsibilities without losing sleep

The good news is you can get everything done and still enjoy plenty of rest.

Try these four tips to better balance persona; and job responsibilities, with time to spare:

  1. Separate personal and professional time

It’s important to set boundaries between personal and career time. This is the first step in being able to balance both areas of your life. Split your day accordingly and stick to the separation.

Set boundaries to balance personal and job responsibilities while getting results

  • Professional time doesn’t have to mean hours at the office. There may be a presentation you’re preparing for tomorrow’s team meeting. If tonight’s the prep night, get it done!
  • How you use your time slots is up to you. Just avoid allowing the other aspects of life to take over out of turn.
  • It may sometimes be hard to stick to the separation, but respecting the general rule certainly helps.
  1. Prioritize responsibilities

Now that you have a better understanding of how to set boundaries, focus on prioritizing. How you spend your time is dependent on what’s most important to you.

  • If you’re always addressing urgent matters, the important ones may constantly get postponed or even overlooked. Urgency rarely means importance to you. Handle the important duties first whenever possible.
  • Try planning your week in advance. Sure, there may be times when the plan is interrupted. But having a plan goes a long way in keeping you ahead of the game.
  1. Keep responsibilities in perspective

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s okay to leave some things for tomorrow. As a high achiever, you always want to show your super powers. But you may actually paint a better picture by showing composure.

Keep personal and job responsibilities in perspective
Keep responsibilities in perspective
  • It’s better to do fewer things well, than more things poorly. This approach shows organization, confidence, and aptitude. Those who rely on you are usually impressed by those traits!
  • Take turns with your spouse when putting the kids to bed. You may feel more like a parent if you do it all the time, but you’re already a great parent just by being around!
  1. Sleep when it’s bedtime

It’s actually easier than you think to get sleep! All it takes for a good night’s sleep is the same amount of commitment you give to your other responsibilities.

  • After all you’ve accomplished in a day, it must be easy to dedicate seven hours to downtime. It’s the least you can do strengthen yourself and still achieve results on the job!
  • Practice meditation techniques to relax you before bedtime. If you’re not careful, you’ll spend the first three hours of bedtime planning tomorrow’s activities!
  • Once you’re rested, you’ll have the mental and physical energy to take on everything on your plate.

Always try to remember that without adequate rest, you may end up being ineffective at your responsibilities. Rest promotes concentration and gives you energy to keep going. Without rest, you may end up fumbling on the field.

Summing Up

Practice these balancing techniques, maintain a regular sleep schedule, and watch everything settle into place!

maintain a regular sleep schedule and still remain productive at work

Stay Sane During COVID: Stay Grounded By Accepting Reality

It has been difficult to stay grounded during the pandemic.  By this point, your nerves are frayed, and your hands chapped from all the handwashing and sanitizing. It has been a lot.

Of course, that’s nothing compared to those who have fallen ill, passed away, or ‘recovered’ with lasting effects. The two are related, by doing the first things we are certain we can prevent the latter thing from occurring.

Stay grounded during pandemic

It’s certainly a good way to mitigate the risk. Lots of kids are at home, with many schools yet to return, a lot of people are working from home or laid off. We have not met our friends and family in-person for what seems like forever. For a time, the grocery shelves were wiped out and people were spending an hour in line in hopes of fulfilling their list.

Life has changed in a series of big and small ways due to COVID-19. The only highlight of this is that everyone else is going through it, too. We are all going through this same tumultuous event and we’re all in it together. At least, we should be.

There is nothing funny about a pandemic, but it’s important to stay grounded. As difficult as it seems, it’s important to accept reality and not catastrophize about what hasn’t yet happened. We all cope differently with horrible situations, and we all struggle with our locus of control.

The Acceptance of Reality

There are things you can do to exercise control in this situation. Focus on those things to reduce your risk. Firstly, it’s important that you sleep well, eat well, and move often. Those are basics of life that stand true in normal times and during a pandemic.

It’s also important that you pay attention to social distancing. If you’re allowed to have contact with others, then do so, but do it safely. That means wearing a mask, handwashing, and sanitizing often. A bit of anxiety can be productive if it is causing you to take proper precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. If we didn’t have a level of reasonable worry, then no one would take the appropriate measures to protect themselves and others.

There is unproductive anxiety, too. Where you allow it to spin out of control by imaging what would happen if you caught it, or your child caught it, or someone you know caught it. It’s happened to other people so it’s not ridiculous to imagine that someone close to you could catch a highly communicable disease.

You can counteract thoughts like that by focusing on the present. Remind yourself you are safe at home as you cook dinner, binge watch, play with your kids, or complete your workday.

You can think about it all day, but it won’t change anything, and it won’t make you feel better.

Staying Sane

What began as a tragic story on the news has become a very real threat to our world. In all likelihood, you know someone who has been touched by COVID-19, if not you personally. Stay grounded; you are not minimizing the pandemic or sticking your head in the sand. You are simply taking the necessary steps to protect your mental health and stay sane. Think of all the steps you have been taking to protect your physical health.

Now think about what steps you have taken to protect your emotional and mental health. With that in mind, what are you going to do to ensure you stay grounded by accepting the reality of the pandemic while avoiding worrying about things that have not happened.

5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During the Pandemic

5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During the Pandemic

Protect your mental health as a priority

COVID-19 has been brutal on Americans.  So the question is how do you protect your mental health during the pandemic? You’ve been limited in how you can celebrate birthdays, graduations, and weddings. Also some of us have seen loved ones hooked up to a ventilator fighting for their lives. We have directions to an entire hygienic routine every time you leave the house: Wear a mask, stay six feet apart, wash your hands, and repeat.

Ways to protect your mental health during pandemic

5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health

Here’s 5 things you can do to protect your mental health during this ongoing pandemic.

1. Get Some Exercise

You don’t have to go to the gym to stay in shape. There are actually plenty of exercises and routines that you can do from the comfort of your own living room. That includes exercises like push-ups, jumping jacks, burpees, and even going for a nice jog around the block.

On top of building your endurance and strength, exercise can trigger the release of endorphins in your system. According to the Mayo Clinic, these are known as the “feel-good” hormone and will naturally boost a low mood during such trying times.

2. Stay in Contact With Loved Ones

Not being able to meet with those you care about can be detrimental to your mental health. Prolonged loneliness and social isolation can increase your risk of certain mental health disorders, substance abuse issues, or even suicide.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that loneliness in older adults increases the risk of dementia and other serious health disorders. The best way to avoid these consequences is by staying in touch with loved ones via daily or weekly phone calls, video calls, or text messages.

3. Leave the House

Most states still have limitations when it comes to where you can go, what you can do, and who you can see. Yet at this point in the pandemic, you realize that your mood declines and you feel fatigued the longer you stay put in the house.

In a study published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, vitamin D, which can be absorbed by the body from sunlight, is a great mood booster and actually is used to treat depression. So, if you’re feeling down and lonely in the house, spend some time in the backyard or go for a walk at the park before your fellow citizens get there.

4. Reach Out to a Therapist

Protect your mental health with a therapist

 

If you were already struggling with your mental health prior to the pandemic, there’s a good chance that your situation has actually worsened as the months continued. Luckily, the forced closure of most mental health facilities doesn’t mean that you currently have no access to care. Many counselors, therapists, and psychiatrists have moved to telemedicine for the time being. Scheduling an appointment with a therapist via video call is a great way to process your emotions and learn how to cope.

5. Get a Pet

Most people would appreciate coming home from work every day to a greeting of a friendly dog or cat. But when loneliness and sadness become excessive during quarantine, a pet may be exactly what you need to feel better.

Even better, you may be able to help empty out your local animal shelter. The connection between pet ownership and mental health has been long studied. In fact, a survey conducted by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, mental health improvements were seen in about 74% of pet owners.

Avoid anxiety and protect your mental health

Final Thoughts

During a pandemic that doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon, it’s important that you priority to protect your mental health. Not only will this make you feel less lonely and like you have a greater purpose, but it’ll also save you from a ton of emotional turmoil that you’ll have to sort through once COVID-19 is gone for good.

Stay grounded during pandemic

Resource Reference Sheet: 12 Mental Health Resources

National Institute Of Mental Health – https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml

Mental Health Services Division https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/MentalHealthPrograms-Svcs.aspx

World Health Organization | Mental Health https://www.who.int/mental_health/en

Church Of Jesus Christ.org | Mental Health https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/get-help/mental-health

If you are in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK or text “MHA” to 741741 – https://www.mhanational.org/helpful-vs-harmful-ways-manage-emotions

Mental Health America – https://www.mhanational.org

MentalHealth.gov – https://mhanational.org/covid19

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | Helpline Resources – https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/NAMI-HelpLine/Top-HelpLine-Resources

Mental Health Resources – Mental Health First Aid – https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources

Psychiatry.org – COVID-19/Coronavirus Resources – https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus

Resource Links – National Network of Depression Centers – https://nndc.org/resource-links

Resources to Support Mental Health and Coping with COVID-19 | Suicide Prevention Resource Center – https://www.sprc.org/news/resources-support-mental-health-coping-coronavirus-covid-19

10 Tips for Getting Better Organized at Work

Organization is a skill requiring time and effort to improve productivity on the job. As this year is still young, many workers are thinking of ways to raise their organizational skills.

Organize at work

Whether it’s investing in a new planner or homing in on new habits, organization is needed to master your employment position and improve your performance.

If you want to improve your organization skills and get a firm grasp on your job this year, study these 10 techniques to help you get your work life coordinated and develop positive habits.

 

1.Set a Goal

Goal setting is the first step to getting organized. By creating your own set of priorities, you’re eliminating what doesn’t serve you and welcoming positive energy.

The trick here is to start with small, attainable goals as opposed to one major one. This will help you eliminate feeling overwhelmed and allow you to celebrate small victories.

2. Hold Yourself Accountable

It’s easy to miss a Zoom call or slack off on your project when there are not any significant consequences to your actions. Instead of leaving your progress up to chance, hold yourself accountable to actually doing what you set out to do. This will help you to stick to your schedule and stay organized.

3. Reward Yourself

In order to meet your goals and stay motivated, you have to reward yourself. Celebrate even the smallest of victories and reward yourself with self-care “treats” when you meet your goals. This will keep you motivated about your business goals and excited to continue.

4. Set Alarms

One of the best ways to stay on top of your to-do list is to set alarms. Whether it is on your phone or setting traditional clocks, having that little reminder will help you stay on track. Set your schedule, deadlines and other important information so you can always stay in the know.

5. Invest In a Planner

Planners have become all the rage. People use them as scrapbooks, journals and more. Keep your life organized by investing in a good planner. This will give you a visual of what you need to accomplish. You can write out your feelings, create monthly vision boards and keep track of your events. Writing out your responsibilities will give you clarity that’s unmatched.

6. Declutter

Trying to stay organized in a cluttered space is counterproductive. In fact, it can bring about more stress than you initially intended. Start this Year off right by cleaning out all forms of clutter you may have.

Throw away old reports, delete very old emails and junk that’s simply holding you back. This will help you develop your mental strength and stay organized.

7. Create a Monthly Goal

Each month provides an opportunity for a new start. Take advantage of this gift by setting goals you can meet. If you noticed that you struggled with productivity last month, make that a priority this month. It even helps to create vision boards with your monthly goals illustrated on them. This will help you to stay on track in the coming months.

8. Practice Saying “No”

One of the biggest hurdles to sticking to your personal schedule is getting caught up in other tasks. For example, Wednesdays are your designated “research new information” days. However, your coworkers want to hold meetings on Wednesday. You haven’t been sticking to your schedule and it’s impacting your mental health.

What do you do? Well, start by learning how to put yourself first and say no. Distractions, whether positive or negative, can throw you off of your schedule. This can make you feel disorganized and anxious. Learn how to say no and not feel guilty about it.

9. Wake up Earlier

If you challenge yourself to wake up 15-30 minutes earlier each day, you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish. Doing this will give you the opportunity to get done everything you intended and start the day with a fresh mind.

10. Prepare For the Work Day The Night Before

We’ve all been there – rushing to get everything together while still trying to make appointments on time. The best way to alleviate those rushed feelings is to prepare for your next workday the night before. List your activities, lay your clothes out, pack your lunch (if you bring one) and get your items ready. This will make your morning routine seamless and enjoyable.

Getting organized is definitely a challenge, but a fulfilling one. Make your 2021 great by implementing these helpful tips into your daily routine. You’ll begin to feel more organized and prepared for everything.

Get Better Organized with a Staffing Agency’s Support

Flexicrew can help improve the organization of your work environment, reduce your anxiety and stress by assisting you with workforce planning and recruiting the quality talent that you need in this uncertain time.  Contact one of our workforce professionals Today!

Staying Grounded in a Chaotic World

The world that we are living in today is anything but peaceful and predictable. It seems that every day there is some new COVID or political or economic tragedy or cause for fear that demands every ounce of our attention.

These incidences come from every direction and in all shapes and sizes. Whether a personal work issue arises that completely disrupts your peace of mind but seems to only affect you personally or a global event transpires that uproots the happiness and joy of millions of people simultaneously, our world can be a very uneasy place to exist.

Staying Grounded

Maintain a Sense of Security

With everything going on around you, maintaining a sense of security and order in your mental environment and personal life can feel like a completely futile effort.

Try as you may, there seems to be something that always comes along for no other reason than to fill you with fear and worry. While you can’t change the dynamic nature of the world you live in, there are thoughts and strategies that, when implemented effectively, can help you stay grounded when life gets crazy.

Recognize Your Limitations

You cannot bear the weight of the world on your shoulders.  One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to realize and come to terms with the fact that you are a single human being that is tremendously incapable of bearing the weight of the world on your shoulders.

At first glance, this may seem like a sign that you should just give up and let yourself be tossed in the waves of each new tragedy. However, becoming aware of your own limitations can serve as one of the biggest sources of peace you could ever hope to find.

The reason for this is that when you take the time to identify the things that are out of your control, the list of things that you actually can influence becomes much more clear. Instead of feeling overwhelmed at every single problem going on around you, you are able to focus your efforts on only the issues that you can change.

Not only does this give you a much-needed sense of authority over your circumstances, it also frees you from the burden of trying to manage the problems of the world by yourself. In the raging war that is our world today, it is important that you pick your battles wisely.

Maintain Perspective

Another common issue that many of us have when it comes to all the things going wrong in the world is that we automatically feel as if these things have a direct affect on our personal lives.

While this may seem callous, the truth is that not only are most of the issues we notice on a daily basis in the workplace, through the media or online things that have little to no effect on our own personal existence, they are also far out of our hands. Expending your time and energy on trying to solve the problems that affect your immediate environment is a much better investment than worrying about a conflict or issue on the other side of the globe.

Supporting a worldwide cause for the sake of charity is fantastic, but not if doing so means ignoring the conflicts that are staring you in the face.

Maintain A Sense Of Order

Finally, it is critical that you maintain a sense of order in your work and personal life, regardless of how messy and cluttered the things around you become.

If you allow you internal state to mimic your external environment, you fall victim to the chaos. Whatever your day-to-day life entails, always strive to develop systems and routines that provide you with a sense of peace and security. If you are looking for these things in places other than your own life, you will not find them.

 

When IT Hits The Fan How Do You React?

You know how it is. Everything is happening at once, and then one more thing gets added or goes wrong. When IT hits the fan, how do your company personnel react? Do they respond negatively or positively to stress and difficulty?

obstacles

Psychologists believe people have a choice of how to react when things get tough. Your workers’ responses can be negative or positive and reflect how well they maintain control. Researchers have divided possible reactions to stressful situations to compare and contrast the differences of being distressed or being resilient.

• Overwhelming or Opportunity
• Blame or Responsibility
• Distract or Commit
• Allow or Act
• Impatience or Patience
• Pessimistic or Optimistic

Overwhelming or Opportunity

When things are tough, do your employees see their situation as overwhelming or as an opportunity? Being overwhelmed by change, challenges, and difficulties is a negative reaction. If things often seem overwhelming to your staff, they haven’t learned effective ways to cope with stress. Their negative response will keep them from overcoming a challenge and achieving more in their careers.

The positive reaction to when IT hits the fan is to see the challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. People can’t avoid stress. Instead, they can use difficult situations to find new ways to solve problems. As your workers learn to see change as an opportunity, they learn and grow as a person.

Blame or Responsibility

Do any of your team think that everything wrong in their performance is someone else’s fault? Laying blame on other employees or supervisors for mistakes doesn’t negate your employees’ part in a difficult situation. Blaming others gives control away and keeps workers from overcoming obstacles.

Taking responsibility for their own actions allows workers to improve and better their situation. Control over their position and performance is basically theirs. Taking responsibility for their performance allows them to make needed changes to learn and grow.

Distract or Commit

Do your workers spend most of their time fantasizing about running away from their work and responsibilities? When IT hits the fan, distressed people often walk away from the challenge. They may even turn to alcohol and other drugs to distract themselves from their lack of control and their failures. When one of your team can’t face a difficult situation, they may quit their job or end a relationship, and distract themselves with something new. But if they don’t learn to deal with stress, their mistakes will follow them in their career and keep them from achieving new goals.

Resilient employees commit to their goals. They understand that while they may need to adjust their plans, reaching a goal requires commitment. If , on the contrary, they don’t get distracted by difficulties, they are showing signs of resilience.

Allow or Act

Allowing challenges like COVID-19 to keep you staff from company and personal goals is a negative reaction to difficulty. When they blame others, lose your control, and get distracted from finding solutions to work problems, they allow problems to stop themselves and maybe their team from succeeding.

If your staff are resilient, they have a goal and a plan. When they know they have control of themselves, they take action to improve their performance. Because you’re committed to helping your workforce learn and grow, you provide them the tools needed to make changes and overcome challenges.

Impatience or Patience

Challenges can create delays in reaching goals. If your workers are too impatient, they may give up their goals too quickly and never succeed. Even when IT hits the fan, you can’t insist on an immediate solution. Some goals require commitment and patience.

Patience takes practice. Are your employees willing to deny themselves an immediate distraction but instead commit to the work needed to achieve their goals? Taking a break can’t become permanent if they want to succeed.

Pessimistic or Optimistic

Ultimately, how your subordinates react to stress and success depends on if their reactions are pessimistic or optimistic. Pessimistic reactions limit ability to overcome challenges. Optimistic reactions give them the control and skills needed to succeed.

Need Assistance Hiring Resilient Workers

If you need some assistance in recruiting and hiring more resilient workers in this uncertain labor market, contact Flexicrew Today.

Say Thank You to Past Challenges: Gifts That Build Resilience

How do resilient workers get to become resilient in the first place? What makes someone adjust and recover from job stresses?  Resilient workers owe their resilience to past challenges.  How a person copes with challenges builds their resilience for future ones.  Every resilient employee should say thank you to their past challenges because they made the person they are today.

Each time an employee faces a challenge on-the-job, she has the opportunity to learn, grow, and change.  Psychologists believe that when you successfully navigate a challenge, you build resilience to face another challenge later.  Even failure can help build resilience if a lesson is learned from it.

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Here are the gifts that past challenges offer to help your personnel build resistance:

  • Control
  • Plans
  • Goals
  • Commitment
  • Action
  • Past Success
  • Support System
  • Humor
  • Patience
Control

Past challenges teach valuable lessons about control.  To succeed, one must learn the difference between what an individual can control and what she can’t.  When you understand that you control your actions and reactions, you are building the foundation of resilience.  Knowing what you can control helps you focus on how to cope with challenges throughout their career and, in fact, life.

Plans

Reaching a goal requires planning.  Your team may need to organize their time, workspace, or add to their certifications or education.  When faced with a challenge, having a plan allows them to work toward their goals, regardless of distractions.  Having a plan helps make your team resilient when new challenges appear.

Goals

People who aren’t resilient allow life to dictate their circumstances.  They don’t create goals because they don’t believe they can achieve them.  They let challenges overwhelm them instead of having a clear idea of what they want.  Goals provide a sense of purpose and a reason to be resilient.

Commitment

Resilience is staying committed to a goal and finding ways to cope with challenges. When you learn to commit to goals, you become more resilient to other challenges they may face.  People who aren’t resilient give up when presented with a challenge instead of working toward a resolution.

Action

Overcoming challenges requires action. Each challenge in life pushes you to work to overcome it.  As they take action, they learn new and better ways to cope with challenges.  Your experience and knowledge make you more resilient with each new challenge they face.

Past Successes

There’s nothing better than reaching a goal that they’ve worked hard to achieve.  Their past successes build their self-esteem and confidence, making your staff ready and more resilient for the next challenge. Their past successes also provide a framework for how to cope with other challenges.  That helps them to be more resilient, even if the new challenge is unexpected or difficult like COVID-19 has been for all of us.

Support System

To overcome a challenge, an individual team member often needs a strong support system. If the challenge is personal, she may need the support of friends and family.  If the challenge is professional, she may need the help of a mentor or coworkers.  Building a reliable support system provides endless ‘gifts’ for future challenges.  Employees know who to trust and rely on to help them.  That succeeds in making workers more resilient, and helping them cope.

Humor

Many people find that humor helps them cope.  Especially with thorny problems or situations at work.  Instead of struggling with a challenge, they use humor to lessen stress and accept when they fail.  Having a good sense of humor provides an outlet for stress and disappointment, making workers more resilient when faced with another challenge.

Patience

Not every goal is simple to achieve.  Many goals take time, hard work, and patience.  Being able to accept that a reward isn’t immediate helps make workers resilient in the face of delays and disappointments and potential loss of employment.  Patience helps them cope and stay committed to the company’s goals even when they face obstacles.

Past challenges, however painful at the time, truly are gifts that help your workforce build resilience. Coping with past challenges provides a wealth of skills that are needed for resilience.  They owe their past challenges a thank you!

Need Assistance Hiring Resilient Workers

If you need some assistance in recruiting and hiring more resilient workers in this uncertain labor market, contact Flexicrew Today.

The Connection Between Self-Control and Resilience

Self-control is crucial to coping with work’s challenges and being a resilient employee. No matter what the circumstances are, a employees can control only their own actions and reactions to a situation.  How they act and react to obstacles builds their resilience, and those actions and reactions are based on the level of self-control they have.

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Resilient Self-Control Actions

Psychologists have identified the positive coping skills a person needs to be resilient. When life is difficult, resilient people take action to improve their situation.  They know they need to control their:

Making plans is a positive coping skill that allows your staff to take control of their success.  Self-control builds when the staff commit to your plans.  Employees who work toward their goals cope with obstacles by growing, adapting, and staying focused on their goals.  The self-control needed to carry out a plan builds resilience against difficulties and distractions.

Resilient workers also have goals.  Instead of allowing challenges to overwhelm them and struggling with negative outcomes, resilient workers have goals that they perform hard tasks to achieve.  They recover from setbacks because they are focused on and committed to their goals.  A work team without goals often find themselves without a clear direction, because they don’t have the self-control to work toward their success.

Physical health is essential to resilience because it provides a positive way to cope with stress.  Exercise, a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep all contribute to good health.  A healthy lifestyle requires self-control.  Every worker needs to have the self-control to stick to an exercise plan, commit to healthy eating, and find time for adequate rest.

Because a resilient employee has self-control, they understand that reaching their goals can take time.  It can be hard to wait for the fulfillment that arises from of achieving goals, but self-control allows employees to stay focused and follow their plan despite distractions or the immediate satisfaction from doing something else.  Being patient makes your employees more resilient when they face obstacles because they know it may take time to overcome them.

Resilient Self-Control Reactions

When faced with a challenge or a situation your workforce doesn’t like, being resilient also involves how they react to those stresses. Life coaches teach that a worker’s reactions are under his or her own control.  Learning how to respond positively includes:

  • Self-esteem
  • Avoiding Overreaction
  • Facing Problems
  • Humor

Self-esteem is essential to resilience.  Workers who believe that their supervisor or their employer is giving them a raw deal, and that others are always trying to hurt them do not have the resilience to cope well with life’s challenges.  Self-esteem requires self-control by not reacting poorly to less than ideal situations.  Instead, resilient employees use their goals and plan to work through difficulties and don’t let their self-esteem suffer from other’s opinions.

When a resilient person fails, they understand they have control over making changes and trying again to reach their goal. They don’t blame their failure on outside forces and think they can’t make the changes needed to achieve.

Self-control plays a role in avoiding overreaction too.  When a worker overacts, they often lose their focus on their goals because of their immediate emotional reaction.  While everyone gets upset, angry, and sad from time to time, overacting is a sign that a worker doesn’t have self-control or resilience.

Resilient workers face their problems with a plan, a goal, and a commitment to overcome them.  Those who aren’t resilient avoid dealing with their problems and often use unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol and other drugs to lessen their disappointment and pain.  Workers need self-control to choose a positive way to cope with challenges and be resilient when faced with difficulties.

Humor is an important skill that helps your employees be resilient.  Being able to accept difficulties and setbacks by finding the humor in situations lessens stress.  Self-control allows your employees to let go of negative feelings and laugh when things don’t go as planned.  Resilience includes moving past the difficulty and finding a new way to reach goals.

Resilience is based on the control of your actions and reactions to challenges. Successfully overcoming a challenge increases self-control, helps employees learn and grow, and builds resilience.

Need Assistance Hiring Resilient Workers

If you need some assistance in recruiting and hiring more resilient workers in this uncertain labor market, contact Flexicrew Today.