How to improve occupational wellness
Occupational wellness involves participating in activities that provide meaning and purpose and reflect personal values, interests, and beliefs, including employment.
Following are some questions you can ask yourself and strategies that can help you improve your occupational wellness. As you think about the questions and strategies, make a list of the things you will do and the things you may need to help achieve wellness in this area.
Questions Related to Work Relationships
- Are you involved in a career or volunteer work that fits your values? If retired, are you planning to do something every day?
- Do you have an open line of communication with your employer/coworkers?
- Does your work offer personal satisfaction and stimulation, and allow you to contribute your talents, gifts, and knowledge?
Strategies related to Work Relationships
- Think about where you are in your career and life and pursue jobs that will work well within that framework.
- Explore all of your career options but review jobs on Careerbuilder.com or Monster.com,
- If you receive disability benefits, explore your work options without losing SSI/SSDI benefits until you can support yourself. To calculate the amount you can earn, visit www.ssa.gov.
- Talk to your employer/ coworkers about how they like to communicate so everyone can be responsive to individual needs and work styles.
- When something is not working at work, let people know what would help.
Questions Related to Balance
- Do you schedule time for leisure?
- Are you spending time with friends, taking nature walks, scheduling massages, or engaging in healthy, positive activities to help you relax?
- Are you thinking about how you spend time each day and considering volunteer work in the community?
Strategies Related to Balance
- Research careers/employment that involve the activities you enjoy most yet provide the flexibility for a balanced life.
- Keep a calendar. Be sure to look it over and schedule time for activities that you enjoy.
- Use tracking tools to balance your workload. Ask for help if your workload becomes overwhelming.
Questions Related to Accomplishment
- Are you in a career that you look forward to and that gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride?
- Are you patting yourself on the back for your accomplishments?
Strategies Related to Accomplishment
- Take the time to think of what you enjoy most, and research careers/ employment in that area.
Source: Creating A Healthier Life, A Step By Step Guide to Wellness
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)
www.samhsa.gov