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Resilience Workshop | Emerging Leader Program | Session 4

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Resilience Workshop | Emerging Leader Program | Session 4

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Building Resilience In The Workplace: Strategies For Success

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Building Resilience In The Workplace: Strategies For Success

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Cheri Rainey is the CEO/Founder of Rainey Leadership Learning, partnering with leaders to support the entire employee life cycle.
In today's rapidly evolving workplace, resilience is a crucial skill that empowers individuals to navigate challenges, bounce back from setbacks and maintain high performance. Building resilience enhances your ability to adapt to change, but it also promotes well-being and encourages a positive work environment.

Resilience is not a fixed trait but a dynamic process that can be learned and developed. In fact, HBR research shows that resilience is not solely an individual characteristic but is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks. That being said, let's explore practical habits for cultivating resilience in the workplace-the "R" in our Rainey Leadership Learning "REAAL" alignment strategy-equipping you with the tools to thrive amid adversity.

Develop A Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the foundation of resilience. Research has shown that challenges and failures are opportunities for growth and learning, not only for children but also for adults in the workplace. Adopting this mindset allows you to view setbacks as temporary and motivates you to persevere in the face of obstacles.

One of my favorite ways to evaluate resiliency traits and areas for improvement is by using the Harrison Assessment, a behavioral-based evaluation that embraces and recognizes that failure and mistakes are opportunities for learning, growth and even greater success. You can also nurture your emotional intelligence by seeking feedback from mentors, supervisors or colleagues and identifying areas for improvement.

Hold challenges as opportunities to expand your emotional intelligence, skill sets and knowledge base. Remember, skills can always be developed and setbacks are only stepping stones on the path to your success.

Practice Problem-Solving And Decision-Making Skills

Resilience involves solving problems effectively and making informed decisions under pressure. As Flexicrew puts it, "Having strong problem-solving skills speaks to our ability to look at problems comprehensively, break them down into pieces, and find practical solutions for them in a timely manner." By taking time to evaluate each potential solution's pros and cons, we can make a well-informed, well-thought-out decision regarding the issue at hand.

Flexicrew also mentions that "to become more resilient, we must learn to strengthen our problem-solving skills and better deal with obstacles we may face." Gathering information, asking good, thoughtful questions and approaching problems as opportunities can help build resourcefulness and better problem-solving skills, consequently enhancing our resilience.

Prioritize Self-Care

Resilience begins with taking care of yourself. Make self-care a priority to enhance your well-being and capacity to handle workplace pressures. Start by managing your boundaries. If you ever feel tempted to take on more projects, work longer hours or go beyond your role to help others, remember that consistently doing this can quickly lead to burnout, compassion fatigue or total withdrawal (shutdown).

Balancing professional responsibilities with personal life and values is crucial, but often much easier said than done. Learning to say "no" when necessary, delegate tasks and prioritize your workload can be difficult but is vital for your mental health. Additionally, prioritizing sufficient sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in activities that bring you happiness and contentment build your reserves. When needed, those reserves help you reset and reframe in the face of adversity.

Despite the situation, remember that self-care is not selfish at all. Instead, it is an investment in your resilience, resourcefulness and productivity.

Set Realistic Goals And Reassess

Establishing realistic goals and continuously reassessing them can help prevent feelings of overwhelm and burnout. Begin by breaking larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps and celebrate milestones along the way. Noticing the accomplishments of those small milestones can increase your feelings of productivity and satisfaction with your day-to-day tasks.

When things start to feel like they are kicking into overwhelm, it is your signal to reassess and restructure your goals. Take a look at your daily tasks, determine which ones take up more time than necessary, then reassess the structure of your schedule, prioritizing the most critical tasks first.

A favorite metaphor of mine that has helped me manage my time references a glass jar, rocks and sand. The gallon glass jar represents your monthly calendar, and the rocks represent important projects that will take up much of your time. The pebbles are things that arise that can be done quickly, delegated or postponed. Sand is a symbol of everything else that fills in between the rocks and the pebbles. And, finally, there is still room for water, which fills our time completely!

Always remember to put your rocks in the glass jar first-pre-block your time for the important projects. Leave some time for the smaller unexpected tasks and then, last thing, pour in the sand. Water will always fill up whatever time remains.

Leadership Tip: Communicate openly with teams and colleagues about workload and essential deadlines, ensuring expectations align with available resources and timeframes.

Practice Adaptability And Flexibility

Resilience enables us to have the energy to face stress and adversity with strength and clarity while continuing to flourish, even after we cross the finish line. The ability to adapt to be agile and change is a hallmark of resilience. It allows us to be faster and better at learning, and it orients us toward the opportunities ahead, not just the challenges.

Embrace a flexible mindset that allows you to adjust your approach when circumstances shift. Cultivate a willingness to explore new ideas, take on new challenges and actually reflect on the learning that occurred from different experiences. By being open to change, you can adapt swiftly and maintain momentum, even in uncertain times. By fostering adaptability and flexibility, organizations can promote innovation, enhance employee satisfaction and create a culture that embraces continuous growth and improvement.

Building resilience in the workplace is a transformative journey that empowers individuals to thrive, even in the face of adversity. By adopting a growth mindset, nurturing your emotional intelligence, fostering social connections, prioritizing self-care, managing expectations, honing problem-solving skills and embracing adaptability while seeking and learning from opportunities, you can cultivate resilience and excel in your professional endeavors.

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

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Council Post: Building Resilience In The Workplace: Strategies For Success

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Building resilience enhances your ability to adapt to change, but it also promotes well-being and encourages a positive work environment.

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Resilience in the Workplace: How to be More Resilient at Work

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Resilience in the Workplace: How to be More Resilient at Work

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Have you ever found yourself wondering what makes someone successful at work?

Chances are, like many people you imagine that the key to success at work is intelligence or going above and beyond the demands of the role such as working extra long hours or taking on extra commitments.

However, in modern workplaces characterized by staff cutbacks, deadlines, rivalry and organizational change, success relies on an individual's capacity to cope and even thrive when faced with stress.

Broadly speaking, resilience is the ability to 'bounce back' when encountering the challenges that are an inevitable part of life. The workplace presents a different range of stressors to employees. What is resilience in the workplace? Why is it even important? Can individuals even become more resilient anyway?

The exciting thing about resilience is that it is a skill. Like any skill, with practice, resilience can be learned. This article describes resilience in the workplace and provides helpful tips about how people can be more resilient at work. It will define exactly what is meant by 'resilience in the workplace', describe some examples of developing personal resilience at work and then explore ways to enhance resilience.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our 3 Resilience Exercises for free. These engaging, science-based exercises will help you to effectively deal with difficult circumstances and give you the tools to improve the resilience of your clients, students or employees.

What is Resilience in the Workplace?

Research Done

Consider a workplace that is undergoing radical change. One may expect that the effects of this ongoing stress would be detrimental to staff. After all, their livelihood may be at stake. A research study by two management consultants studied this very phenomenon.

Over a period of twelve years, S. Maddi and D. Khoshaba studied employees of a large US telecommunications company during a time when this industry was being de-regulated. The company was constantly changing and jobs were at stake. However, what the research showed was most surprising.

During the twelve-year period in which the study took place, almost 50% of the employees lost their job and a further two-thirds experienced significant stressful life events (including divorce, mental health issues like depression and anxiety, and heart attacks). Despite this, one-third of the workers not only survived the tremendous challenge they faced, they actually flourished!

In their book, called ' Resilience at work: how to succeed no matter what life throws at you ' Maddi and Khoshaba (2006) report that of the individuals they studied, the employees who retained their positions rose to the top, whilst those who were unfortunate enough to lose their job either started their own companies or took 'strategically important' employment in other companies.

Resilience is Dynamic

What does this study show about resilience in the workplace? Put another way, what can we learn from this study? Well, resilience is an active, dynamic process. According to the Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing (2006):

' the good news is that although some people seem to be born with more resilience than others, those whose resilience is lower can learn how to boost their ability to cope, thrive and flourish when the going gets tough '. So, resilience can be enhanced!

The personality trait of has been found to buffer or lessen the negative effects of stressful events or adversity (Jackson, Frito, & Edenborough, 2007). It is possible to learn habits and strategies to increase hardiness. Furthermore, by developing effective strategies for reducing vulnerability to and the impact of adversity, it is possible to strengthen and develop personal resilience.

In order to understand what constitutes resilience in the workplace, perhaps the most accessible way to think about it is to consider what resilient employees do when faced with workplace adversity that sets them apart from the rest of the pack. What is it that these employees do differently?

Resilient Employees

Resilient employees build strong connections and relationships with others (Davis Laak, 2014). These high-quality relationships can be characterized by a number of features. Connections are characterized by effective communication in which an individual listens actively and is responsive to their colleague and their emotions (Davis Laak, 2014).

In positive workplace relationships, a resilient worker will do what they can to help another person to achieve success in the workplace. The resilient worker is a team-player who aims for a win-win with their fellow employees.

Social support plays an important role in workplace resilience (Jackson, Firtko, & Edenborough, 2007). It is beneficial to develop personal as well as professional networks, which can be a source of guidance and support during times of stress or simply to provide a nurturing relationship.

It is also helpful for employees to have contact with colleagues outside of their own immediate work setting. These people can provide validation to the worker, and can potentially be accessible to the individual when accessing support within their own work situation would make the employee vulnerable (Jackson et al., 2007).

Resilient employees nurture the work networks they have developed, consistently building trust with others. However, a surprising finding in the research was that resilient employees don't take the work environment too seriously. They introduce an element of 'play' to the workplace, which further fosters positive emotions amongst employees.

Modern workplaces are certainly typified by stress. Technology and access to the Internet mean that, for many, work is a constant presence. No longer does one establish a career which they then stay in for the duration of their working life. Resilient employees are able to manage stress effectively so it is not overwhelming and detrimental (Davis Laak, 2014). By actively engaging in self-care and nurturing themselves after a stressful incident, however minor, resilient employees avoid 'burnout'.

Another characteristic of a resilient employee is that the individual is true to their 'real' self (Davis Laak, 2014). They are authentic and behave in a way which is in alignment with their values and beliefs. If you like, they 'practice what they preach'. They show grit.

What is Grit?

Grit is that fighting spirit that sets some employees apart. It can be defined as 'having the passion and perseverance to pursue your long-term goals' (Davis Laak, 2014). However, if grit means that an employee is striving to achieve challenging goals, this will almost certainly mean that they will encounter obstacles. When this occurs, workers have the chance to show resilience, as resilience is needed to overcome these hurdles.

How resilient employees perceive their occupation and day-to-day tasks also sets them apart. These workers perceive their work as meaningful (Davis Laak, 2014). It is hardly surprising that those who feel like their toll is in an endeavor to achieve a valuable outcome are going to be better equipped to bounce back when work is particularly stressful.

Examples include medical practitioners, who see their work as leading to health outcomes for patients rather than 'fixing' a medical problem. Having a positive focus at work is a component of resilience.

Of course, it is not that resilient employees do not experience stress. Stress is an unavoidable aspect of life, and workplaces present a multitude of stressors. However, a characteristic of resilient workers is that they will monitor their own thoughts when they are under stress and duress (Davis Laak, 2014).

By acting mindfully, the employees who display resilience notice particular patterns in their thinking that may be impeding their chance at occupational success (Davis Laak, 2014). This awareness promotes a capacity to cope with stress and unexpected challenges.

Modern workplaces are typified by change. The climate of work imposes on employees a need to be flexible and adaptive. Resilient workers are seen to be more able to manage inevitable changes and deal with novel scenarios. They are also more skilled at dealing with setbacks and have the capacity to move on after they encounter a stumbling block.

5 Examples of Building Personal Resilience at Work

How can an individual build their personal resilience at work? In order to address this question, think back to Maddi and Khoshaba's study of the employees of the telecommunications company in the US. How is it that under such duress, many of the workers were able to thrive? How did they develop resilience?

Resilience is a multi-dimensional construct, and consists of a cluster of factors: behaviors, thoughts, actions, attitudes, and skills. In their study, Maddi and Khoshaba identified three variables associated with the individuals' ability to bounce back from the immense stress they faced. These were commitment, control, and challenge.

" Simply put these attitudes are commitment, control, and challenge. As time gets tough, if you hold these attitudes, you'll believe that it is best to stay involved with the people and events around you (commitment) rather than to pull out, to keep trying to influence the outcomes in which you are involved (control) rather than give up, and to try and discover how you can grow through the stress (challenge) rather than to bemoan your fate " (Maddi & Khoshaba, 2006). Let me explain further.

By committing themselves to their work, the employees were more able to dedicate themselves to the tasks at hand. This enabled the workers to make sense of what exactly was going on for them. Having a sense of control empowered the employees to enable them to behave in a way which had an influence over the changes that were happening. They also viewed change and stress as an inevitable part of life.

How can an individual build their resilience in the workplace? Jackson and colleagues (2007) argue that personal resilience can be strengthened and enhanced by developing a variety of effective strategies that reduce vulnerability and susceptibility to stress.

It can also help employees to develop and nurture skills for reducing the impact that adversity in the workplace has on them. This may include, but is not limited to, practicing mindfulness, developing mental agility, and taking regular breaks from work to 'detach'. Jackson et al. suggest the following:

1. Positivity

By taking a positive stance at work, employees are more able to adapt to adversity and also hold on to a sense of control over their work environment. Putting energy and motivation into work, or, having 'vigor' - as described by Shirom (2004) - is also associated with building personal resilience. It is the 'opposite' of burnout, which is characterized by emotional exhaustion, physical tiredness, and cognitive fatigue or 'weariness'.

Vigor is characterized by having the capacity to put in the maximum effort at work and thus further build personal resilience (Shirom, 2004).

2. Emotional Insight

Another example of building personal resilience at work is by developing and strengthening emotional insight. Insight is closely related to emotional intelligence. Individuals with a level of insight have a level of awareness about the full range of emotions they experience, from 'negative' through to 'positive'.

They will also consider the ramifications of their own reactions and behavior and the effects their own actions have on others. Psychologically resilient individuals can be described as emotionally intelligent (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004).

3. Balance

Individuals can build personal resilience at work by achieving a healthy work-life balance. This is especially challenging in the world we are living in. Technology can mean that employees may have access to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In order to be able to bounce back from stressful situations, i.e. to be resilient, workers need to have the energy that can be easily depleted if a healthy work-life balance is not in place. Workers need time to relax, unwind and recuperate.

4. Spirituality

Having a sense of spirituality has been linked to developing resilience at work. This may be related to reducing vulnerability and the impact that adversity in the workplace has on the individual. Finding meaning in work, and feeling that this work is contributing to a greater good, can buffer against the effect of stress. It may also be because spirituality may lead employees to view even stressful situations as having positive aspects, or 'purpose', and appreciating potential benefits.

5. Reflection

Becoming more reflective is another way individuals can build resilience at work. In other words, being in tune with one's emotions and emotional reactions can serve to buffer against the effect of stress. Being aware of possible '' to stress can provide individuals with the opportunity to prepare and gather resources so they are better able to 'bounce back'. If an employee knows that a particular circumstance will be especially challenging, they can then implement coping strategies, such as seeking support.

Why is Resilience so Important?

Resilience is a critical life-skill that has roots in the key to humankind's survival. The ability to cope with stress and unexpected challenges, and even to thrive in such situations, is adaptive. This is not news to anyone! What about the workplace? Why is resilience so important in the work environment?

For starters, workplaces are embedded with stress. Occupational stress affects personal and performance outcomes (Rees, Breen, Cusack, and Hegney, 2015). Furthermore, workplace stress is correlated with high levels of depression and anxiety, and burnout (Rees et al, 2015).

As early as 1978, the effects of a stressful workplace were reported by Pines and Maslach, who introduced the term 'burnout' to describe a state whereby employees experience physical and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of low personal accomplishment.

Burnout has a heavy toll on workplaces, both productively and economically. Burnout is associated with increased rates of absenteeism and reduced productivity - not to mention the negative impact it has on employees. Psychologically resilient employees are better able to cope with stress, and less likely to suffer from 'burnout'. Clearly this is of benefit to the employer!

Resilience has been associated with various positive states, including optimism, zest, curiosity, energy and openness to experience (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004). These positive emotional states are of tremendous value to the workplace. In addition to the more immediate value of positive states, Fredrickson (2004) put forward the argument that positive emotions lead to 'thought-action repertoires' which then result in an urge to think/act in a certain direction.

To put this simply, the experience of positive emotions (fostered by resilience) can expand activity, open an employees' eyes to a range of possibilities, and increase the likelihood of more creative solutions for workplace behaviors (Fredrickson, 2004).

Positive emotions also serve as a 'buffer' against workplace stress (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004). How? Well, positive emotions enable individuals to make positive appraisals of what otherwise may have been a stressful situation.

Also, those who experience positive affect are more likely to use problem-focused coping which is of great benefit in the work environment. When individuals feel more positive, they tend to also interpret seemingly ordinary events and experiences as positive. Thus, positive emotions foster positivity in the workplace.

Resilience is not only important for its impact on psychosocial factors such as burnout, adaptive workplace behaviors and buffering against workplace stress. Resilience has also been implicated in physical wellbeing. Tugade and Fredrickson (2004) found that "the psychological mindset involved with resilience is reflected in the body as well".

Naturally, if employees have better physical wellbeing, they will have a greater capacity to undertake their work, and - in turn - be better placed to further adapt to adversity! It is a win-win situation.

Resilience in the Workplace Training

So, it is clear that resilience is highly important in the workplace. How can businesses encourage resilience in the workplace? What can be done?

Well, workplace training has been found to be effective. Studies support the positive impact of resilience training. But what does that exactly entail, and is resilience in the workplace training really beneficial to employees and businesses?

Resilience training has been found to have a positive impact on mental health and subjective wellbeing (Robertson, Cooper, Sarkar & Curran, 2015). Research suggests that resilience training may play an important part in public health and health prevention (Joyce, Shand, Bryant, Lal & Harvey, 2018). This is because resilience training has the power to protect the long-term health and wellbeing of employees.

Resilience training varies according to the content of the material presented, and the way in which the training is delivered. Resilience training may take a variety of forms - including online training, group-based training, one-to-one training and a combination of group-based and one-to-one training (Robertson et al., 2015).

The length of resilience in the workplace training varies widely, from a single 90-minute session to 13 weekly sessions. In a systematic review of resilience training in the workplace, the authors identified four broad categories of outcomes that were measured:

Mental health and subjective wellbeing outcomes

Physical/biological outcomes

Psychosocial outcomes

Performance outcomes

Robertson et al. (2015) reviewed 14 studies, and they found that 12 studies reported a beneficial effect of resilience training. However, a limitation of their review was that only 6 studies directly measured resilience (of which, three showed a significant, positive effect).

The authors also found that resilience training was especially effective for positive mental health and subjective wellbeing outcomes (including stress, depression, anxiety, and negative mood/affect/emotion).

An example of a resilience training program was developed at the University of Pennsylvania, called the Pennsylvania Resilience Program (PRP). This particular program aimed to enhance protective factors associated with resilience in the workplace, including optimism, self-efficacy, problem-solving, self-regulation, flexibility, emotional awareness, empathy and the development of strong relationships (Robertson et al., 2015).

What does a resilience training program look like? Resilience training may consist of skills-based coaching, developmental/executive coaching or mindfulness and compassion-based practices (Robertson et al., 2015).

Researchers in the field of resilience have turned their attention to evidence-based therapies from which to develop resilience training. For example, research training has been developed from ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (Joyce et al., 2018). A more novel approach to resilience training has seen workers utilize technology to self-regulate stress responses (Robertson et al., 2015).

Studies have supported the role of mindfulness training on psychological resilience, therefore making it a helpful intervention in resilience training in the workplace (Joyce et al., 2018). Mindfulness-based resilience training typically involves the teaching of cognitive strategies, mindfulness training, provision of psycho-educational material, and goal setting (Joyce et al., 2018).

The findings from one study of resilience training were reported by Joyce and colleagues (2018). Their resilience training was delivered to 29 full-time firefighters. The training, called "Resilience @ Work" (RAW) consisted of 6 internet-based sessions. The training was mindfulness-based and was delivered to the participants online. Compared to baseline measures, participants were found to have increased resilience after the RAW training.

This finding was valuable, as many resilience training programs are delivered via multiple face-to-face sessions. Most commonly, resilience training is delivered to groups over a 10 - 11-week period. This mode of delivery is disruptive to business and is extremely costly both in time and in resources. The success of Joyce et al.'s intervention offers promise for more cost-effective resilience training options available to workplaces.

At face value, it appears that resilience training is an effective way to increase employees' capacity to deal effectively with stress and overcome challenges. However, it should be kept in mind that the effectiveness of training - like any educational program - is moderated by the nature of the training.

How to Build Resilient Teams

There is a range of possible ways to develop resilience in work-teams. Resilient teams are able to withstand and overcome difficulties whilst sustaining performance and cohesion of the team, or even strengthen the team. Some ways to build resilient teams, described by Alliger and colleagues (2015), that can be applied for any type of team, are described below:

1. Checklists and Guides

Some common challenges and stressors can be anticipated at work. To develop resilience in team-members, checklists and guides are a helpful way to provide employees with a resource they can turn to when dealing with the challenge. The resource can be a 'go-to' guide for staff. The resource might include tips for troubleshooting, guidelines for escalation (if necessary) and the key questions to consider in difficult situations.

A good idea is also to document 'standard operating procedures' for the workplace. As well as providing invaluable information for new staff, having these procedures written down and accessible means that the team can maintain their basic work tasks as efficiently as possible. Therefore, when unexpected challenges arise, the staff have freed up some capacity to deal with the stressor.

In any team, experts may at times need to be called upon. A valuable resource is a table/spreadsheet that contains the names and contact details for people who are in the position to support the team when particular challenges arise.

2. Training

In order to develop the resilience of any team, it is worthwhile to conduct team resilience training (as was described in the previous section), such as facilitated group sessions. The benefit of training for a team is that it helps the team members develop a group understanding, which promotes cohesion of the team and promotes positive team coordination.

Some tasks that are physical in nature can be practiced, by handling simulated challenges. This sort of training has been used extensively in training of medical professionals. It is also good for team-members to consider any resilience behaviors that they displayed during the simulation, and an observer may also be involved to provide feedback to individuals.

Obviously, due to practicalities and safety reasons, it may not be possible to 're-create' a challenge. In this circumstance, cognitive tasks may be helpful. For example, the person in charge of training could provide the team with a scenario for a possible event (i.e. an emergency) and ask them to think about the problem and discuss what they would do in the scenario. Again, feedback is helpful throughout this process.

3. Debriefing Sessions

After any challenge or stressful event, it is valuable for a workplace to offer its' employees 'post-challenge' debriefing. These sessions will encourage reflection about the experience. It is also helpful to facilitate team discussion about the challenge and how employees coped. This also facilitates team members supporting one another. This process can also include action planning for the team.

As well as being a helpful process following a particularly stressful event, team debriefing can also be a valuable thing to do after a period of time when there has been a string of low-level chronic challenges, which tend to deplete teams and are draining.

4. Work Culture

Finally, the culture of a team is a key to promoting resilience. This forms the basis for "team resilience". It is the responsibility of a team-leader, or supervisor, to create the right atmosphere for his/her team. They can facilitate the development of positive work culture by consistently demonstrating behaviors (described shortly) and also reinforce the behaviors in employees.

A culture of resilience includes team members being encouraged to:

Speak up, and ask any questions

Openly share bad news, and report early warning signs of potential problems

Maintain composure during 'emergencies' and times of heightened stress

In case of needing further support, seek out expertise rather than simply relying on another worker's rank or seniority

Keep an eye on one's work colleagues, and be there to offer support throughout the challenge - before (to minimize the impact of the stressor), during (to manage the heightened stress) and after the stressor (to 'mend' once the stress has passed)

Be able to express when there is a need in the workplace to switch to and from 'emergency' modes of operating.

Lastly, but importantly, once the challenge has passed, to encourage resilience team members to thank others for their help, and discuss any other challenges.

By putting these strategies into place, a resilient team can slowly but surely be developed.

Developing Resilience for Social Work Practice (book)

Louise Grant and Gail Kinman edited this handbook, which was published in 2014. It is designed for social work students and practitioners, to provide them with tools and strategies they can use to maintain wellbeing in an emotionally demanding profession. It aims to help students and practitioners alike to build the skills which will help develop emotional resilience.

Whilst traditionally in social work resilience has been studied in relation to those who have survived trauma, especially children, it is now understood that social workers also need a range of skills in order to effectively manage the emotional demands of their job. In other words, social workers need to be resilient!

This book is an engaging text that provides social workers and students with practical tools and strategies which can be used by the reader to manage their own wellbeing and to develop resilience.

The book is grounded in theory and practice. The interventions and strategies introduced are evidence-based, and because it is written by practitioners, the audience is in a position where they are more likely to relate to the issues and themes introduced. A feature of this text is the case-studies included throughout, which really bring the book to life for its' readers.

Included in the text are a range of topics relevant to social work students and practitioners. For example, some of the issues explored include boundaries, personal organization, and time management. The book also looks at the role of critical reflection and reflective supervision in developing resilience.

It explores Cognitive Behavior-based strategies, and the chapter on mindfulness can also help readers develop skills for coping with a highly stressful work environment. It covers peer support, peer coaching, and how to increase self-knowledge, develop coping skills and stress resistance. Finally, the book presents an integrated approach to resilient individuals and organizations.

Louise Grant has spent the last seven years teaching both qualifying and post-qualifying social workers. She is the principal lecturer at The University of Bedfordshire. From her experience, Louise has developed an awareness of the complexities of social work practice, its' demanding nature and what is required to achieve wellbeing and develop emotional resilience in practice.

Gail Kinman is a psychologist, with a particular interest in the area of Occupational Health Psychology. She is involved in a variety of research projects. However, her most significant focus is on the wellbeing of people who work in emotionally demanding professions.

How to be Tough at Work During Layoffs

Perhaps one of the most stressful situation workers can encounter is when layoffs are imminent. At this time, more than ever, the need to be resilient is tremendous.

Even workplaces that are generally quite friendly become super competitive when staff are being made redundant. Staff may begin gossiping, and engage in self-promotion - even at the expense of others.

However, although this situation is undoubtedly extremely challenging, Lynze Wardle Lenio has come up with some suggestions for things that employees can do to survive a layoff, or, to cope if they are in the unfortunate position of losing their job:

1. Prepare

Preparation is the key to dealing with so many stressful situations. After all, if we mentally prepare by planning for the 'worst-case scenario' this can help us develop coping strategies. It helps employees to cope with the stress of layoffs if they are ready to 'bounce back' should they actually lose their job.

It can help employees to have a plan of action, a 'plan B'. It is always a good idea to have a back-up plan! It is also helpful for staff to ensure they are up-to-date professionally in case they need to look for a new position. This may involve updating profiles, such as 'LinkedIn' and other social networks. It is invaluable to have personal and professional connections when seeking employment.

It is also a good idea for employees to review their skills in order to be competitive. This may also involve taking part in additional training or certification or completing professional development.

If the employee is fortunate enough not to lose their position, these extra qualifications and skills look impressive on the CV regardless!

It is wise during times of layoffs for workers to be financially cautious... 'just in case'. It is sensible to avoid spending money on unnecessary 'extras' or big-ticket items. At this time, Wardle Lenio advises employees to be especially responsible with their money and using credit cards carefully.

2. Maintain Positive Relationships at Work

Even if under extreme pressure in the workplace, it is advisable for employees to avoid toxic workplace discussions and gossip. Even if stressed, it is probably also better to avoid talking at any length about layoffs to your superiors.

Engaging in 'worry talk' at work will only strengthen the experience of stress and anxiety. It is best for workers to continue fostering positive engagement with colleagues and aim to protect their professional network.

It can be helpful for employees to remind themselves of the reason they are at work... in other words, to do their job. They should do their best to try not to waste time at work worrying about something that may not even happen. At work, an employee's first priority needs to be doing the job they are being paid to do!

3. Prove your Worth

At this time, employees may be under scrutiny. It is therefore worthwhile for employees to prove that they 'earn their keep' and that they are a valuable asset to the business. By making hard-work and dedication to performance their number one priority, this will actually help reduce stress in the workplace.

It is great for workers to make success their focus - to ensure that they work thoroughly and conscientiously, and to make sure they meet any deadlines. Furthermore, employees can prove their worth by going the extra mile and taking the initiative to complete extra work.

If it is at all possible, workers are wise to make the hard work they are doing known about! During layoffs, it is worthwhile for employees to prove that they are a valuable employee.

Many reasons lie behind why layoffs are made, and many are out of our control. However, workers can give themselves the best chance of retention by being the best employee they possibly can. It is best to prepare thoroughly, maximize relationships in the workplace and in the professional network and, finally, to work hard. At the end of the day, this will put employees in good to stead to achieve the career goals they have for themselves.

10 Books to Read on Resilience at Work

Would you like to read more on the topic of resilience at work? There are some excellent books available! Here are a few:

Career resilience in a changing workplace. Betsy Collard. 1996 (Google)

Building resilience at work. Kathryn McEwen. 2011 (Amazon)

Resilience at work: how to succeed no matter what life throws at you. Salvatore Maddi & Deborah Khoshaba. 2005 (Amazon)

Building resilience for success: a resource for managers and organizations. C. Cooper, J Flint-Taylor, M Pearn. 2013 (Amazon)

The mindful workplace: developing resilient individuals and resonant organizations with MBSP. Michael Chaskalson. 2011 (Amazon)

Fearless at work: timeless teachings for awakening confidence, resilience, and creativity in the face of life's demands. Michael Carroll. 2012 (Amazon)

The authority guide to emotional resilience in business: strategies to manage stress and weather storms in the workplace. Robin Hills. 2016 (Amazon)

Happiness at work: be resilient, motivated and successful - no matter what. Srikumar S. Rao. 2010 (Amazon)

The resilient employee: the essential guide to coping with change and thriving in today's workplace. Rosalind Cardinal. 2016 (Amazon)

Resilience at work: practical tools for career success. Kathryn Jackson. 2018 (Amazon)

Most Relevant YouTube Videos

Still keen to learn more?! These are a few relevant YouTube videos. Enjoy!

Resilience in the Workplace - short video:

Resilience in the Workplace:
Resilience, Wellbeing and Performance in the Workplace:

A Take Home Message

I hope that you have found this article relevant and interesting. The importance of resilience in the workplace cannot be underestimated! Given that we spend roughly one-third of our day at work, this means that being able to 'bounce back' when presented with the inevitable challenges work presents is a very important issue to consider.

Having the capacity to deal with ongoing stress at work, to adapt efficiently to change, to cope with the threat of job loss, and to handle the pressure of deadlines is important not only for succeeding at work but also contributes to our overall health and wellbeing.

Hopefully this article has shed light on what it means to be resilient at work and provided helpful tips to becoming more resilient at work. Maybe now would be a good time to reflect upon your own resilience in the workplace. What could you do to cope more effectively with workplace stress?

Feel free to refer to this piece when considering how not only to cope at work, but ideally, to thrive! Comments and ideas about resilience at work are welcomed.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our 3 Resilience Exercises for free.

If you wish to learn more, our Realizing Resilience Masterclass© is a complete, science-based, 6-module resilience training template for practitioners that contains all the materials you'll need to help your clients overcome adversity in a more resilient way.

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Resilience in the Workplace: How to be More Resilient at Work

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Have you ever found yourself wondering what makes someone successful at work? Chances are, like many people you imagine that the key to success at work is intelligence or going above and beyond the demands of the role such as working extra long hours or taking on extra commitments.

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Currently, a quarter of all employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization describes stress as the " global health epidemic of the 21st century." Many of us now work in constantly connected, always-on, highly demanding work cultures where stress and the risk of burnout are widespread. Since the pace and intensity of contemporary work culture are not likely to change, it's more important than ever to build resilience skills to effectively navigate your worklife.

While working as a director of learning and organization development at Google, eBay and J.P. Morgan Chase, and in my current work as co-founder of the learning solutions company Wisdom Labs, I've seen over and over again that the most resilient individuals and teams aren't the ones that don't fail, but rather the ones that fail, learn and thrive because of it. Being challenged - sometimes severely - is part of what activates resilience as a skill set.

More than five decades of research point to the fact that resilience is built by attitudes, behaviors and social supports that can be adopted and cultivated by anyone. Factors that lead to resilience include optimism; the ability to stay balanced and manage strong or difficult emotions; a sense of safety and a strong social support system. The good news is that because there is a concrete set of behaviors and skills associated with resilience, you can learn to be more resilient.

Building resilience skills in the contemporary work context doesn't happen in a vacuum, however. It's important to understand and manage some of the factors that cause us to feel so overwhelmed and stressed at work. Our current work culture is a direct reflection of the increasing complexity and demands faced by businesses globally. In a study conducted by IBM Institute for Business Value in late 2015, a survey of 5,247 business executives from 21 industries in over 70 countries reported that the "scope, scale and speed" of their businesses were increasing at an accelerated rate, especially as the competitive landscape becomes increasingly disrupted by technology and radically different business models. The result is at times a frenetic way of working. Being hyperconnected and responsive to work anytime, anywhere, can be extremely taxing. In a 2014 global survey of Human Capital Trends conducted by Deloitte, 57% of respondents said that their organizations are "weak" when it comes to helping leaders manage difficult schedules and helping employees manage information flow, and that there is an urgent need to address this challenge.

It's clear that stress and burnout related to the increasing pace and intensity of work are on the rise globally. A survey of over 100,000 employees across Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America found that employee depression, stress and anxiety accounted for 82.6% of all emotional health cases in Employee Assistance Programs in 2014, up from 55.2% in 2012. Also, a recent large-scale, longitudinal survey of over 1.5 million employees in 4,500 companies across 185 countries conducted as part of the Global Corporate Challenge found that approximately 75% of the workforce experienced moderate to high stress levels - and more specifically, that 36% of employees reported feeling highly or extremely stressed at work, with a further 39% reporting moderate levels of workplace stress. The current and rising levels of stress in the workplace should be cause for concern, as there is a direct and adverse relationship between negative stress, wellness and productivity.

One important distinction to note is that not all stress is created equal and there are even some types of stress that may also have a positive effect on our well-being and productivity. "Good stress," or what is sometimes known as "eudaemonic stress," (derived from the Greek word "eudaemonia," or flourishing) indicates that some types of stress can make us healthier, motivate us to be our best, and help us perform at our peak. A useful way to think about it is that stress is distributed on a bell-shaped curve. Once past the peak or high performance apex where stress motivates us, we experience the unhealthy effects of stress which, if sustained over time, lead not only to burnout but also to chronic disease.

Stress that causes us to experience difficulty or unhealthy strain - "distress" - is a major cause for concern as it directly and adversely affects personal and business success. The Global Corporate Challenge study of over 1.5 million employees globally over a 12-year period found, for example, that while 63% of extremely stressed employees reported above-average productivity, this number rises significantly to 87% amongst those who say they are not at all stressed. In the same study, 77% of extremely stressed employees also reported above-average levels of fatigue, and early warning signs of longer-term burnout. In fact, burnout is a lagging indicator of chronic stress.

So how can we develop resilience and stay motivated in the face of chronic negative stress and constantly increasing demands, complexity and change? Here are some tips, based on some of the latest neuroscience, behavioral and organizational research:

Exercise mindfulness. People in the business world are increasingly turning their attention to mental training practices associated with mindfulness - and for good reason. Social psychologists Laura Kiken and Natalie Shook, for example, have found that mindfulness predicts judgment accuracy and insight-related problem solving, and cognitive neuroscientists Peter Malinowski and Adam Moore found that mindfulness enhances cognitive flexibility. In dynamic work environments, organizational psychologists Erik Dane and Bradley Brummel found that mindfulness facilitates job performance, even after accounting for all three dimensions of work engagement - vigor, dedication and absorption. Preventive medicine researchers Kimberly Aitken and her colleagues have found that online mindfulness programs have been shown to be practical and effective in decreasing employee stress, while improving resiliency and work engagement, thereby enhancing overall employee well-being and organizational performance.

How can you or your team start bringing mindfulness into the rhythms and routines of your daily work? At Wisdom Labs, we've found that implementing multimodal learning and skill development solutions - including a combination of mobile learning, onsite training, webinars, and peer-to-peer learning networks promotes the greatest chance for mindfulness to become a core competency within an organization. Participants report statistically significant improvements in resilience, and say that mindfulness tools and content delivered in these ways are highly useful for managing stress, improving collaboration and enhancing well-being. Integrating mindfulness into core talent processes such as onboarding, manager training, performance conversations and leadership development is also critical, though most organizations are not yet at this stage of adoption. Finally, a number of books and apps also offer structured approaches to mindfulness, including the books Fully Present: The Art, Science and Practice of Mindfulness and Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World. Useful apps include (but are not limited to): Headspace, Spire, Mental Workout, Calm, Whil and Simple Habit. Consider combining live, in-person or virtual training with apps for optimal behavior formation.

Compartmentalize your cognitive load. We receive 11 million bits of information every second, but the executive, thinking centers of our brain can effectively process only 40 bits of information, according to Shawn Achor, co-founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research and author of The Happiness Advantage. One practical way to think about this is that though we can't decrease the amount of information we receive (in our inboxes, for example), we can compartmentalize our cognitive tasks to optimize the way we process that information. Be deliberate about compartmentalizing different types of work activities such as emailing, strategy or brainstorming sessions, and business-as-usual meetings. Compartmentalizing work is useful when you consider that switching from one type of task to another makes it difficult to tune out distractions and reduces productivity by as much as 40%, according to recent research published by the American Psychological Association. Translation: to the extent that it is possible, avoid context switching. Create dedicated times in the day to do specific work-related activities and not others - a concept I described in a previous HBR post as "serial monotasking" - much the way you might create a dedicated time for physical exercise in the course of your day. This approach may be overly regimented for some, but it creates the optimal set of conditions for us to effectively process information and make quality decisions while decreasing cognitive load and strain.

Take detachment breaks. Throughout the workday, it's important to pay attention to the peaks and valleys of energy and productivity that we all experience, what health psychologists call our ultradian (hourly) as opposed to our circadian (daily) rhythms. Mental focus, clarity and energy cycles are typically 90-120 minutes long, so it is useful to step away from our work for even a few minutes to reset energy and attention. Evidence for this approach can be seen in the work of Anders Ericsson, who found that virtuoso violin players had clearly demarked practice times lasting no more than 90 minutes, followed by breaks in between. Research suggests that balancing work activity with even a brief time for detaching from those activities can promote greater energy, mental clarity, creativity and focus, ultimately growing our capacity for resilience throughout the course of the workday. The long-term payoff is that we preserve energy and prevent burnout over the course of days, weeks and months.

Develop mental agility. It is possible - without too much effort - to literally switch the neural networks with which we process the experience of stress in order to respond to rather than react to any difficult situation or person. This quality of mental agility hinges on the ability to mentally "decenter" stressors in order to effectively manage them. "Decentering" stress is not denying or suppressing the fact that we feel stressed - rather, it is the process of being able to pause, to observe the experience from a neutral standpoint, and then to try to solve the problem. When we are able to cognitively take a step back from our experience and label our thoughts and emotions, we are effectively pivoting attention from the narrative network in our brains to the more observational parts of our brains. Being mentally agile, and decentering stress when it occurs, enables the core resilience skill of "response flexibility," which reknowned psychologist Linda Graham describes as "the ability to pause, step back, reflect, shift perspectives, create options and choose wisely." We often tell our children who are upset to "use your words," for example, and it turns out that stopping and labeling emotions has the effect of activating the thinking center of our brains, rather than the emotional center - a valuable skill in demanding, high-performance workplaces everywhere.

Cultivate compassion. One of the most overlooked aspects of the resilience skill set is the ability to cultivate compassion - both self-compassion and compassion for others. According to research cited by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, compassion increases positive emotions, creates positive work relationships, and increases cooperation and collaboration. Compassion training programs such as the one offered by Stanford University's Center for Compassion, Altruism and Research in Education ( CCARE) have demonstrated that compassion cultivation practices increase happiness and well-being and decrease stress. Compassion and business effectiveness are not mutually exclusive. Rather, individual, team and organizational success rely on a compassionate work culture.

Finally, it is now possible to conclude that a broad set of skills and behaviors that enable resilience in the workplace are a good return on investment. In a study published by PwC in 2014, initiatives and programs that fostered a resilient and mentally healthy workplace returned $2.30 for every dollar spent - with the return coming in the form of lower health care costs, higher productivity, lower absenteeism and decreased turnover.

The ability to build resilience is a skill that will serve you well in an increasingly stressful work world. And companies stand to benefit from a more resilient workforce. Building an organizational culture that encourages and supports resilience training just makes good business sense.

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Currently, a quarter of all employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization describes stress as the " global health epidemic of the 21st century."

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Building Resilience: Helping Workers Handle Stress for the Long Haul

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Building Resilience: Helping Workers Handle Stress for the Long Haul

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Building Resilience: Helping Workers Handle Stress for the Long Haul

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Resiliency is sorely needed in the workplace, especially in these times of uncertainty, anxiety and economic worries amid the pandemic. Resiliency allows people to build ability and skills so they’re prepared for the next crisis, and the one after that.

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Five Science-Backed Strategies to Build Resilience

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Five Science-Backed Strategies to Build Resilience

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A mentor of mine recently passed away, and I was heartbroken-so I tried my best to avoid thinking about it. I didn't even mention it to my family because I didn't want those sad feelings to resurface.

In other words, I took the very enlightened approach of pretend it didn't happen-one that's about as effective as other common responses such as get angry, push people away, blame yourself, or wallow in the pain.

Even for the relatively self-aware and emotionally adept, struggles can take us by surprise. But learning healthy ways to move through adversity-a collection of skills that researchers call resilience-can help us cope better and recover more quickly, or at least start heading in that direction.

The Greater Good Science Center has collected many resilience practices on our website Greater Good in Action, alongside other research-based exercises for fostering kindness, connection, and happiness. Here are 12 of those resilience practices (squeezed into five categories), which can help you confront emotional pain more skillfully.

1. Change the narrative

When something bad happens, we often relive the event over and over in our heads, rehashing the pain. This process is called rumination; it's like a cognitive spinning of the wheels, and it doesn't move us forward toward healing and growth.

The practice of Expressive Writing can move us forward by helping us gain new insights on the challenges in our lives. It involves free writing continuously for 20 minutes about an issue, exploring your deepest thoughts and feelings around it. The goal is to get something down on paper, not to create a memoir-like masterpiece.

A 1988 study found that participants who did Expressive Writing for four days were healthier six weeks later and happier up to three months later, when compared to people who wrote about superficial topics. In writing, the researchers suggest, we're forced to confront ideas one by one and give them structure, which may lead to new perspectives. We're actually crafting our own life narrative and gaining a sense of control.

Once we've explored the dark side of an experience, we might choose to contemplate some of its upsides. Finding Silver Linings invites you to call to mind an upsetting experience and try to list three positive things about it. For example, you might reflect on how fighting with a friend brought some important issues out into the open, and allowed you to learn something about their point of view.

In a 2014 study, doing this practice daily for three weeks helped participants become more engaged with life afterward, and it decreased their pessimistic beliefs over time. This wasn't true for a group whose members just wrote about their daily activities. It was particularly beneficial for staunch pessimists, who also became less depressed. But the effects wore off after two months, suggesting that looking on the bright side is something we have to practice regularly.

2. Face your fears

The practices above are helpful for past struggles, ones that we've gained enough distance from to be able to get some perspective. But what about knee-shaking fears that we're experiencing in the here and now?

The Overcoming a Fear practice is designed to help with everyday fears that get in the way of life, such as the fear of public speaking, heights, or flying. We can't talk ourselves out of such fears; instead, we have to tackle the emotions directly.

The first step is to slowly, and repeatedly, expose yourself to the thing that scares you-in small doses. For example, people with a fear of public speaking might try talking more in meetings, then perhaps giving a toast at a small wedding. Over time, you can incrementally increase the challenge until you're ready to nail that big speech or TV interview.

In a 2010 study, researchers modeled this process in the lab. They gave participants a little electrical shock every time they saw a blue square, which soon became as scary as a tarantula to an arachnophobe. But then, they showed the blue square to participants without shocking them. Over time, the participants' Pavlovian fear (measured by the sweat on their skin) gradually evaporated.

In effect, this kind of "exposure therapy" helps us change the associations we have with a particular stimulus. If we've flown 100 times and the plane has never crashed, for example, our brain (and body) start to learn that it's safe. Though the fear may never be fully extinguished, we'll likely have greater courage to confront it.

3. Practice self-compassion

I've never been a good flyer myself, and it was comforting when an acquaintance shared an article he wrote about having the same problem (and his favorite tips). Fears and adversity can make us feel alone; we wonder why we're the only ones feeling this way, and what exactly is wrong with us. In these situations, learning to practice self-compassion-and recognizing that everyone suffers-can be a much gentler and more effective road to healing.

Self-compassion involves offering compassion to ourselves: confronting our own suffering with an attitude of warmth and kindness, without judgment. In one study, participants in an eight-week Mindful Self-Compassion program reported more mindfulness and life satisfaction, with lower depression, anxiety, and stress afterward compared to people who didn't participate-and the benefits lasted up to a year.

One practice, the Self-Compassion Break, is something you can do any time you start to feel overwhelmed by pain or stress. It has three steps, which correspond to the three aspects of self-compassion:

Be mindful: Without judgment or analysis, notice what you're feeling. Say, "This is a moment of suffering" or "This hurts" or "This is stress."

Remember that you're not alone: Everyone experiences these deep and painful human emotions, although the causes might be different. Say to yourself, "Suffering is a part of life" or "We all feel this way" or "We all struggle in our lives."

Be kind to yourself: Put your hands on your heart and say something like "May I give myself compassion" or "May I accept myself as I am" or "May I be patient."

If being kind to yourself is a challenge, an exercise called How Would You Treat a Friend? could help. Here, you compare how you respond to your own struggles-and the tone you use-with how you respond to a friend's. Often, this comparison unearths some surprising differences and valuable reflections: Why am I so harsh on myself, and what would happen if I weren't?

Once we start to develop a kinder attitude toward ourselves, we can crystallize that gentle voice in a Self-Compassionate Letter. This practice asks you to spend 15 minutes writing words of understanding, acceptance, and compassion toward yourself about a specific struggle that you feel ashamed of-say, being shy or not spending enough time with your kids. In the letter, you might remind yourself that everyone struggles, and that you aren't solely responsible for this shortcoming; if possible, you could also consider constructive ways to improve in the future.

4. Meditate

As mindfulness gurus like to remind us, our most painful thoughts are usually about the past or the future: We regret and ruminate on things that went wrong, or we get anxious about things that will. When we pause and bring our attention to the present, we often find that things are...okay.

Practicing mindfulness brings us more and more into the present, and it offers techniques for dealing with negative emotions when they arise. That way, instead of getting carried away into fear, anger, or despair, we can work through them more deliberately.

One of the most commonly studied mindfulness programs is the eight-week-long Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which teaches participants to cope with challenges using a variety of meditation practices (including the ones detailed below). Various studies have found that MBSR has wide-ranging health and psychological benefits for people in general, as well as those struggling with mental illness or chronic disease.

One meditation that might be particularly effective at calming our negative thoughts is the Body Scan. Here, you focus on each body part in turn-head to toe-and can choose to let go of any areas of tension you discover. Strong feelings tend to manifest physically, as tight chests or knotted stomachs, and relaxing the body is one way to begin dislodging them.

In one study, researchers found that time spent practicing the Body Scan was linked to greater well-being and less reactivity to stress. Being more aware of our bodies-and the emotions they are feeling-might also help us make healthier choices, trusting our gut when something feels wrong or avoiding commitments that will lead to exhaustion.

When stress creeps in, good habits often creep out-and one of those is healthy eating. When we're emotional, many of us reach for the sweets; when we're short on time, fast food seems like the only option. So in addition to helping us cultivate mindfulness, the Raisin Meditation could help change our relationship to food.

This exercise invites you to eat a raisin mindfully-but wait, not so fast. First, examine its wrinkles and color; see how it feels between your fingers, and then take a sniff. Slowly place it on your tongue, and roll it around in your mouth before chewing one bite at a time. Notice the urge to swallow, and whether you can sense it moving down your throat into your stomach. Not only will you have practiced mindfulness, but you may never look at food the same way again.

One final meditation that we can sprinkle throughout our day-or practice on its own-is Mindful Breathing. It involves bringing attention to the physical sensations of the breath: the air moving through the nostrils, the expansion of the chest, the rise and fall of the stomach. If the mind wanders away, you bring attention back. This can be done during a full 15-minute meditation, or during a moment of stress with just a few breaths.

In one study, participants who did a Mindful Breathing exercise before looking at disturbing images-like spiders or car crashes-experienced less negative emotion than people who hadn't done the exercise. Negative thoughts can pull us along into their frantic stream, but the breath is an anchor we can hold onto at any time.

5. Cultivate forgiveness

If holding a grudge is holding you back, research suggests that cultivating forgiveness could be beneficial to your mental and physical health. If you feel ready to begin, it can be a powerful practice.

Both Nine Steps to Forgiveness and Eight Essentials When Forgiving offer a list of guidelines to follow. In both cases, you begin by clearly acknowledging what happened, including how it feels and how it's affecting your life right now. Then, you make a commitment to forgive, which means letting go of resentment and ill will for your own sake; forgiveness doesn't mean letting the offender off the hook or even reconciling with them. Ultimately, you can try to find a positive opportunity for growth in the experience: Perhaps it alerted you to something you need, which you may have to look for elsewhere, or perhaps you can now understand other people's suffering better.

If you're having trouble forgiving, Letting Go of Anger through Compassion is a five-minute forgiveness exercise that could help you get unstuck. Here, you spend a few minutes generating feelings of compassion toward your offender; she, too, is a human being who makes mistakes; he, too, has room for growth and healing. Be mindfully aware of your thoughts and feelings during this process, and notice any areas of resistance.

Not convinced this is the best approach? Researchers tested it against the common alternatives-either ruminating on negative feelings or repressing them-and found that cultivating compassion led participants to report more empathy, positive emotions, and feelings of control. That's an outcome that victims of wrongdoing deserve, no matter how we feel about the offenders.

Stress and struggles come in many forms in life: adversity and trauma, fear and shame, betrayals of trust. The 12 practices above can help you cope with difficulties when they arise, but also prepare you for challenges in the future. With enough practice, you'll have a toolbox of techniques that come naturally-a rainy-day fund for the mind, that will help keep you afloat when times get tough. Just knowing that you've built up your skills of resilience can be a great comfort, and even a happiness booster.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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Five Science-Backed Strategies to Build Resilience

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A mentor of mine recently passed away, and I was heartbroken-so I tried my best to avoid thinking about it. I didn't even mention it to my family because I didn't want those sad feelings to resurface.

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Denise Mai: How to build resilience as your superpower | TED Talk

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The key to happiness, success, and ultimately, survival, is resilience. But what does it mean to be truly resilient? In her talk, Denise shares with us how we can build resilience as a superpower.

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How To Overcome Negative Circumstances - Darryl Anka

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Episode · The Resilient Mind · Darryl Anka is an internationally renowned speaker and author, with over 300,000 books sold in Japan alone. Since 1983, he has been sharing profound insights into human consciousness, spiritual growth, and the nature of reality.

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How To Build Resilience & Become Unstoppable

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How To Build Resilience & Become Unstoppable

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How To Build Resilience & Become Unstoppable - Gary V

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Episode · The Resilient Mind · Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of VaynerMedia, a full-service digital agency servicing Fortune 500 clients across the company's 4 locations. Gary is also a prolific public speaker, venture capitalist, 4-time New York Times Bestselling Author, and has been named to both Crain's and Fortune's 40 Under 40 lists.

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How To Transform Your Thinking - Zig Ziglar

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Episode · The Resilient Mind · Zig Ziglar was a best-selling American author and speaker who uplifted millions with his motivational message. One of his infamous lecture "See You At The Top" talks about why a positive mental attitude is critical for your success. Take action and strengthen your mind with The Resilient Mind Journal.

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Trust Your Power, Trust Your Intuition, Trust Yourself

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Trust Your Power, Trust Your Intuition, Trust Yourself

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Trust Your Power, Trust Your Intuition, Trust Yourself - Oprah Winfrey

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Episode · The Resilient Mind · Oprah Gail Winfrey, or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is worth 2.5 billion dollars. Take action and strengthen your mind with The Resilient Mind Journal. Get your free digital copy today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Download Now⁠⁠

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6 Ways Leaders Can Grow in Perspective - and in Wisdom

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6 Ways Leaders Can Grow in Perspective - and in Wisdom

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Ep 255: 6 Ways Leaders Can Grow in Perspective - and in Wisdom

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Episode · The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs · A wise leader is most certainly someone worth following. How do we cultivate a life of perspective and wisdom? Today we'll explore 6 ridiculously practical ways we can do that.. . .Coaching is THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAY leaders can grow in their leadership.

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From the Vault: The Importance of Thinking Backwards

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From the Vault: The Importance of Thinking Backwards

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The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs

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Ep 251: From the Vault: The Importance of Thinking Backwards

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Episode · The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs · In this episode J.R. explores inversion thinking, developed by Carl Jacobi and made famous by Charlie Munger. Inversion thinking (also known as backward thinking) takes us through the backdoor of our thinking to help us arrive at a better, more robust understanding. It also helps us when we disagree with others in conversation.Utilizing inverse thinking can help lead us to be more resilient thinkers and thus, more resilient leaders – and human beings.. . .Coaching is THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAY leaders can grow in their leadership. Interested in kicking the tires for a free exploratory coaching call? Just visit http://www.kairospartnerships.org/coaching to schedule your call today.And if you are wanting to grow in your leadership, the best way to do that is to participate in a leadership assessment process. That’s what we offer at KP. For more information contact J.R. at jrbriggs@kairospartnerships.org**Resilient Leaders is produced by the incredibly gifted Joel Limbauan. Check out his great video and podcast work at On a Limb Productions: www.onalimbproductions.com

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In his research for NASA, clinical psychologist Raphael Rose discovered that failure is key to creating resilience. He explains how leaning into trials and setbacks builds the emotional callouses that help us value what’s good in life.

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Free Course | Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills

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Free Course | Positive Psychology: Resilience Skills

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Offered by University of Pennsylvania. Learn how to incorporate resilience interventions into your personal and professional life with Dr. ... Enroll for free.