“Resilience” has emerged as one of the most popular buzzwords since the Covid-19 pandemic began, a composite approach to dealing with the chaos of the past two years. It appeared in title welcome to frontline workers to pull double shift and president’s speech gather people to train themselves to withstand future crises.
But what does being resilient really mean?
“People need to understand that being resilient means you’re going through something with a high level of stress, and we don’t intend to operate at that level for a long time,” said Dr. global clinical diversity and psychologist, equity manager, inclusive and owned at Modern healthtell CNBC Make It.
She continued: “When we think about building resilience, we have to admit that resilience doesn’t always mean hard – resilience can also be rest. , it can be vulnerability and emotional processing, so it’s easier to navigate a stressful situation.”
There are several habits you can adopt to build mental strength and resilience. Here are four recommendations from Dr. Jackson and psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman.
1. Check five minutes every morning
We quickly asked others “How are you?” – but when was the last time you asked yourself the same question?
It’s easy to suppress emotions and work on autopilot until you’re about to run out. “Think of a car,” says Jackson: “You might not notice an oil leak because it’s always moving, but when it’s been parked for a while, and you move it, you suddenly realize that there’s a puddle of oil below. “It’s the same thing with our mental health.”
Set a five-minute timer every morning and record how you feel. Dr. Jackson suggests starting with the following questions:
- How do I feel?
- What do I need today?
- How do I want to go today?
Sitting in silence and thinking about these questions can help you process negative emotions and figure out any adjustments you need to make in your schedule to reduce stress, whether it’s running. walk, order takeout, or another self-care activity.
2. Create ‘small moments’ of positivity
Our brain is hard wire danger-seeking, valuing negative emotions over positive ones. The antidote to this bad habit is what Boardman calls a “moment of positivity”: finding people or things that bring you joy.
“A meaningful connection or an uplifting activity enhances our resilience by acting as a buffer between us and the stresses we inevitably encounter during life,” she said.
Think about how you can incorporate these moments — like calling a friend or listening to your favorite music — into your routine. Boardman recommends setting phone reminders for such activities so you don’t let your “abundant vitality” run out.
3. Conduct technology assessment
Social media has been extensive links anxiety and depression in both adolescents and adults, undermining our emotional health and resilience.
While it’s not feasible to quit the internet, Boardman recommends assessing your technology habits to see if there are any sites or people that you should reduce or eliminate from your consumption.
“Channel [tidying expert] Marie Kondo: If something doesn’t spark joy to some extent, if it makes you feel bad, mute it or limit the time you spend on it,” she said, adding that we should aim to spend “less than two hours” online outside of business hours.
4. Practice setting boundaries
Setting boundaries is an important skill for being resilient because it helps you choose what you allow in your life.
“Resilience is often confused with independence, which is like ‘let me shrink as much as I can to support others,'” Jackson said. “But resilience should prioritize your needs.”
She continued: “For example, if you have dinner plans with a friend, but you need to stay home and rest, you shouldn’t feel bad about rescheduling – or if you need support extra help at work because your brain is scattered, ask a manager or teammate for that.”
Discussing your boundaries can feel intimidating or uncomfortable at first, but gradually sharing your feelings and saying “no” without guilt can mean you’re not wasting your time.” your limited energy” into doing things that are bad for your mental health, says Jackson.
“Life is pretty stressful right now for most people,” she added. “It’s important to know your thresholds, know your boundaries, and respect those before you burn out.”
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