5 Tips For Overcoming Challenges & Boosting Work Confidence

Whatever job you're in, there are always going to be some days that are better than others. But if you've been struggling for a while at work, then it's time to do something about it.

Whether you're dealing with a hectic schedule and a lot of pressure and stress, you're feeling undervalued and unappreciated, or you're just not very engaged with your work there are plenty of ways to overcome these challenges and boost your confidence.

Learn new skills and attend training

There are always ways to improve yourself, learn new things, and develop your skills. And attending training can do a lot to boost your confidence at work and make you feel more engaged and positive about what you're doing.

Take a look at any areas of your work where you don't feel like you have quite enough knowledge or any aspects that you really enjoy and want to focus on. Then find out what courses or professional development training you can do to improve yourself in those areas.

Many courses and training programs are run part-time and can fit around your work. If you don't have time to commit, then try and set aside a couple of hours each week to catch up on the latest industry news and read relevant books or articles.

Step out of your comfort zone

It's pretty easy to get set in your ways and avoid anything new and challenging. But to boost your confidence you need to step outside of your comfort zone and do something different.

Whether it's offering to deliver a presentation or a client pitch, or offering to train a new member of your team, taking on a new challenge is a great way to push yourself and discover what you're really capable of.

You might not feel comfortable and confident the first time but after you've done it once you'll know that you can, and you'll be able to build on it and improve. Taking on something outside of your comfort zone can also open you up to new opportunities and help you move forward in your work.

Look after yourself

When you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed at work, or you've experienced a setback, it can impact how well you look after yourself as well. But to overcome challenges and boost your confidence, you need to treat yourself well and look after your physical and mental health.

Don't underestimate how important a balanced diet and exercise are, and how they affect your mood and resilience. Make sure you're eating regular meals, cut down on snacks, and reduce your intake of caffeine and alcohol as they can make you feel more anxious and disrupt your sleep. Take time for self-care as well, as loving and treating yourself well is going to make you feel more balanced and positive when it comes to working. You'll be in a better space to deal with challenges and feel more confident on a day-to-day basis.

Set yourself achievable goals

Spend some time thinking about what you want to do and where you want to be in the future then set yourself some short-term and long-term career goals. These short-term goals could be focused on learning a new skill, taking on a new responsibility in your job, or increasing your productivity by a certain amount. Long-term goals could include working towards a promotion or securing your dream job.

You can then work on some small steps or targets that help you work towards these goals. This will give you some motivation to push yourself and will help you to see what you can achieve, which will also boost your confidence. If you know what your long-term goals are it can make it easier to overcome challenges along the way.

Learn from confident people

Consider the confident and successful people that you know in your life, whether it's a colleague or a friend. Try to observe how they interact with other people, their way of working, talking, and how they approach the challenges in their lives. Talk to them about what they do to make themselves feel more confident and how they would tackle difficult situations or things that are outside of their comfort zone.

By imitating the confidence you see in others such as the way they stand, their body language, and how they talk in different situations, you'll be able to project a more confident image. You'll soon begin to feel more confident in yourself just by acting as if you are.

There are always going to be challenges and stressful situations at work, but by following these tips you'll be able to boost your confidence and feel more capable of handling them.

Professional Academy's range of sales, marketing, and management qualifications are designed to complement and fit around a full-time role, and are an excellent way to build up your confidence at work. Whether you need to improve on some areas, diversify into a new industry, or are starting out in your career - there's a course or module to suit you. Complete our online Entry Level Assessment to find out which level is right for you, download a prospectus, or contact our friendly advice team for more information.