Everybody has a bad day at work sometimes but for some, every day at work is a challenge. Feelings of insecurity or fear of failure make them feel uncomfortable. In that case, a number of small adjustments can already make a big difference. Discover our tips to feel more confident at work!
Morning ritual
A good working day actually starts long before you arrive at the office. A rushed start to the day where you constantly have to hurry up makes you more susceptible to stress. That's why you should introduce a morning ritual in your daily routine. Instead of snoozing several times (too long), getting dressed quickly and rushing through life, you can start your day quietly by entering one or more of these habits:
- Don't check your mailbox or social media immediately after your alarm goes off. Take a moment for some silence and awareness.
- Activate your body and mind for the day with some movement. A workout of 7 minutes is enough!
- Take some time to read (the newspaper, your favorite blog...) or write (e.g. the highlights of the past day).
Realistic to-do list
Determining your three main tasks of the day is also something you can add to your morning ritual or do as soon as you arrive at work. Putting more things on your to-do list doesn't really make sense: an unrealistic to-do list can just make you insecure if you don't get it done. Three clear goals for which you keep time and start immediately when you arrive at the office are sufficient. What's more, it will give you just more satisfaction to be able to complete some extra, unforeseen tasks when you have time to spare!
Take care of yourself
If you feel good about yourself, you will automatically be more self-assured, even at work! So try to get enough exercise, eat and drink healthily, get 7 to 8 hours of sleep... You may also consider increasing your energy level and mental strength with a dietary supplement.
Collect positive feedback
A golden tip for a less busy time at work: create a folder with all the positive feedback you receive. This can be from your boss, but also from colleagues, clients, partners... You can read these compliments regularly and especially if you feel down for a moment, you will immediately remember how good you really are at your job!
Don't be afraid to ask for feedback at work if you don't know where you stand. This will not only give you an insight into your strengths, but possibly also into things you can still work on. And don't forget: even if something didn't go quite as you hoped, there are still a lot of things that did go well.
Yoga or breathing exercise
Do you feel a bit insecure because there is an important presentation or meeting planned? Then do a yoga or breathing exercise in your office or in a separate room beforehand. Such exercises are ideal to calm down for a while so that you can perform better afterwards.
A popular exercise is the three-minute breathing room. During the first minute you simply focus your attention on how you feel at that moment (thoughts, feelings or sensations). During the second minute you focus on your breathing: follow your breathing from the inside out. In the last, third minute you shift from your breathing to your whole body. The 1:2 breathing can also help you to become calmer: you then breathe out twice as long as you breathe in. For example, if you breathe in for four seconds, you breathe out for eight seconds
Apply gradually
Of course, you don't have to do all these tips at once. Choose one or a few that you will try out for a week, for example, and then see if they work for you. Gradually you will be able to introduce more and more new habits that will boost your self-confidence every day!
