If you feel less than confident at work, you’re not alone. In fact, a recent LinkedIn survey found that only 37% of professionals feel confident in their abilities every day at work. Luckily, boosting your confidence is easier than you might think. You need to know where to look. Improving your self-esteem can be as simple as making minor changes to how you think and act daily. With the right approach, even the most insignificant things can significantly impact how you feel about yourself and your capabilities. Here are some tips for boosting your confidence at work:
Identify what is affecting your confidence.
Start by figuring out what is causing your lack of confidence. Is it the project you are working on? Or is the pressure of a looming deadline? Are you worried about your salary or promotion? Being aware of what is behind your confidence issues can help you put a plan into action. Once you know what’s holding you back, you can take action to address it and boost confidence along the way. Whether it’s seeking out a mentor, changing your work schedule, or taking a short course, there are plenty of ways to address the cause of your confidence issues so that you can start feeling more confident at work.
Be curious and ask questions.
It’s easy to get stuck in your head, especially when feeling less than confident. This can be destructive, keeping you stuck and preventing you from moving forward with confidence. Instead of getting sucked down this rabbit hole, try to stay curious. Being curious keeps you open to new ideas, opportunities, and ways of doing things. This can help you see new opportunities and ways to improve your performance and work relationships. It can also help prevent you from getting trapped in your own negative thought patterns.
Look the part
What do you think of when you imagine a confident person? What do they look like? While confidence can’t be boiled down to a single look, studies suggest that your appearance impacts your confidence. Your clothes have been shown to impact how others perceive you. This is also true for how you perceive yourself. Wearing clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident can help you feel more at ease in your skin. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and spend a fortune on new clothes. Instead, you can take a few small steps to enhance your appearance. This can include grooming your hair and nails, choosing
clear teeth straighteners if your teeth affect your confidence, wear clean clothes, and choose colors that flatter you.
Trust your gut
If you’re hesitant about a decision or project, it can be hard to trust your gut. It can feel as though you are being overly critical or not up to par. But if you’ve felt this way before, trust that it comes from wanting to do the best work you can. You can use your confidence-building techniques to put this to rest. For example, try to be curious about your instinct. What were the circumstances that made you feel this way? What is the root cause? If you can identify the source, you can work towards resolving it. Whether it’s a lack of knowledge or a need for more information, having a clear path to resolving your gut instincts can help you move forward more confidently.
Ask for feedback
There are plenty of reasons why you might not be getting the feedback you desire. However, if you’re feeling less than confident, it could be that your manager hasn’t noticed your work or has forgotten to provide feedback. By asking for feedback, you can remove some ambiguity from your relationship with your manager. This can help you feel more confident in your role and better equipped to move forward with your work.
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