10 Daily Habits to skyrocket your Confidence at work

Hi there harmony hustlers, get ready to dive into 10 daily habits to boost your confidence at work!

Confidence isn’t just a trait, instead it’s a muscle that can be strengthened through practice and intention. 

We’ve all been there—feeling the pressure to speak up in meetings, doubting our worth, or struggling to assert ourselves in the workplace. 

But fear not, because in this blog post, we’ll unpack the challenges, explore the symptoms of lacking confidence, and most importantly, provide you with 10 daily habits that will empower you to boost your confidence and thrive in the professional arena. 

From seemingly small things such as punctuality to the transformative practices like embracing challenges, each of the 10 daily habits is designed to empower you, elevate your presence, and fast track you towards greater success in your career journey.

So let’s dive in and discover how you can cultivate confidence, one habit at a time.

What Sparks low confidence?

Lacking confidence at work can arise from the way in which reward systems are set into play in the workplace. 

We often get rewarded for assertiveness and perfectionism, which can inadvertently marginalise women who may show quieter or modest traits.

Downplaying your successes or not engaging in as much conversation as your peers, may come across as a lack of confidence, which isn’t always the case.

You may be thinking ‘well being quiet is my personality’ or ‘boasting isn’t for me’ and I’m here to tell you that you can absolutely be true to the person you are, whilst also cultivating confidence in the workplace. You do not need to sacrifice your personality or your values in order to excel at confidence as a skill. 

The Expert Take on confidence

Leadership expert and author of “Staff Matters: People-Focused Solutions for the Ultimate New Workplace”, Bonnie Low- Kramen, argues that confidence is ‘the single most important differentiator in the workplace.’ 

If the skill of confidence is so important then how can we go about developing it?

10 daily habits to boost your confidence at work 

If you’ve been feeling a little unsure of yourself lately, it’s totally understandable. Building confidence can be tough, but it is not something that cannot be done. 

Here is the list of 10 daily habits you can build into your routine, but don’t feel pressured to do all them at once. It’s important to start small by working on a few habits at a time. It’s all about taking those first steps and being consistent.

1. Be Punctual
2. Speak up
3. ‘Email like a man’
4. Take on a challenge
5. Seek feedback
6. Know your worth
7. Own your successes
8. Power dress
9. Prioritise self- care
10. Take help

1. Be Punctual

Arriving on time for work everyday and for work meetings demonstrates reliability and respect for others’ time. 

Your punctuality affects how others perceive you. It also affects how you perceive yourself. 

Being late can cause others to lack trust in you and your input. After all if they can’t trust you to turn up to a meeting on time, how can they trust you with the work in question? They also won’t be too pleased that you did not value their time by keeping them waiting. 

These things can have a knock on effect on you and your self- confidence. If people are not confident in your abilities, you can easily begin to doubt them too.

Also by being late, you may find it difficult to interrupt the flow of the meeting which was set into place in your absence. 

By being punctual you allow yourself the best opportunity to settle in and to be prepared for the meeting. You set a good impression and you allow others to trust you. You also give yourself the best shot at providing valuable input. 

2. Speak up with confidence

How many times have you been at work, and you’ve wanted to say something but you’ve held back out of fear of judgement?

I for one can vouch for the number of times I’ve hesitated to ask a question, because I’ve thought that my question was ‘a stupid question to ask.’ But then, when moments later someone else asks the same question, I kick myself for not asking, since it turns out that my colleagues felt the same way. 

The lesson here is that unless you speak up, you won’t know the value that you can add. 

Whilst we can often hesitate to voice our ideas, opinions and concerns in meetings or discussions, we really shouldn’t. Our individual perspective is valuable, and speaking up not only contributes to the conversation but it also asserts our presence in the workplace. 

Try practising assertive communication to ensure that your voice is heard respectfully. You can do this by believing in the value of what you have to say, saying what you have to say with clarity, and by ensuring that you are listening to what is being said and adapting to the circumstances. 

Over time, you will get better and better at doing this. The goal is to face the fear of judgement when speaking up. 

3. ‘Email like a man’

You may remember this tik tok trend, which honed in on the stereotype that women email differently to men in that they’re less assertive and more emotional in their emails than men. 

The trend emphasised how we as women apologise more, and ask permission instead of being more assertive in our tone. This, tied in with the stereotype that women talk more than men, makes it appear that we need to stop emailing ‘like a woman.’ 

Whilst I disagree with the notion that we have to ‘email like a man’ to be taken more seriously, I do agree that we can be more conscious of the message we’re trying to get across when drafting emails.

Try to focus on being clear and concise in your emails. Remove all the ‘fluff’ and get to the point. 

For example 

Context: You have an upcoming event and you want to propose an idea for it. 

In Example 1,  the writer uses more causal terminology (hey instead of hi).

In the body of the email, the writer expresses a great deal of uncertainty in the idea that they are proposing and also seeks a lot of direction, finishing the email off with no clear next steps. 

In Example 2, however, the writer gets straight to the point by addressing what is being sought from the reader, and the time frame in which a response is expected, along with an actionable next step. This is a much more clear and concise email conveying the writers intentions clearly.

The idea isn’t to sound more ‘manly’, instead it is to express clear goals and objectives in your writing by setting a confident and assertive tone. 

Try asking yourself a number of questions when you’re drafting an email. For example, ‘What is the goal of this email? What specific points do I need addressing? What is the purpose behind my request? What will I achieve once I get a response? What are the next steps? and so on. These questions will help you to stay focused on your message and remove any ‘fluff.’

4. Take on a challenge

One of the best ways to develop as a professional, and to build your confidence is to take on a challenge.

There is nothing better than learning by doing. When you take a leap into the unknown, you’re offering yourself up to an opportunity to test your skills and to build your confidence. 

Don’t sit back and wait to be challenged, instead put yourself forward. Find opportunities in your department or in other departments within the company. Sign up for hosting an event, ask to join a networking event, or be creative and come up with something that isn’t already in motion and bring it into motion. 

At my previous job, I did exactly that. I saw that our department wasn’t utilising marketing strategies as well as I thought they could and so I took the opportunity to kick start our own marketing strategy. I made a proposal during a one to one meeting, and I was offered the chance to test it out. I created a rota for our team so that we could take turns to post a short article every month on our website, which would bring traction to our team and the work that we did. The team agreed, and together we created a whole new marketing agenda. Seeing it come to fruition, and being given the opportunity to lead, surely boosted my confidence. 

So take that challenge, or create that challenge. Stepping out of your comfort zone by tackling new challenges will enhance your skills and build your confidence over time. 

5. Seek feedback

This is a personal favourite of mine. I’m a firm believer that one sure way of developing your skills and becoming more confident in your abilities is to seek out feedback and then act on it. 

It is only with knowing where you can improve, that you can actually improve. 

Once you see any form of improvement, big or small, you’re naturally going to feel more confident in yourself and your abilities. 

Therefore don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from supervisors, peers, or mentors. 

Embrace feedback as an opportunity for growth rather than criticism. Take this feedback and work on your weaknesses in order to polish your skill set and to boost your confidence. The more you focus on your areas of development, the better you will get. 

6. Know your worth

Confident women know their value.

It’s so easy to sell yourself short, and we usually do this when we’re unsure of ourselves.

However if you recognise your skills and your experience and how you contribute to your work, you will understand the value you bring to the table. 

Therefore take note of your accomplishments and remind yourself of them every so often. We all have good and bad days- so on the bad days this reminder will serve you well. Don’t allow imposter syndrome to cloud your achievements. 

7. Own your successes

As well as noting down your achievements, make sure you celebrate them and take pride in them.

If you handled a project and you were successful in achieving the desired outcome for that project, celebrate that achievement. 

Acknowledge all the hard work you put in and the effort it took to achieve the desired outcome. 

By owning your successes, you ultimately reinforce your confidence. Not only that but you’ll inspire those around you to do the same. 

8. Power dress to ooze confidence

According to research, power dressing is a fashion style which was born in the late 70’s and developed in the 80’s.

It was a fashion style which embraced a conservative style mirroring a male wardrobe. It empowered women to assert their authority in a professional setting historically dominated by men.

Thank Goodness that we now have our own space in the fashion world, and suits made specifically for men (and not women) are a thing of the past.

Whilst the term ‘power dressing’ is no longer commonly used, and the work environment has drastically changed since the 70’s and 80’s (thankfully), our clothing can most certainly help boost our confidence.

We have so much choice in the form of business attire including suits, dresses, skirts, trousers, etc. Find the clothes that make you feel confident. They don’t have to be designer brands or expensive items of clothing, instead they should fit well and make you feel good.

Done right, power dressing is somewhat of a strategic move to express confidence and authority.

It’s not simply about how others see you, but moreso about how you see yourself.

9. Practice self-care

Let’s face it, if you’re not taking care of yourself, your confidence will take a hit as a consequence.

When you’re feeling good about yourself, it shows. When you’re not feeling good about yourself it also shows.

Make sure you prioritise your physical and mental well-being. Make time for activities that make you feel good, and that don’t tire you out. Choose ones that rejuvenate you, so you’re in a better position to maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

When you make time for exercise, hobbies, relaxation and spending time with the people you love, these things will contribute to your overall confidence. 

10. Take help

A key to being confident is knowing your limitations and seeking out alternative resources when the need arises. Sometimes you have to let go of the fear and/or your pride and seek assistance from others. Once you acknowledge that asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness,  you’re in a better position to prioritise the success of your work.

If you’re struggling to keep up with tasks and get your work completed on a regular basis, your confidence can take a hit as a result.

If however you are getting the support you need, the likelihood is that you’ll achieve more successful outcomes. Successful outcomes will in turn boost your confidence.

Admittedly, it can be difficult to seek help in instances where the environment is not conducive to doing so. However fostering healthy work relationships allows you to have a much needed support network of colleagues and vice versa.

One way to foster healthy work relationships is by being astute to the needs of your colleagues. Offering assistance to others and reciprocating support can build good relationships. It can also enhance self confidence by affirming your capabilities and your contribution to the team.

Additionally, asking for help encourages a culture of collaboration and trust within the workplace, where you feel supported and valued by your colleagues. This supportive environment can bolster self-esteem and confidence, knowing that you are not alone in facing challenges and that there are resources available for assistance. Taking a collaborative approach can do wonders for everyone involved.

The outcome

By embracing these 10 daily habits you can expect positive changes in your professional and personal life.  In a world where you commit to daily habits such as the 10 daily habits set out above, you can feel more empowered to speak up, take on challenges and assert your worth without hesitation. 

When you start to integrate these habits into your daily routine, you’ll notice a newfound assertiveness, improved communication skills, and increased self-assurance through various work scenarios. 

Remember that the aim is to boost your confidence, not to encourage arrogance. It’s great to feel confident, but finding that balance with humility and empathy is key.

So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these solutions and empower yourself to take ownership of your career development. Pursue growth opportunities and find fulfilment in your career. 

Best of luck. You’ve got this!