Thursday, October 13, 2022

Resilience: A Key to Coping with Challenges

When your work or life go sideways, follow these five actions to help you get back on track.

By Paul Wilson

All of us go through good times and challenging times in our jobs and in life. In my work-life, I have experienced the joy and satisfaction of publishing my research and writing as well as the stress of being without a job for seven months and facing an uncertain future.

In my personal life, I have enjoyed meaningful and supportive family relationships. I have also suffered the loss of both of my parents after long and severe illnesses.

Such joys and sorrows are realities in everyone’s life. How do we cope with the tough times that inevitably come our way at work or in life?

For example, all of us experienced to various degrees the negative impacts of the pandemic. Is there anything one can do to deal with such difficult circumstances? Developing and practicing resilience is one useful strategy for coping with stress and overcoming adversity.

5 Resilience-Oriented Actions to Cope with Work and Life Challenges

1. Practice acceptance.
Sweeping things under the carpet or living in denial may be understandable in some situations, but eventually denial is not helpful. As hard as it may be, acknowledge your feelings and accept the reality of what has happened. Acceptance is the first step toward resilience.

2. Reach out to others for support.
Family and friends are often a major source of support. Reaching out to those who know you and you can trust is a good place to start. But sometimes you may need professional help. CLAC provides mental and physical health resources to members who have a CLAC benefits plan through its employee and family assistance program. Professional support can make a meaningful difference for you if you’re suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress or struggling with substance use. It can also provide you with hope and strengthen your resilience.

3. Take care of yourself.
Self-care is often the first casualty in a crisis. Often, we become so concerned about the well-being of others that we neglect our own needs. Studies have found that taking care of your physical and mental health is essential in times of stress. Eating properly, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and giving yourself time to meditate are activities that will improve your overall well-being.

4. Find meaning and purpose.
Feeling overwhelmed is often a reality when you are going through a crisis. Becoming obsessed with the crisis at the expense of everything and everyone else is also a common experience. To deal with these tendencies, experts recommend helping others to help yourself. Volunteering is wonderful way to do this. Focusing on something that you find meaningful, like a hobby or your work, can also shift your mind to action that is purposeful.

5. Stay motivated.
Finding ways to persevere and stay motivated is essential to getting through a crisis. Experts recommend taking things one step at a time, celebrating small wins, staying hopeful, being grateful for what you have, and being kind to yourself as ways to cope and cultivate resilience.

Every person reacts to life’s challenges and crises in their own way. The actions for building resilience offered above are a few helpful ways that can help you cope when your work or life go sideways.

Resilience: A Key to Coping with Challenges

5 Resilience-Oriented Actions to Cope with Work and Life Challenges

You might be interested in