The COVID19 pandemic has not only shown us the indisputable importance of smart working and teleworking in preserving jobs and keeping economies alive, but also made it clear that each of us needs to (quickly) learn to rely on ourselves more than on external factors.

This module brings to attention several important points: self-efficacy, self-motivation, focus, productivity – and how can we improve our skills and learn to walk or play our way through our work which can sometimes be challenging, boring or strenuous – by ourselves, without the external motivation factors and immediate pressure of a traditional workplace.

The importance of self-efficacy and ability to stay motivated even in adverse contexts, focus, set and reach goals is widely recognized and especially important in highly entrepreneurial environments.

The European Framework EntreComp lists self-efficacy and motivation among the 15 core competences of entrepreneurship.

This module brings to attention several important points: self-efficacy, self-motivation, focus, productivity – and how can we improve ourselves and learn to walk or play our way through our work which can sometimes be challenging, boring or strenuous – by ourselves, without the external motivation factors and immediate pressure of a traditional workplace.

Self-efficacy listed in EntreComp under resources area, thread ‘believe in your ability’, different proficiency levels.

 Tip: There are dedicated modules within SWIFT training to help you better understand EU frameworks.

The concept of self-efficacy is not new – being first proposed in 1977 by Stanford professor and psychologist Albert Bandura. He defines self-efficacy in his works as ‘’a person’s particular set of beliefs that determine how well one can execute a plan of action in prospective situations.’’

Further research show that self-efficacy might be especially relevant in the context of smart working, which requires a greater level of job autonomy and increased creative behavior, stress resilience, and self-discipline.

Now more than ever, with all the changes of the new working paradigm, people need to be able to cope with uncertainty, stress, set their own goals, motivate themselves, make decisions on their own, learn and adapt on the go.

With a high level of self-efficacy, the chances of goal accomplishment increase, as well as the difficulty of challenges you set for yourself. Instead of getting scared of difficult tasks, lack of directions, indications and immediate feedback, you learn to see those things as something you want to master rather than something you want to avoid.