Learning content

What are self-confidence and self-expression?

• Self-confidence is an attitude of believing in your abilities and skills. It implies that you feel in charge of your life, that you accept and trust yourself, that you have a positive opinion about yourself and that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Being self-confident, you can manage criticism, speak assertively, and set reasonable expectations and goals.
• Self-expression is the act of freely expressing one's feelings, thoughts, abilities, attitudes, or impulses through various activities, including verbal communication, and the decorative, literary, performing, and visual arts.

Benefits of being resilient

Resilience can be defined as the process and result of overcoming difficult or demanding life situations, particularly through mental, emotional, and behavioural flexibility and adaptation to internal and external challenges.

How well people adapt to adversity depends on a few elements, the most important:

• the perspectives and interactions that people have with the world,
• the magnitude and quality of social resources,
• certain coping mechanisms.

According to psychological studies, the resources and abilities linked to more positive adaptation (i.e., more resilience) can be developed and exercised.

How to improve resilience?

Place relationships first. When facing challenges, connecting with sympathetic and understanding people can serve as a reminder that you are not alone. Find people who listen to you with compassion and trust, as this helps to develop resilience skills.

Take safe care of yourself. Although it may be a trendy buzzword, “self-care” is a valid practice for improving resilience and mental health. This happens because stress affects both the body and the mind. Promoting healthy lifestyle habits like a balanced diet, enough sleep, water intake, and regular exercise can help your body become more resilient to stress and lessen the impact of negative emotions like anxiety or depression.

Engage in mindfulness. Yoga, mindful writing, and other spiritual disciplines like prayer or meditation can all help people strengthen their bonds and rekindle their hope, preparing them for situations that call for resilience.

Skip the negative way. It may be tempting to use alcohol, drugs, or other substances to dull your pain, but doing so is like applying a bandage to a serious wound. Instead of attempting to eliminate the feeling of stress, concentrate on providing your body with the tools it needs to manage stress.

Assist others. You can gain a sense of purpose, nurture your self-worth, connect with others, and directly help others by volunteering at a local homeless shelter or by simply offering support to a friend in need.

Take initiative. During tough times, it is necessary to acknowledge and embrace your emotions, but it is also crucial to encourage self-discovery by asking yourself "What can I do about a problem in my life?". If the issues seem too enormous to handle, divide them into smaller, more manageable parts.

Work toward your objectives. Create achievable objectives and do something consistently — even if it feels like a minor accomplishment — that helps you going in the direction of your goals. Ask yourself “What is one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me to progress in the direction I want to go?" rather than concentrating on things that seem unreachable.

Recognise change. Recognise change as a natural element of life. Negative circumstances in your life may make ambitions or ideals no longer attainable. Focusing on the situations that you can change will be easier if you accept the circumstances that cannot be changed.

Keep a positive mindset. Being optimistic when things are not going your way is difficult. A positive mindset gives you the confidence to anticipate wonderful things in your life. Instead of focusing on what you fear, try picturing what you want. Keep track of any slight changes in how you feel as you navigate challenging circumstances.

Take lessons from your past. You can learn how to react skilfully to challenging situations by reflecting on who or what was supportive during earlier challenging times. Remember those times when you were able to rely on them and consider what you learned from them.

Learn how to organise your life and work

To achieve a balance between personal and work life, it is necessary to manage time well and tasks efficiently. Everyone has 24 hours per day­, but each person manages them in a unique way and prioritises their tasks considering different principles. Many of us plan our entire work week on Sunday night and find out on Friday afternoon that we have a staggering number of unfinished tasks. If this happens to you, it is time to begin making wiser plans.

The capacity to prioritise things and arrange them for the full following week is the first step in good planning. Pick four to six responsibilities that you must fulfil – think about and concentrate on the most important things. Plan your schedule so that you can focus on the most crucial chores at the start of the week, and by the end of the week, you will have time for other tasks or more free time.

Start by doing the most crucial task at the beginning of the day. It is crucial to living by the adage “Work first, play second”. You will appreciate the rest of the day more once the hardest tasks of the day are over. Therefore, do not worry about the unimportant side jobs that divert your attention.

How to schedule your work effectively:

• Schedule just 6 hours of productive work every day. There is always something to do to fill the remaining time (additional work, entertainment, sleep, etc.).
• Work more when you feel fresh. Allow yourself to take a break, when necessary.
• Avoid multitasking – working on numerous activities at once – as it hinders your ability to complete tasks quickly.
• Break down tasks that can be separated into “thinking” and “implementing” components, and work on each component thoroughly and individually.
• Coordinate related tasks, such as handling phone calls and emails, at the same time.

Give all tasks due dates. As a result, your concentration and productivity improve.

Sublime work-life balance

An excessive amount of work can cause fatigue, which can result in serious errors, low productivity, and forgetfulness of commitments. There can also arise signs of a weakened immune system because of prolonged stress, as well as negative effects on relationships. All studies show that it is important to establish a balance between personal life and work.

Thus, next are presented some strategies to support you in improving your balance between personal life and work life:

• Learn to say “no” – One of the most difficult soft skills to learn and put into practice by any committed professional is learning to say “no”. However, it is a crucial component of establishing limits. Understanding that saying “no” to things that are less important allows you to say “yes” to other things that are important to you may be helpful.
• Take breaks – A 15-minute break should be taken every 75 to 90 minutes of work. This helps the brain to retain and consolidate what it has learned and improves its performance.
• Stop working during your lunch break – You should not work while eating to allow your brain to rest.
• Request flexibility – This can be done in the form of flexible work schedules, shortened workweeks, task sharing, and other innovative solutions.
• Put your health first – The first step in making your health a priority in your life is realising how important it is to maintain your physical health, emotional stability, and mental fitness.
• Establish boundaries so you can disconnect – Be honest and upfront when telling your co-workers and clients about what you are working on and when you will not be able to respond to them.
• Invest in your relationships – Because they can lengthen your life and help you stay healthy.
• Take family time – Include family time in your schedule and use this time to deepen relationships.

Dealing with setbacks at work

Problems arise in everyone's personal and professional lives. Career advancements do not let these issues hold them back. Next are presented some traits and dispositions that you must keep in mind when facing obstacles.

Expect uncomfortable situations – Many people lack confidence in unfamiliar situations. Deal with them with maturity and do not give up or revert to your old behaviour. You will gradually begin to feel more secure and at ease.

Believe in yourself and in all your endeavours – You should expect to perform well at work. People with a "can-do" attitude are popular with co-workers and employers. Test new abilities and challenges: you will err on occasion, but you will have success too. Consider the advantages or lessons learned from each new experience. Use the knowledge you have gained to enhance your work. You can overcome difficulties if you have a good outlook on them.

Watch and pick up – Speak and behave professionally. Find co-workers whom you notice are succeeding and watch their attitudes. Do not join co-workers when you notice them breaking the rules. Instead, associate yourself with employees that are upbeat and perform their duties well.

Be responsible – It is easy to point the finger at others when something goes wrong. However, if you cannot understand your role in a situation, you will not be able to make it better. Admit your mistakes when they occur. Then look for solutions.

Accept constructive criticism – Receiving feedback from a manager or a colleague with greater experience is common. You will perform more efficiently if you take it into consideration. Feedback does not imply that the speaker has a negative opinion about you personally. Remain composed, pay attention to what is said, and consider how the feedback can improve your performance on the job.

Case study

Context: This case study is about Stefanie -– an Investigator, Project Manager, and School Inspectorate in Sweden. She is a former researcher in education at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, in the United Kingdom, and in media psychology at the University of Kiel, in Germany.

Description: While pursuing her postdoctoral studies, Stefanie worked as an associate researcher at Cambridge from 2008 to 2012.

She was on maternity leave when her postdoctoral programme ended and she decided not to go back after the end of the leave; instead, she took a long hiatus and relocated to Greece with her family, where her husband started his PhD studies. She spent a brief time in Greece before relocating to Sweden − again due to her husband's job.

When she made the decision to return to work, she looked for positions in a variety of disciplines, including education, government, and academic institutions. Stefanie was open-minded but also conscious that she would need to increase her Swedish proficiency to qualify for positions.

She found out that a friend of her brother-in-law who worked for a consulting company was looking for a research professional to join their team. After a fruitful interview, she was offered the position. Thus, she had her first permanent employment in a foreign country, which at first caused her trepidation. From 2012 through 2016, Stefanie worked for this company and had two more periods of maternity leave.

Stefanie claims that her first job following academic research was successful because she had several co-workers who helped her while she was learning her job and she used the opportunity to interact with a variety of clients to better understand Swedish culture.

Although she liked her time there developing her investigation and becoming a full-fledged consultant, she makes the point that this kind of work is not a viable long-term career path.

Stefanie desired a change that would support a cause she was enthusiastic about. She has consistently kept looking for the career she wanted, applying for project management positions at the National Health and Welfare Council and looking for opportunities to return to school at the Swedish National Education Agency or the Swedish School of Inspection. After finally passing the final interview for the post of “Investigator”, she was hired in the latter.

Stefanie believes that one component of her new work culture is learning to work with bureaucracy. Another novelty was the diversity of the co-workers, many of whom have a background in education and other fields, while others are specialists who provide a plethora of viewpoints.

Shortly after Stefanie started her job, a new internal opportunity occurred, and she was promoted. It was also challenging for her to understand how to assess the demands or challenges put forth by other professionals and departments due to her lack of expertise in this position. She claims that she has a fantastic line manager and knowledgeable co-workers that help her with these matters.

Stefanie concluded that, although she realises that academic research is not her vocation, the years she spent doing it are worthwhile looking backwards and forward. Her academic career and the abilities she developed as a postdoctoral researcher helped her later.

International mobility was crucial for her professional development as well. She acquired perspectives and abilities that helped her stand out on the job market and in her career while pursuing her doctorate in one country, postdoctoral studies in another, and a job in a third.

“I want to improve my project and people management skills in the future”, Stefanie says, as she currently oversees a project team of around 10 individuals, and she is essentially a “one-woman show”.

Lessons learnt:

• Inform yourself about professional opportunities by speaking with co-workers, career counsellors, acquaintances who have transitioned from academic research, and others working in different fields that are relevant to you.
• Find out what matters to you the most. Are you willing to commit your entire life to conduct a study and writing in your subject because you aspire to be an authority figure? Choose the academic field, then. There are numerous options in other fields if you love project approaches and discovering new and unusual things.
• You might be underestimating your ability to get through obstacles. Push yourself and set a few slightly higher goals.

Questions and answers

Q: What should you do to act with self-confidence?

A: Feel in charge of your life and that you accept and trust yourself. Have a positive opinion of yourself and be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. This way you can manage criticism, speak assertively, and set reasonable expectations and goals.

Q: Which strategies can you use to be more resilient?

A: Put your relationships first; doing so will help you to remember that you are not alone in facing challenges. Also, take care of yourself and concentrate on giving your body the tools it needs to manage stress rather than trying to completely get rid of the feeling. Practice mindfulness, connect with others, and help others; doing so will help you build resilience, work toward your goals, and develop yourself. Focusing on the situations you can change will be easier by accepting the circumstances that cannot be changed. It is also important to maintain a positive outlook, take note of any subtle changes in how you feel as you navigate challenging circumstances, and learn from your mistakes.

Q: What are the steps to organise efficiently your work time and your leisure time?

A: Learn to say “no”, as this is an essential part of setting boundaries.

Take breaks every 75 to 90 minutes.

Use your lunch break to not work while eating.

Request flexibility through the form of shorter workweeks, flexible work schedules, task sharing, and other creative approaches.

Put your health first.

Set limits so you can disconnect.

Be open and truthful with your clients and co-workers about what you are working on and when you will not be able to reply to them.

Invest in your relationships since they keep you happy and healthy for a longer period. Spend time with your family and take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen bonds.

References

• Discover: careers beyond academia. (2018, April 26). EURAXESS. https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/career-development/researchers/discover-careers-beyond-academia
• How to Deal with Setbacks. MyMnCareers. CAREERwise Education. (n.d.). Careerwise.minnstate.edu. https://careerwise.minnstate.edu/mymncareers/advance-career/deal-with-setbacks.html
• How to plan work effectively. (n.d.). Ligsuniversity.com. Retrieved, 2022, from https://ligsuniversity.com/blog/how-to-plan-work-effectively
• Oxford Languages. (2022). Oxford Languages and Google - English. Languages.oup.com; Oxford University Press. https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
• University of South Florida. (2019). What is Self-Confidence? Usf.edu. https://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/counseling-center/top-concerns/what-is-self-confidence.aspx
• Wolf, J. (2021, October 25). 10 tips to improve your work-life balance | BetterUp. www.betterup.com. https://www.betterup.com/blog/work-life-balance

Additional resources

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4in-hK8-BU

This motivational video reflects on the importance of following your dreams and investing in what you believe in, as the right way to achieve success and balance in life and work.

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu

Pan-European initiative delivering information and support services to professional researchers, fostering their mobility and career development.

www.nowmooc.eu

Online platform to encourage and help women in their leadership journey.

www.thehappinessindex.com/blog/importance-work-life-balance

Article about the importance of recognising the role that work-life balance plays in fostering employee engagement and happiness.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c_xYLwOx-g

Video explaining why poor habits prevent us from getting the most out of our spare time and explaining three doable solutions for establishing limits that are effective.