5 Tips to cultivate resilience in a fear-based job market

Post Bloody-Monday, the slashing of jobs is expected to continue at a pace that might rival the layoffs numbers the U-S saw in the early 1980’s.  Change is certainly the order of the day. And as just about every Industrial Organizational Psychology blog out there quotes, “It’s not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.” (No, Darwin did not say it, at least not officially)

Responsive to change, not reactive. Two completely different approaches. But to be responsive indicates there’s an ability to take a step back from whatever change has occured, before abruptly over reacting. Is this an inherent skill or one that has to be cultivated?

Human’s by makeup are a warehouse of resilience. However, we are conditioned toward flight or fight. Our bodies generally heal when damaged, our hearts overcome saddness in order to survive, our minds expand with knowledge – often after the mistakes we make. But cultivating resilience is not something we discuss frequently. Now is a good time.  

In a recent post, 5 Keys to WorkLife Sanity, I wrote about the obvious methods of taking breaks, the importance of the breath, being creative, keeping a journal and staying in the moment. These are tools to build resilience, but without the discipline they become “one song wonders.” As a quick pick-me-up such tools can work in a pinch, but when they’re practiced on a regular basis, they become more than tools. They evolve into vehicles toward building resilience because they become positive patterns of daily influence.

Just as we have to exercise regularly to maintain a healthy strong body, we have to feed our minds and souls with the stuff that’s going to help us build a warehouse of strength to conquer the chaos that comes our way in the workplace. Here are 5 tips to cultivate resilience in a fear-based job market:

1. Don’t beat yourself up every time a challenge presents itself: When we lose a job or business, our underlying reaction is to blame ourselves. Even if we are responsible for the loss of work – or contributed to the result – forgive yourself and move on. Everyone else is giving you a hard time, why make it worse?
2. Set daily small goals to accomplish: It might be as simple as promising yourself to look at a certain website daily for business opportunities, or reading a particular blog for ideas.
3. Research alternative careers or skills: This should be an ongoing mission. If anything it keeps your mind off the negative junk that’s going on and allows the brain to focus on idea creation and potential new career paths.
4. Enhancing your own personal growth: There’s a slew of books and programs out there to tell you how to do everything from knitting to meditating. Take an active role in engaging some inner personal work. No one outside of yourself is going to change you or your situation, but they might have some great ideas.
5. Stick to a work life stress reducing method: Whether this be exercise or meditation, reading or just going to the mall to window shop – identify what works for you. Work life balance is a journey – not a destination.