Seven tips for keeping on going when the going gets tough
Some quick tips to help you stay resilient when life gets challenging
Keep a sense of perspective. How important is this problem? Will it matter a week from now, a month from now, a year from now? Very few things will matter in a year’s time and it’s good way of reminding yourself that change isn’t far away.
Break big tasks into small stages – so you can regularly pat yourself on the back for reaching your goals. This gives you more of a sense of achievement and means that at the end of each day you can easily identify what you’re accomplished.
Reward yourself for trying as well as for achieving – not everything we attempt succeeds, but we learn from our efforts and our mistakes. So recognise and praise yourself for your efforts, identify what you can do differently tomorrow – and take a break.
Create a reminder list of all the things you value about yourself – Prepare it now and keep it somewhere you can see it on days when thing are tough. Having a laminated copy on you office wall, or on your laptop or phone is a good way of reminding yourself of your strengths, achievements and abilities.
Take a step back from the situation and ask yourself what advice you’d give to someone in your circumstances – This is a good way of getting perspective on a situation your feel too close to. And as you understand your situation better than anyone else, you won’t get sidetracked by other people’s personal agendas and suggestions (which may be more relevant to their own situation than yours).
Don’t be harsh on yourself when things go wrong – if you beat yourself up or put too much pressure on yourself, that isn’t going to be helpful. Be your own ‘best friend’ in the situation and encourage and support yourself, rather than criticise.
Find something to laugh at – Laughter promotes your immune system, relaxes your body, increases blood flow and releases endorphins.
