What is self-awareness, and how does it help work productivity?

March 1, 2024

Self-awareness is knowing your thoughts, feelings, and actions correspond to your internal standards, such as identifying your emotions, setting boundaries, and accepting yourself for who you are.

Why is it important to be aware of yourself? When we are more aware of our actions, feelings, and thoughts, we in turn become more confident in ourselves and our decision-making. There are two types of self-awareness: internal and external.

Internal shows our worth, desires, and goals, and how we fit into the environment around us and view ourselves.

External is comprehending how others view us, as well as the same factors of desires, goals, and worth. Those who are internally and externally aware show more empathy and understanding towards different perspectives besides their own.

In the workplace, a person in charge wants to have a balance between external and internal awareness. People with internal awareness display more satisfaction in their jobs, and have more personal and social control over their lives, but can also show signs of depression, anxiety, and stress. External employers tend to have better relationships with their staff and feel more content and satisfied with their employees

There are four archetypes for internal and external:

introspection, awareness, seeker, and pleaser.

Four Archetypes:

Introspectors – People who are aware and clear in one’s own beliefs, but are reluctant to challenge their perspectives.

Aware – People who are aware and clear in one’s own beliefs, and are not reluctant to challenge their beliefs. They look for and value others’ opinions.

Seekers – People who aren’t sure who they are yet or their beliefs, and are unsure of how others view them.

Pleasers – People who are more focused on how they appear to others and tend to lose focus on what matters to them. They tend to make decisions that are beneficial to them.

When deciding on the type of leader you may want to be in the workplace, it is important to know that it’s good to have a balance of both external and internal awareness of yourself and your workspace. Having both sets of awareness creates better leaders, more satisfied employees, and a better workplace.