In challenging times, we need even more inner resilience. What exercises can I do to strengthen my resilience? Here, you will find concrete steps with practical exercises to support your inner strength. Our expert and psychiatrist Dr. Sarie Ann Haisch explains how it works.
About the person:
Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch is a practicing specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy at the Areion Competence Center in Neu-Ulm, specializing in the treatment of stress-associated illnesses. Previously, she worked in various inpatient facilities, such as the University Hospital Ulm, the Kilchberg Sanatorium in Switzerland, and the Center for Psychiatry in Ravensburg. In addition, she completed training as a business coach at CIP Munich. Alongside her therapeutic work, she offers seminars and workshops for companies. Her key topics include burnout prevention, healthy leadership, and strengthening resilience.
1. Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is important. It is the feeling of being able to influence a situation yourself. To strengthen this, it is helpful to define a so-called "passion project" for yourself in your private life for the near future.
Small steps for implementation
"I've always wanted to..."). Define your project and break it down into many small milestones. For example: Project "I want to refresh my English skills." The milestone for the first week would be: repeating vocabulary for 5 minutes every day. It is important here that the individual steps remain truly small and manageable and do not present too large a hurdle for implementation.
It is better to invest 5 minutes every day in your private project than 2 hours once a week. Because here, the likelihood of your "inner slacker" taking over is greater, and the goal of self-efficacy—the feeling that you have already done something for your passion project today—is pushed far into the distance.
Reward and motivation
It is also helpful to build in a small reward for achieved milestones, as this strengthens motivation as well as the feeling of self-efficacy and, thus, resilience.
At work
Professionally, it is often not possible to choose a self-determined project. Nevertheless, it is also of great relevance here that you shape your day as self-determinedly as possible and with the feeling of having made effective progress.
Priorities for individual tasks at work
Here, it helps to deal with the topic of "prioritizing individual tasks" at the beginning of the day and to differentiate according to importance and urgency. Tasks based on importance are
tasks that are interesting for your personal goals. Those based on urgency are activities that are relevant for the goals of others, but not for mine. If possible, you should spend the main part of the day on "important tasks" and only plan certain time slots for urgent ones. Under no circumstances should these prevent you from working on the task areas relevant to you, as otherwise the feeling of self-efficacy will decrease.
2. Dealing with time-wasters
The main time-waster of today is multitasking. Anyone who is constantly working on several tasks in parallel will quickly notice that their overall performance drops sharply and the individual task cannot be processed as well. This is because our brain is genetically designed to focus on only one task at a time and not to do everything at once, as this can quickly lead to "sensory overload" and inner blockage.
Planning time slots
Therefore, it is important to pack the day's tasks into individual "boxes" as much as possible and to "open" them one after the other. This means, for example, starting the morning with a "read and reply to emails" slot, and then—after 30 minutes; a time span for a "box" should not be longer than that—focusing on another task area and closing the email program accordingly.
If possible, the time of availability via telephone, etc., should also be limited, as constant availability can also lead to a multitasking effect and rapid sensory overload.
3. Optimism
Optimism and a positive expectation are also essential for developing resilience. Although these are also partially genetically predisposed, you can still strengthen your "rose-colored glasses" a little with a simple exercise.
Note the good
Take a few minutes every evening to note down three things that went well today. Then consider what you personally contributed to the success: the "what was good today" exercise. These can be little things, e.g., a nice conversation with a neighbor. Try to come up with new points every day.
4. Acceptance of the unchangeable
It is very important for a sense of resilience to accept what cannot be changed and to focus on the changeable, shapeable areas of life. Here it is helpful to turn to the so-called "resource trio" every day.
Finding your three personal sources of strength
- "What" resource: Which activity is good for me and gives me strength?
- "Where" resource: In which places do I feel comfortable?
- "Who" resource: Which people give me strength?
Ideally, you should have "served" each of these three points once a day to strengthen resilience. Again, it is fine to keep it small; regularity is what matters here.
Conclusion
The feeling of self-efficacy, structure in everyday life and at work, a good portion of optimism, and the acceptance of the unchangeable are important elements for greater resilience. If we know what our own sources of strength are and activate them, we can likewise support our inner resilience.
- Do you want to learn more about the topic of resilience? Read the guest post by Dr. med. Sarie Ann Haisch on: More resilience: 7 tips for resilience.
- Perhaps you are also interested in a podcast on the topic: How do I cope with crises – an interview with the Austrian emergency and military psychologist Bernhard Penz.
