Do you doubt yourself at work? Find out how to silence your inner critic

Women in particular are often too self-critical at work. Career coaches say certain countermeasures can help boost confidence. Photo: Christin Klose/dpa

A day day at work could be so pleasant. Especially for those who are highly trained, familiar with their subject matter and get on well with others. In other words, the ideal conditions for success.

And yet a lot of people doubt themselves on the job, beating themselves up with thoughts such as "I'm not good enough" or "Am I even up to it?".

Women are too self-critical on the job

"Often it's women who are plagued by self-doubt in their jobs," says career consultant Hanne Bergen. For example, the International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef/Bonn found in a 2017 study (in German) that women rate their strengths in their careers far lower than those around them.

According to the study, men can also be highly self-critical, but to a much lesser extent.

Self-doubt on the job can have very different causes. It may be because those who are self-critical are suddenly confronted with new tasks for which they don't yet have enough experience."In such cases, some self-doubt is normal," says career consultant Ragnhild Struss. "In many cases, however, self-doubt stems from a lack of self-esteem."

This, she says, is often linked to unrealistic expectations of oneself. Because even if a certain task is a challenge, with a stable level of self-esteem you could confidently see something new as a development opportunity. If you're feeling insecure, however, the focus is more on the fear of failing.

Perfectionists tend to self-doubt

If you're someone who makes their self-worth strongly dependent on positive feedback from others, you quickly become insecure when you get hardly any from others. "In such cases, it often helps to simply request feedback for the work you've done," advises career counsellor Bergen.

Having a positive self image is also important. To this end, you should ask yourself: What do I achieve with my work, what is the end product of my work? And perhaps you can also admit to yourself that not everything has to be perfect all the time, and done as quickly as possible.

Writing things down helps with self-doubt

Consultant Struss recommends carrying out a realistic analysis of the situation and writing it all down. For example, you could note down the tasks for which you feel self-doubt and then describe these tasks. What do they consist of, what skills are required?

Then you should ask yourself why you think you are not up to a task. Do I really lack the necessary skills? Am I afraid that I won't be able to complete the task in the required time? "As soon as you know why you're have feelings of self-doubt, you can start taking action," says Struss.

This can include, for example, acquiring certain technical skills, having a conversation with your team lead about workload, or dealing with your fears therapeutically.

If, however, you can't quite put your finger on why you're feeling insecure, then self-doubt will always come back. The basic problem - lack of self-confidence - needs to be addressed, says Struss. It's helpful, for example, to keep a diary or to consciously remember situations that you've successfully mastered.

How to keep self-doubt at bay over the long term

To keep self-doubt at work in check over the long term, it's important to constantly work on yourself.

"You can regularly write down two or three situations where you have done particularly well," recommends Bergen. If self-doubt resurfaces, simply read what you've written to give your self-confidence a boost.If you notice inhibiting thoughts keep coming up in certain situations, you can counteract them with a short meditation, advises Struss. In this meditation you make the conscious decision to let the negative thoughts go, or you can also respond to your inner critic. For example, you can repeat to yourself: "I know you want to protect me from pain, but I can do it and I don't need your help." – dpa