In this two part blog I will provide you with the tools to understand mental resilience and how to build a mentally resilient mind. The first step to building a mentally resilient mind is self-awareness. The most common problems which cause us pain in the work place are pressure and stress. In my previous blog I explored the difference between work related pressure and work related stress and why pressure is good for you. This blog will help you explore what causes you stress and what you can do to manage it, helping build a mentally resilient mind. I suggest reading my previous blog before reading this one.
Before I proceed I want to make one thing very clear. Each person is completely different. Every single one of us handles pressure and stress differently and is affected by a variety of different things. This most important part to understand is that this does not mean you cannot build a mentally resilient mind. You have the power to change and make a difference. It will not however, be easy. This is a journey and requires your commitment to action! If you are ready to take action, then say “I AM READY” and read on.
Understanding your stress
In order to take the next step I need you to be open with yourself. If possible, do this exercise in a distraction free environment, such as: a meeting room, an office, your bedroom or the train with your headphones on. Go through the following questions and providing a rating of 1-10, where 1 = Carefree, 5 = Good pressure and 10 = highly stressful. You can tailor this exercise to whichever environment you feel causes you stress. For now, I will use the workplace as the example.
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Close your eyes and visualise your work place environment. Really create a vivid image in your mind. Do this for one minute. Now, answer these questions:
- Describe how you feel in your environment?
- How does your workload make you feel?
- When things change, how do you feel?
- What is your relationship like with your manager?
- If you was to tell another person about your job, how would you describe it?
Now you have rated your work environment, take some time to answer the following questions:
- Now go on further to describe why each one makes you feel this way?
- Then, narrow down to what it is specifically that causes that feeling?
Once you have answered these questions, then describe, in the same fashion, where you want to be. This is your goal! For example, if you feel high stress at work (an eight) but you want to be a five, you have a goal. This helps you discover what your next steps are.
The answers to these questions describe in detail where you are in your in the workplace and what causes you boredom, motivation and stress. A highly stressful environment is bad for you, mentally and physically. If you are leaning towards the left then you may be struggling with motivation. In my previous blog you would fall into the boredom category.
It is important to understand what you are lacking to move yourself into the motivated category. If you are somewhere in the middle you could be a high performer. Your focus needs to be what is motivating you and how can you maintain that motivation to continue to be a high performer. If you are towards the right then you are in a high stressful environment and must do something about it, now!
For all these areas being mentally resilient allows you to manage your state of mind to focus your mind on being where you want to be, not where you are. Learn the next steps now in part two.
Thank you for reading, JT.
How to reference this blog
- Toor. J (2019). Learn how to build mental resilience now, part one? Available at: https://pmgrowth.co/learn-how-to-build-mental-resilience-now,-part-one/