Dimensions of Wellness: Occupational Wellness
Occupational (or Vocational) Wellness
Occupational wellness is having satisfaction with your career or job. It also includes finding balance in both work and non-work activities and commitments, including knowing when to say “no” to maintain that balance.
Even if you are retired, this is still an area of wellness to consider.
Technically there is a difference between a career and a job, but that is mostly based on attitude for our purposes.
In this area of wellness, consider this:
Do you like what you do? Are you happy with your career or job choice or volunteer work you do?
Does your work give your personal satisfaction and stimulation?
Are you happy with the professional and personal growth opportunities in your career or job?
Many people are in careers that were right for them at one time, but it no longer gives them personal satisfaction. Or, they don’t like how their profession has changed in recent years. It just isn’t the right fit for them anymore. So, consider a career change? That can be scary, especially if it requires going to school or a longer-term commitment to getting into that new career.
In 2000, I remembered reading this letter in the Dear Abby advice column that I never forgot the answer to the question. I found the letter on-line and am sharing it here.
“Dear Abby, I am a 36-year-old college dropout whose lifelong ambition was to be a physician. I have an excellent job selling pharmaceutical supplies, but my heart is still in the practice of medicine. I do volunteer work at the local hospital on my time off, and people tell me I would have made a wonderful doctor.
If I go back to college and get my degree, go to medical school, do my internship and finally get into the actual practice of medicine, it will take me seven years! But, Abby, in seven years, I will be 43 years old. What do you think? -- UNFULFILLED IN PHILLY
DEAR UNFULFILLED: And how old will you be in seven years if you don't go to medical school?”
This may not feel like the time to consider changes, but you can explore ideas and opportunities if you think your occupational wellness needs some help. This may not mean a career change but looking at your professional areas where you can find fulfillment.
This was previously part of the 12 Days of Wellness 2020 – emailed to participants of that holiday email campaign in December 2020. Additional posts about the dimensions/pillars of wellness continue each week on #WellnessWednesday for six weeks in total.
