Did you know that burnout, in reality, is the shadow side of resilience? Resilience is defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress.” The irony is that burnout can be caused by the very qualities that help us handle challenges – dedication, accepting responsibility, compassion, conscientiousness, and attention to detail – all increase our vulnerability to burnout.
How resilient are you? Can you cope with challenges without putting yourself at risk of burnout?
To get an idea of how resilient you are, complete and score the quick quiz below.
Score: 0=Strongly Disagree, 1=Somewhat Disagree, 2=Somewhat Agree. 3=Strongly Agree
- _____ I am confident that I can overcome challenges.
- _____ I enjoy achieving the goals I set myself.
- _____ I have strong values that I uphold whatever I am doing.
- _____ I express my feelings easily and appropriately.
- _____ I enjoy learning new things.
- _____ I take responsibility for my actions.
- _____ I ask for support when I need it.
- _____ I notice when I am stressed.
- _____ I have effective strategies in place to handle stress.
- ____ I actively maintain contact with others.
- ____ I eat a well-balanced diet.
- ____ I take time out for myself when needed.
- ____ I see challenges as potential lessons.
- ____ I know and own my strengths and weaknesses.
- ____ I know how to relax when I am under pressure.
- ____ I have a positive view of my future.
- ____ I do not procrastinate.
- ____ I exercise regularly.
- ____ I can maintain a positive outlook during difficult times.
- ____ I know what the purpose of my life is.
- ____ I build strong support networks.
- ____ I am realistic about what is possible.
- ____ I have empathy with others’ concerns.
- ____ I have a strong set of beliefs that I adhere to.
- ____ I am generally optimistic.
- ____ I bounce back from failure.
- ____ I act when opportunities arise.
- ____ I change my approach when things are not working.
- ____ I have interests/hobbies not related to work.
- ____ I organise my time and prioritise tasks.
I don’t know about you, but I tend to get very annoyed if I have to hand over my e-mail address to get the results of a quiz, so the results of this quiz are right here on this page (see below.)
So…are you resilient enough to avoid burnout?
Score 0-20: No, you are not. If you struggle with challenges, uncertainty and insecurity, do not worry, you certainly aren’t the only one. The pandemic has wreaked havoc with our usually effective coping strategies. So you now lack resilience. Don’t let this get you down! We’ll find out why you aren’t as resilient as you would like to be and figure out what you can do about it. Perhaps you haven’t got much self-confidence. Perhaps you have a negative attitude. Maybe you need more robust stress management strategies or you need help dealing with issues that are beyond your control. Don’t give up – there are lots of tools that you can use to become more resilient. If you find yourself spending a lot of time feeling as though everything is a struggle, I can help you deal with stress more effectively and enable you to substantially increase your self-confidence. Next Step
Score 21-45: No, you are not. You have some skills and strategies to deal with stress, but when everything goes as wrong as it did in 2020, for example, you find it hard to think and act positively and may have difficulty coping with the demands made of you. This is perfectly normal, it has been a very hard couple of years. You might need to take a good look at your coping strategies, unhelpful habits and limiting beliefs. I can help you update and improve your stress management strategies and help you get rid of outdated habits and limiting beliefs. Next Step
Score 46-70: No, not quite yet. You’re not easily defeated, and you are fairly resilient, but clearly, there is still plenty of room (and need!) for improvement. Perhaps despite your resilience, you still fear the future, put yourself down, doubt your abilities, or expect to fail. Many of us do. Maybe you need to develop your stress management skills in just one or two areas or make small changes in several. I can help you pinpoint what you need to work on so that you can increase your resilience and self-esteem and cope effectively with whatever challenges come your way. ‘Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.’ Z. Abdelnour Next Step
Score 70-90: Yes! You have a variety of coping skills and strategies that help you to cope with stress. You are adaptable and flexible in your approach. You’re willing to take on challenges and you are keen to help others where you can. You most likely have a solid support system. That’s good, you can’t face all challenges on your own. Sometimes you need help. If your support system fails you or you need objective input, I can help you to develop a plan of action to cope with the challenge you are facing without allowing stress to get the better of you. Maybe all you need is a couple of resilience rituals to recharge, replenish, renew your energy and recover from stress. Next Step
If you would like to increase your resilience in 5-10 minutes a day, I invite you to subscribe to my Savoir Vivre Vignettes mailing list to get immediate access to my eye-opening, mind-altering and heart-stirring free online retreat :Journal Yourself Stress-free.
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