How to Gain Confidence at Work

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Whether you have been in the workforce for decades or you are just entering your first job, workplace confidence ebbs and flows no matter where you are on your journey.

The career path you choose is a huge part of your identity, which is why most people base their self-worth on the work they create in their professional careers. This can make having resilient workplace confidence a difficult task because as the world evolves, so do our workplaces and what’s required of the workforce.

A study titled Self-Esteem and Earnings shows that workers with more self-confidence made $7,000 more a year compared to peers with lower self-esteem. And while having confidence positively impacts other aspects of our lives, it’s critical to build workplace confidence—aside from having a higher salary.

Being confident at work and in your abilities speaks volumes to your team, your manager and others who may be influenced by you or look up to you. Confidence gives you the courage to ask for that raise you deserve, gun for a promotion, move up the ladder and establish yourself as a leader.

How to Gain Confidence at Work

Confidence gives you the courage to ask for that raise you deserve, gun for a promotion, move up the ladder and establish yourself as a leader. Here's how to gain confidence at work. (10 Ways) #HowtoGainConfidenceatWorkHere are 10 ways to cultivate and build more confidence when you step into the office tomorrow. You’ve got this!

1. Show Up Early

Ever heard the saying “The early bird gets the worm”? Well, apparently arriving at your job early has some major benefits. This can help you feel like you have a handle on everything, thus boosting your confidence at work.

2. Getting a Head Start

When you’re in the office before everyone else, you unlock uninterrupted productivity that most people don’t get during a workday. Whether you arrive to the office an extra hour or half an hour before your colleagues, you’ll feel confident having extra time to prepare for your day.

3. Show Your Dedication

It speaks volumes to upper-level management and the rest of your team when you show up early. No one will ever say you don’t work hard enough if you consistently show up early. And, of course, having everyone on your side will heighten your self-esteem and confidence in the workplace.

4. Dress the Part

There is no statement that rings truer than “If you look good, you feel good” and this goes for the office, too. Studies show that wardrobe plays a huge role in workplace confidence.

Social Psychological and Personality Science, a scientific journal, found that when study participants were asked to change into more formal business attire, they performed better on cognitive tests and even thought more creatively than those who didn’t.

5. Know Your Dress Code

The most important part of building a workplace wardrobe that makes you feel confident is knowing and understanding your company’s dress code.

Don’t have that dream job yet? Here’s some outfit inspiration for your next interview.

If you are constantly worried about whether or not you are in compliance with the dress code, you will feel insecure and distracted, which will take away from your work and confidence. Once you know what’s in and what’s out, you can build an office wardrobe that works double-time to make you feel confident and look stylish.

Confidence at Work

6. Find What Fits

More than 46 percent of women struggle with fit and sizing issues when it comes to their clothing. If you’re wearing clothing that doesn’t fit you correctly or feel comfortable, it’s likely that your confidence will dwindle because you don’t feel your best version of yourself.

Also, ill-fitting clothing can be a fashion faux pas when it comes to the office. If your clothing is too loose, your coworkers may write you off as lazy, and if it’s too tight, you run the risk of being in violation of the dress code.

When it comes to looking for plus size work outfits, make sure you know your sizing and analyze the materials that garments are made from. Usually, if something is made up of 100 percent non-stretch materials, avoid it.  You run the risk of this garment being too tight and not wearable or practical for the office. Look for pieces of clothing that have a good amount of stretch—and, of course, clothing that reflects your fabulous style.

7. Take Risks

Just because you may work in an office where everyone’s fashion sense is mediocre doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take style risks from time to time. Throw in some satin wide-leg trousers or a bold plus size blouse and go forth confidently! It’s not always the clothing that makes or breaks an outfit. It’s your confidence!

8. Ask for Feedback

One thing employees don’t do enough is ask for feedback. Instead, we make a lot of assumptions about how we think things are going at work, which is oftentimes more on the negative side because we are our own worst critics. The next time you are feeling uncertain at work, ask for feedback.

Typically, the response you’ll get from your manager will be positive and it could boost confidence. While some feedback may be negative, use it as an opportunity to learn and look forward to it as a new challenge for you to accomplish. Growth is always positive!

Confidence gives you the courage to ask for that raise you deserve, gun for a promotion, move up the ladder and establish yourself as a leader. Here's how to gain confidence at work. (10 Ways) #HowtoGainConfidenceatWork9. Empower Yourself

By asking for feedback, you are empowering yourself because you are taking control of the conversation around your performance while also gaining insight on how you can further help your company evolve. While it might be nerve-racking to approach your manager, you will get a rush of confidence after the fact.

10. Keep a Daily To-Do List

The verdict is still out on to-do lists and whether they are truly effective in the workplace or not. But have you ever had a really busy day where your tasks just kept piling up and you were keeping track of them all in a mental queue as you completed each task?

Have you ever gotten home from a long day of work and realized that you missed something or didn’t complete something by the deadline?

The feelings that come from both of these situations can spark anxiety and lead a person to feel like they aren’t good enough at their job, meaning their confidence tanks at work and in their personal life.

The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who keep to-do lists have less anxiety on the job. And less anxiety means more confidence and satisfaction!

Add these little actions into your daily routine at the office and see how it affects your mood.

What makes you feel most confident at work? 

Thanks to Chic Soul for this brilliant post.

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About Lauren Kinghorn

Visionary Digital Entrepreneur ► Heart-Centred Influencer | Plant-Based Enthusiast | Speaker | Writer | Course Creator | YouTuber | Podcaster * Come join me at Wealthy Affiliate * inspiringmompreneurs.com/WA

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