Boosting Resilience – A Masterclass with Bloom North

One gloomy Wednesday in Manchester, I joined a virtual workshop hosted by Laura Sanderson Vice President of Bloom North, and Alex Heywood, co-founder of 4and20Million to learn about boosting resilience at work.

They kicked off the workshop by validating what I think everyone is feeling at the moment – “Our waking hours suddenly contain more responsibilities, more loneliness, more disconnection and more uncertainty than at any point in our professional lives. Our support networks have been disrupted. Our usual rituals have been put on hold. And we are expected to simply figure it all out.” I nodded to myself – used to working in bustling coffee shops and having drinks in the Northern Quarter with my friends after clocking off, my kitchen table and the ritual weekend walk is getting old fast. But then came a piece of advice that I believe everyone needs to hear:

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.”

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

If we give ourselves the tools to cope with chaos instead of resisting it, things suddenly become a lot easier. They described three ways in which to do this: changing perspectives, learning to adapt, and supporting others.

Changing Perspectives

Reconsider your response

Firstly, it has to be said that shifting your mindset when it comes to facing problems is not an easy task. But if we take the time to consider our responses to our issues and change how we let them affect us, it can really pay off. If we make an effort to consider situations objectively and rationally, instead of having a quick and emotional reaction, it allows us to take time to put things into perspective and realise that although things might not be ideal right now, there’s always a way to improve the situation.

Don’t remove your problems; solve them

Following on from that idea, understanding that solving our problems instead of trying to remove them entirely can provide accomplishment and resilience, is a key lesson to learn. Things can’t go to plan all the time, so instead of panicking when things go wrong, instead, change your perspective and think of it as an opportunity to solve the issue. Learning from mistakes is how we grow!

Circle of Concern

Finally, reconsider what you’re spending most of your time and energy on. The idea of a ‘circle of concern’ teaches us to focus on what we can control, instead of influences beyond our grasp. We can’t stop the rain, so why stress about it? By putting our energy into things like strengthening our relationships, keeping active and healthy, and making steps to progress at work, it gives us a sense of accomplishment and ownership of our circumstances – rather than feeling out of control.

Learning to Adapt

Play to your strengths

Instead of focussing on ‘fixing’ our weaknesses, we can use our strengths to our advantage. Do something you’re good at and that you enjoy doing every day, and you’ll feel more enthusiastic and motivated – which is so important when working remotely. We always put off the tasks we dread, so make sure to give yourself opportunities to feel excited about your work if you can. And if you aren’t sure of your strengths, you can always ask a friend or colleague!

Quick wins

Closely related to this is the idea of giving yourself quick wins. At the start of each day, I physically write down my tasks in a notebook, purely for the satisfaction of ticking them off – and yes, I’m guilty of writing down something I’ve already done just so I can get another tick on the page! By breaking down big goals into small more manageable tasks, it feels less overwhelming. Great for those days where you feel like you don’t know where to start!

Increase interactions

Another point about learning to adapt is making the most of whatever human connection you have available to you. In a year where we are more disconnected than ever, it’s easy to forget how much of a boost socialising can be. It’s so understandable to feel anxious before a zoom quiz or catch up phone call when we are so accustomed to our own company, but the psychological boost that these interactions will have will ultimately make you more productive and happier. Even having a chat with the person who serves you in the supermarket, or making time to have a special brunch with your bubble/household – any interaction is going to give you a boost!

Three good things

And once you get that boost – focus on how good it felt! We have all hear how practicing gratitude can help us mentally – and its true! By taking the time to think of three good things that have happened that day, or even writing them down in a journal or notebook, we can really appreciate the little things, and remind ourselves that it’s not all bad.

Emotion management

But admittedly, sometimes bad things will happen, and in order to be resilient and bounce back after hardship, you have to be conscious of how you manage your emotions. Try not to dwell on any negative feelings for longer than necessary. By taking a short pause to process how you feel, then moving forward by taking positive actions to fix the situation, you will make more considered and rational decisions, instead of reacting from shock or anger. This isn’t an easy process, but we can make a conscious effort to learn this skill over time and through experience.

Intentionally disconnect

Finally, an important way to adapt to change such as working from home, is to intentionally disconnect. It’s become clear that working from home or on a freelance basis can end up eroding any work life balance that existed in the first place, as the place you relax is also the place you work (I type this sitting in my kitchen/living room). So by purposefully making the effort to go on a walk at lunchtime to get out of your house, or switching your laptop and work phone off at the end of the day, you will replenish your ability to be resilient.

Supporting Others

Give out compliments

If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that we need to support each other now more than ever. One easy way to do this is to actively compliment those around us. It can be a struggle to see the amazing and positive things about ourselves sometimes - so by telling someone what great work they’re doing, or how delicious their banana bread was, or how much you enjoyed going on that walk with them, it can help make them feel strong and resilient. Feel free to insert your own lockdown hobbies instead – I’m sure not everyone has become obsessed with baking and going on walks right?

Be Kind

Extra points if the compliment is unexpected, or you go the extra mile to help someone out. Being kind is another way in which we can empower others and spread positivity. Understanding that everyone has bad days, but that we can directly affect the emotions of others and help turn that day around, is so important. If they we all feel supported, we will be able to bolster our resilience. In the workshop, they described it as a ripple effect – pass those good vibes on!

Finally – you must be kind to yourself. No one is perfect – not even Beyonce (although she comes very close…), and just because you have made a mistake or failed or given up when times got hard, does not mean that you deserve to be written off! By showing yourself and others sympathy, it can allow everyone the opportunity to try again. Bad things happen to good people, and everyone makes mistakes, that’s just life! It’s how we pick ourselves up and carry on that counts. Resilience even in the hardest times.

I’m sure you can agree that all of the techniques here seem approachable, achievable, and inspirational. Personally, the workshop made me feel reassured that no matter what this year might bring, there are always ways to boost your resilience and thrive. At the end of the workshop, suddenly the weather outside didn’t seem so gloomy after all.

Thank you to everyone at Bloom and 4and20Million for hosting such a great session! Do you have any ways in which you boost your resilience that weren’t covered here? Let us know!

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