“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
According to the University of Wisconsin (n.d.), occupational wellness is a sense of satisfaction with your choice of work. An occupational wellness goal might include finding meaningful and financially rewarding work. In addition, finding work that fits with your values, interests, and skills can help maintain occupational wellness.
Occupational wellness has many facets, including achieving a balance between work and leisure, maintaining positive relationships with colleagues, managing workplace related stress, and the safety of the workplace environment. It also includes how you feel about work and whether your career option suits, stimulates and inspires you. If your occupational well-being is strong, you will present as happier, healthier and more successful (Dallard, 2017). It is important to note that “career” or “occupation” is defined as how you occupy your time or what you do each day (University of New Hampshire, 2020). It does not only mean paid occupations but also includes life roles such as domestic duties, volunteer work, community participation, school, or other activities.
After sleep, we spend most of our time at work, so ask yourself if your work motivates you and lets you use your abilities to their full potential. If it doesn’t, you may need to re-evaluate how you spend your working hours. Even if you can’t change where you work, you can change your approach to the stressors and challenges you face. Long-term job dissatisfaction is a source of stress, anxiety, and depression, and it is harmful to your health, happiness, and well-being.
Signs of Occupational Wellness
Because day-to-day work (in whatever form) takes up so much of our time, it is important for our overall well-being that we like what we do. Engaging in work that provides personal satisfaction and enrichment and is consistent with your values, goals, and lifestyle will keep you professionally healthy. In addition, people who enjoy their employment have a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
- Understanding how to balance leisure with work
- Working in a way that fits into your personal learning style
- Communicating and collaborating with others
- Working independently and with others
- Feeling inspired and challenged
- Feeling good at the end of the day about the work you accomplished
Protecting your career wellness may mean making big changes, like moving to another job or going back for more education so that you can apply for a higher position.
Explore Occupational Wellness
- Don’t settle, keep motivated to work towards what you want
- Increase your skills and knowledge to advance your occupational wellness goals
- Find the benefits and positives in your current job
- Create connections with your co-workers
- Avoid overworking yourself, find a work/life balance
- Enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy
- Write out your occupational goals and create a plan to reach them – then start working on the plan
- Talk to a career counsellor if you feel stuck
Because day-to-day work (in whatever form) takes up so much of our time, it is important for our overall well-being that we like what we do. Engaging in work that provides personal satisfaction and enrichment and is consistent with your values, goals, and lifestyle will keep you professionally healthy. In addition, people who enjoy their employment have a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
Sources
Dallard, R., & *, N. (2017, April 30). Occupational Wellbeing. Retrieved from https://www.wellbeingtherapyspace.com.au/occupational-wellbeing/
Melnyk, B. (2019, October 16). Wellness 101: 9 dimensions of wellness – American Nurse Today. Retrieved from https://www.myamericannurse.com/9-dimensions-wellness/
University of New Hampshire. (2020, July 30). Occupational Wellness. Retrieved from https://www.unh.edu/health/wellnessself-care/wellness-wheel/occupational-wellness
University of Wisconsin. (n.d.). Dimensions of Wellness Assessment and Information. Retrieved from https://www.bbhcsd.org/DimensionsofWellness.aspx