GENERAL BACKGROUND

The journey into self-love and self-acceptance must begin with self-examination. Until you take the journey of self-reflection, it is almost impossible to grow or learn in life.– Iyanla Vanzant

Self-reflection is an important part of any career. It is the ability to evaluate oneself cognitive, emotional and behavioural processes. It also enables one-self to improve job performance at the workplace.

WHAT IS SELF-REFLECTION? 

• Self-reflection means to observe and analyse oneself in order to grow as a person.
• Reflecting oneself through your behavior and what you think  in response to events in the world around you will enable you to see what you need to work on.
• Once you have understood who you are and who you would like to be would enable you to work on to improve yourself. 

WHY SELF-REFLECTION?

It is so important to reflect upon oneself thoughts and actions. Some of the benefits of self-reflection at a workplace are:

1. Improved Relationship

• Having doing self-reflection, for example, at your workplace by reflecting on how you treat your colleagues and others as well as the thoughts you may have about them, you may make changes which can lead to a more harmonious relationship.
• Therefore, it gives you the opportunity to see how you truly see about other person and consider the values that the relationship bring and can make you more appreciative of that person which can influence you to have better interaction relationship

2. Greater Clarity of Thought

• Self-reflection provides an opportunity to think about something in isolation from the thing itself. You can even view it with a more rationale sense.
• You can even see it with more clarity and can think about it with a more rounded perspective which can give you a reasoned conclusion about how you wish to change or make further improvements. An example of a choice about a job that you would like to take. You may state the pros and cons about it and see which benefits most.

3. Knowing your true values

• Spending time of thinking about what really matters is very important. When you do self- reflection, you might see things that you might do or think that go against who you really wish to be.
• Self-reflection can help you feel less lost in life.

4. Improved Decision Making:

• Self- reflection can made you put on the most optimal path. Fewer regrets will happen knowing that you have made the right choice.

5. Less Stress and Anxiety:

• Less stress and anxiety is one of the outcomes of self-reflection. You might become more confident in yourself and your actions.
• You might also have less worry to think about what other people at your workplace might think about you.

HOW WOULD YOU REFLECT AND IMPROVE 

YOURSELF AT YOUR WORKPLACE?

• Firstly, if you feel that during working at your workplace (example, in school), you were irritable with a working colleague. You might realize that this is not the way that you need to be treated or vice versa.
• You can then seek to address that behavior in future and perhaps apologise to your colleague if you were particularly rude.
• As a result, this might lead to an improved working relationship with your colleague and you might feel more enjoyable working at your workplace.
• However, if you prolong the ill-feelings, you might experience tensions and potential negative ramifications in the long run.
• Secondly, time spent in self-reflection is an opportunity to measure your progress in a positive way. This is because you can you can identify moments where you have responded to a situation with healthier thoughts and behaviours. Thus, it can provide you with a sense of achievement and keep you always motivated during working at your workplace.
• Thirdly, find a quiet and peaceful environment. A conducive and comfortable workplace such as classroom or school garden might help to inspire your thoughts.
• Fourthly, is writing down your thoughts through journal writing. Journal writing is one good way to do as it always keep everything in one place and allows you to look back on what you have thought previously. This way might help you to release what you have in mind and can let go of it easily without the threat of forgetting it. 

CONCLUSION

Generally, self-reflection is vital and essential in life and at workplace. It needs to be analysed as it is a way to make oneself improve from lots of small course corrections to a less desirable thoughts and behaviours. Thus, helps to promote to a greater well-being. 

Self-reflection needs to be done consistently. A healthy level of self-reflection typically empowers and energizes an individual as they see ways to improve upon themselves.

References:

1. https://thriveworks.com

2. Self-reflection/The Open University and Unison in Partnership https://www.ope.ac.uk