What is Occupational Wellness?

When someone mentions “wellness,” most of us tend to think of mental or physical wellness. Maybe some also consider spiritual wellness. That’s usually as far as it goes. However, experts define six types of wellness. Along with those already mentioned, they also recognize social, intellectual, and occupational wellness. It’s this last one that I want to talk about today.

Occupational wellness, also sometimes called “environmental wellness,” refers to the satisfaction and fulfillment you get from your career and how it contributes to your overall well-being. It involves finding a healthy work-life balance, pursuing meaningful work, and feeling a sense of purpose in your work.

It can also include finding a job that aligns with your values and creating a healthy work environment. In addition, it involves growing within your field and feeling a sense of accomplishment in your work.

While these things are clearly important, it wasn’t until I started working on my own mental health that I realized that occupational wellness really is a separate part of the puzzle. I could go to the gym and journal and do all of the things that made me feel good, but until I found a career that I actually enjoyed, I still wasn’t really happy.

Improving Your Occupational Wellness

At least for Americans, job satisfaction seems to have hit rock bottom over the last few years. It wasn’t great before, but since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are realizing that a large portion of business owners will happily sacrifice their employees’ health and well-being for a few extra bucks.

Wages are stagnant and rarely cover the cost of living. Benefits are abysmal. Job security doesn’t exist. And the hiring managers often don’t have a clue what skills are actually needed to do the job. I mean, have you ever looked at the requirements for a tech job? It’s become completely normal for a company to demand that applicants for an “entry-level” position have 7 years of experience in technologies that have only existed for 3. Tell me you lied on your resumé without telling me you lied on your resumé.

So what can we do to improve this aspect of wellness? There’s always the option where we band together, demand better working conditions, and burn it all to the ground if they refuse, but half of the country still wants to blame refugees and avocado toast for the problem, so I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Here are some things to try in the meantime:

Find work that aligns with your values

Choose a career or job that aligns with your values, interests, and skills to increase job satisfaction and a sense of purpose. It might help to write out a list of what these things are. Does your current job coincide with your values? If not, what careers do you think might be a better fit?

Set achievable goals

Set achievable and realistic goals at work to give yourself a sense of accomplishment and purpose. For some, this could be finishing a project or meeting a certain KPI. For others, this could just be getting through the day without telling your boss what you really think of them.

Build good relationships with colleagues

Building positive relationships with your colleagues can make your work environment more enjoyable and supportive. You don’t have to be friends with everybody and probably shouldn’t, but being able to engage in some friendly chit-chat will make the day a little less tedious when you don’t want to be there.

Take breaks and prioritize self-care

Regular breaks, self-care activities, and time for rest and relaxation can help you avoid burnout and maintain balance in your work and life. Turn your phone off for a few hours, and tell your boss you were in a bad service zone if you have to.

Learn and grow in your field

Seek opportunities for learning, professional development, and growth in your field to increase your skills and knowledge. If you aren’t fulfilled by your current field, try learning a new skill in the field you’d rather be working in.

Create a healthy work environment

Pay attention to your physical, emotional, and mental well-being in the workplace and advocate for a healthy and safe work environment. This is easier said than done in some industries, but don’t be afraid to reach out to OSHA or your local union rep if you have one. (Sidenote: if you don’t have a union, you might want to consider forming one. It’ll make some of the other items on this list easier to accomplish.)

Find a mentor

Having a mentor who can offer guidance and support can help you navigate the challenges of your work and career. Thanks to the internet, there are a plethora of places to find support. Many fields have dedicated groups for this. If yours doesn’t, you can try special interest groups on social media or Reddit.

Set boundaries

Learn to set boundaries between work and your personal life to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This goes back to the point about work-life balance. Don’t involve your colleagues in your personal life, and don’t answer emails when you’re off the clock.

Cultivate a positive mindset

Practice positive thinking and develop a growth mindset to help you navigate challenges and stay resilient at work. A regular meditation practice might make this a little easier.

Seek support

Don’t hesitate to seek support from a trusted person if you are struggling with stress, burnout, or other occupational-related concerns. If you don’t have a friend or therapist you can talk to, you can try an online support group or an app such as Hapi or 7 Cups.

It might not be feasible to do all of these things, but picking even just one or two can have positive benefits. Have other suggestions? Need to rant (or rave) about your job? Let us know in the comments!