Personal resilience in life and work

Some people seem to cope with work and family issues effectively, achieve goals successfully, and face challenges with minimal stress and frustration.

Although no one can expect to feel this way 100 percent of the time, you can strengthen your health and wellbeing by building your personal resilience. The more resilient you are, the more you can bounce back from adversity and overcome challenges and change.

Personal resilience

Research shows that a number of personal qualities build resilience and lead to happiness. These include:

• optimism
• altruism
• humour
• sense of purpose
• sense of community
• lifelong learning
• honesty

In the same way that you develop physical strength, you can build these inner strengths by exercising them regularly.

Workplace resilience

Job security is a concern for many. Being resilient is perhaps a most valuable skill in your professional life. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you work towards building your value at work:

• Do you have ongoing communication with your manager?
• Do you offer to volunteer to help with company activities or committees?
• Do you accept new tasks and challenges with a positive outlook?
• Do you take advantage of training opportunities to upgrade your skills?
• Are you seen as a team player?
• Do you stay clear of the rumour mill?
• Are you able to take criticism professionally and keep your emotions in check?

Career resilience

If budget cuts or redundancies are a concern, staying positive and making yourself as valuable as possible is a great first step. It never hurts to be prepared and resilient in your field as well as in your workplace.

• Keep favourable memos or performance reviews as a boost for yourself and for your career portfolio.
• Network on a regular basis for the benefit of your career and to help foster social connections.
• Keep in touch with recruiters and former colleagues.
• Join professional organisations and attend trade shows to raise your knowledge and your profile.
• Keep your job search skills up to date, just in case.
• Always keep your CV current, not only as a safeguard but to remind yourself of your growth and achievements.

By learning skills to build resilience, you can be confident in your ability to adapt well to whatever comes your way.