5 Ways Women Professionals Can Improve Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself,  your actions, traits, behaviors, feelings, and other aspects of your being. If you are self-aware of your actions, you will likely make better decisions as you will look at the situation from different perspectives. Self-awareness may also help you evolve as a leader. On the contrary, professionals who are not self-aware are likely not to accept feedback. If you are not a self-aware professional, you might face difficulty working in the organization. The best thing is that self-awareness is not a fixed trait, and one can develop this in a given amount of time.

In this article, we will discuss self-awareness and how women professionals can develop it.

Two States of Self-Awareness

Before we talk about ways to improve self-awareness, let us understand the two critical states of self-awareness. 

• Public Awareness: Public self-awareness refers to understanding how you appear to others. It is because of this capability you might accept social norms and may behave in a way that you become socially acceptable. One negative consequence associated with this awareness is that you might spend too much time thinking about what others might think about you.
• Private Self-Awareness: Private self-awareness is the state of understanding yourself and being aware of feelings that people around you might not know. For instance, you might develop feelings of nervousness and anxiety in certain situations, which you are able to identify when you get them.

How to Improve Self-Awareness?

When you are aware of how people perceive you, you will be more empathetic towards them. You would willingly accept and respect their opinions. It becomes highly essential to be self-aware and more compassionate in the workplace because you would come across people with different perspectives and from diverse backgrounds. Learning about yourself is not always easy, but it can help you explore and become a better person.  

Here are five practical ways that might help you improve your self-awareness.  

Be Mindful of Your Strengths and Weaknesses

The first and the most important thing on the path to self-awareness is to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. When you are aware of your weaknesses, you will be aware of the situations where you need assistance. Being mindful will also help you recognize when you can handle a situation. You can do a Reflective Self-Best (RSB) exercise or take a personality test to understand your strength and weaknesses. Talk to qualified professionals or people you highly trust. Use different self-assessment tools and repeat the process remain updated on the development of your capabilities. 

Write Down Your Plans and Priorities

One of the most effective ways to increase your self-awareness is by noting your goals and listing your progress. Listing down the goals will help you understand and evaluate whether the goals are attainable. You can also plan how you wish to achieve them and whether you are pursuing them at the required pace.  Use online software or a tool to list down the goal. If you lack the resources or knowledge to complete that goal, work on it. Tracking the progress of each step is necessary and will help you stay focused. You will ultimately become more self-aware when you have knowledge of which direction you are moving.

Practice Self-Discipline

Self-discipline and self-control are the key qualities that can help you create a better life. It will allow you to stay focused on your goals. Practicing self-discipline will give you the power and strength to get rid of your bad habits. It will allow you to overcome procrastination and laziness. Here are specific ways you can adapt to practice a disciplined lifestyle:

• Know your weaknesses and where you struggle.
• Identify your goals.
• Create a clear plan.
• Visualize the outcomes that you wish to achieve.
• Start small.
• Practice tolerating discomfort.
• Do not wait for the right time.
• Look for a mentor.
• Practice, fail, and start over.

Know Your Emotional Triggers 

Rejection, betrayal, being excluded, and feeling unwanted are common situations that may trigger intense emotions. When you are not self-aware of your emotional triggers, it is likely that you may end up in a situation where your emotions control you. On the contrary, you will be able to take complete responsibility for your actions when you are self-aware. You should never attempt to repress your emotions or try to deny their causes. You may also seek help from others to deal with your feelings. Besides this, you should also respect and acknowledge the emotions of other people.  

Ask for Valuable Feedback from Colleagues and Friends

While self-awareness is a concept of understanding yourself, you must realize there is no harm in asking others for feedback. It will give you a more objective view of how people see you. You might have certain natural biases for yourself, which can harm you and might lead to the development of different feelings. Therefore, you should consider asking for valuable and honest feedback from colleagues and friends. It will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. They might even provide suggestions on how you can improve further in life. Take the feedback well and respect everyone’s opinions.  

Final Thoughts

Self-discipline is one of the essential qualities that every individual must possess. Here, we have listed five effective ways that may help women improve self-awareness. Do not get disheartened if you make any mistakes in the process. Accept that mistakes and failures are a part of life. Take control of your actions and implement these practices in your life