Let’s face it – low self-esteem can be an issue for anyone at any time, but it can be especially difficult to deal with in the workplace. In a world that is continuously measuring you against others and judging you on your performance, having low self-esteem is perhaps not the ideal way to begin your working life. However, statistics show that self-doubt and lack of confidence are real problems. The World Health Organization states that about one in three people worldwide experiences low self-esteem – that’s roughly 900 million people! Fortunately, this does not mean we should throw in the towel and hunt for another job elsewhere. There are many ways we can deal with this issue if we find ourselves suffering from a lack of self-worth at work. Here are some tips:
Set small goals and celebrate your wins
One of the easiest and most practical ways to boost your confidence is to set yourself small goals and celebrate your wins. You might want to begin with a goal that is simple and achievable, such as setting aside 10 minutes a day to read up on your field or setting an extra hour aside to complete a project that’s been piling up. Celebrating your small wins will help re-enforce the idea that you are a capable person and that you are making progress. It can be something as simple as a mental “well done” or treating yourself to a tea or coffee from your favorite cafe. Another way to celebrate your small wins is to find other ways to mark your progress along the way. For example, if you’re setting small goals to read more about your industry, you could create a bookmark for each article you finish, and then once you’ve finished a certain amount of articles, you could frame them and create an inspirational collage on your wall as a reminder of your progress.
Talk to a counselor or mentor
If you’re finding that low self-esteem is becoming a real problem for you, consider talking to a counselor or mentor. The most crucial thing when it comes to dealing with this issue is that you take action. You don’t have to wait until things become unmanageable – recognizing that you’re struggling and seeking help is the best way to start dealing with this problem. Talking to a counselor or mentor is a great way to get some outside perspective on your situation. They can help you figure out what’s causing your self-esteem issues and provide you with useful strategies for dealing with them. Talking to a counselor is a safe and private way to get the help you need. If you don’t want to talk to a professional face to face, many online platforms now offer the option to chat with a qualified therapist for a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy. Alternatively, you could try talking to an experienced mentor in your field who’d be able to give you some advice and share tips from their own experience.
Take care of your physical health
Part of taking care of your mental health is taking care of your physical health too. Your mood and emotions of value depend on maintaining a balanced diet and getting lots of exercises. If you’re finding that you’re lacking in energy and motivation, try setting yourself some achievable goals for exercise. This can be as easy as walking for 15 minutes each day or taking the stairs at work. Eating well is another excellent way to boost your mood and increase your confidence. Try experimenting with healthy recipes and make an effort to get more vegetables into your diet. You can also take care of your mental health in a variety of other ways. Getting enough sleep, creating time for mindfulness, and reducing your caffeine intake are all excellent ways to keep your stress levels under control.
Focus on what you’re good at
If you frequently find yourself feeling inadequate in comparison to others, consider putting your attention on your strengths. Everyone has unique skills and talents – what are yours? Are you good at managing budgets? Coming up with creative ideas? Are you excellent at managing people? What are you good at? Identifying your skills will help you to put a positive spin on your self-esteem. Discovering what you’re good at can be as simple as jotting down a list of past and present skills. From there, try pairing these skills with potential career paths. If you’re not sure how to get initiated, there are many online tools and resources available to help you discover your ideal career path.
Remember that everyone feels this way sometimes
If you’re suffering from low self-esteem and feeling as though you’ll never get past it, remember that everyone feels this way sometimes. Once you’ve dealt with the issue and moved on, you’ll look back on this time and likely wonder why you ever felt so badly about yourself in the first place. While low self-esteem is a real and legitimate issue, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s treatable. By taking action to deal with your self-esteem issues, you’re taking the first steps to improve your mental health. There is help out there and it’s never too late to start your journey to feeling better – so don’t wait, take action today.
Bottom line
Low self-esteem is a real issue that affects many people at some point in their lives. It’s important to recognize when you’re struggling and take action to deal with the problem. There are many ways you can do this, from setting small goals to taking action, to taking care of your mental health or focusing on what you’re good at. Remember that everyone feels this way sometimes, and with time and effort, you’ll move past it and rediscover your self-worth.
