WeeklySA_AdminSkill: Resilience is an important skill to help recover from setbacks
By Isaac Moledi
Like happiness, resilience is also a power skill that is closely related with the well-being of employees in the workplace. Industry experts believe that resilient workers are less susceptible to burnout, experience better mental health, are less absent and they generally perform better than their colleagues who are not resilient.
In the engineering world, resilience can be referred to as the ability of an object or structure to spring back into shape after it was exposed to a severe force or pressure. In human terms, resilience is referred to as the ability of a person to recover from setbacks, adapt well to change and keep going even when facing difficult circumstances.
To survive in a world of work marked by high levels of unemployment, continuous changes and business challenges, resilience is probably one of the most important skills for anyone to possess.
Experts associate resilience with terms such as elasticity, flexibility, pliability, plasticity and adaptability. Although researchers have made strong links between resilience, genetic and biological factors, the good news is that everyone can also learn to be more resilient.
The JVR Africa Group, which through its academy says it provides organizations with proven knowledge and skills to identify, support and develop employees in organizations, provide certain guidelines to boost teams or employees’ resilience in organizations and the workplace.
1. Take time to understand yourself and your Feelings.
The group believes that the sudden change to a home office as a result of the Covid- 19 pandemic took many people away from valuable daily interactions with everyone at the office. Figuring out how all the technology works for someone that is a bit technologically challenged, adds further stress.
“A pandemic adds a lot of changes, challenges and uncertainties to everyone’s lives,” the group says. “The literature and our own experiences, tells us that too much uncertainty often leads to anxiety, which may escalate into unhealthy stress and emotional exhaustion.” Although it is normal to experience feelings of anxiety at times, the group believes that it may become a problem when it is excessive and prevents people from coping with everyday tasks and enjoying life. “People who already struggle with anxiety – and related disorders are especially likely to have a hard time right now. Stress and anxiety, when left unchecked, can destroy your career, health and relationships – exactly those things that can help us get through tough times.”
So, how can we prevent these harmful outcomes?
JVR Africa Group gives the following advise:
• Be attuned to your body and your emotions. If you experience signs and symptoms such as irritability, irrational anger, sleeplessness and lack of motivation and if the people close to you tell you that you are showing these symptoms, acknowledge the fact that you are stressed.
• Delegate some of your tasks if you feel overwhelmed and trust that the tasks will be completed successfully.
• Trusting relationships are an excellent resource for coping effectively with stress and anxiety. “Have courage – be open and honest about how you feel and what you think. Create a support system through friends and family, even online – and use it.” On a very basic level, make sure that you get enough good sleep, exercise regularly, practice mindfulness, eat healthily and spend time outside.
Research has shown that people often overestimate the impact of negative events on their lives and underestimate how well people cope with adjusting to difficult situations. According to the JVR Group, everyone is more resilient than we think. If, however, you feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope on your own or with the support of people close to you, the advice is to seek professional help.
2. Cultivating optimism is key to building resilience.
According to JVR Group, research evidence has shown that optimism creates physical and mental resilience for people … even those who have been through extremely difficult life events or medical situations. Optimism can help reduce stress, lead to more successful relationships and increase emotional and even physical health.
“Being hopeful and confident that we will get through the current difficulties does not mean that we ignore the realities of what is going on around us – it just means that we approach these realities in a more productive way.” The group advises that people should not despair but make a conscious efforts to see things in a positive light and sow seeds of gratitude, optimism and hope wherever they go.
3. Make time to see the humour in things.
“We as humans are 30 times more likely to laugh together than alone. Although laughter and humour are ways of socializing, the group believes however that laughter is also extremely contagious.
“We know that humour and laughter can change the atmosphere at work or at home,” says JVR arguing that through the ages, people have known that laughter is good and not just a little bit good but really very good for us. “There were even times when doctors prescribed laughing and humour for their patients.” But even more, the group says laughter and humour can help relieve tension, fatigue and even pain. “It helps us to survive tedious tasks, defuse conflict and lift our spirits. It raises our energy levels, helps us with perseverance and makes us more productive.” Laughter is good for our bodies too. The group says when people laugh, they get more air into the lungs, the muscles relax and there are feel-good endorphins coursing through the bodies. It really remains one of the healthiest ways to cope. “So, watch the funny videos, enjoy the memes and most of all, share a good laugh with the people you enjoy spending time with.”
4. Understanding how you affect yourself and others is a key facet of building resilience.
According to JVR, changes and challenges that we experience at work or as part of our lives make many of us feel like life is chaotic and out of control. So, they obviously influence us on an emotional level. During such times, the group says people expect everyone to experience a wide range of emotions. “Some of our survival emotions will cause us to want to flee, get away, hide, or even try to forget. “There are also those of us who, with or without specific reason, will rebel, become irritated, want to fight and blame others. We may even sink into emotions of helplessness, despair, powerlessness and with it, tears. These emotions are part of being human and to be expected in exceptional circumstances such as a crisis or a pandemic.
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