Does how we feel about our jobs and our job satisfaction – our occupational wellness – affect our personal lives and work-life balance?
You probably already know that it does.
We’ve all had those really bad days at work that stress us out and make us feel irritable long after the workday is done.
We might want to just “forget about it,” but that’s easier said than done. We’re human, and we don’t just switch from emotion to the next without some level of emotional processing.
The same way that having a bad morning at home affects me at work, a bad day at work affects me at home.
Having been at the same job for 6 years (as a mom for 3 of those), I’ve been on both sides of the fence: at different times throughout my career, I’ve felt both very happy and incredibly stressed out.
During those times when I felt like too much of my energy was spent on work, I felt like I had little left for my personal life and family – and I hated it.
Quitting wasn’t an option, so the only thing I could do was change how I felt about work.
While some things are out of our control when it comes to our jobs, there are some things we actually can do to change how we feel.
Our micro-managing bosses or ridiculously high productivity expectations will probably stay the same. However, we can work on managing our stress and controlling our environment so that work doesn’t take more of our energy than it should.
Why occupational wellness is important
It contributes to our overall wellbeing
Let’s start with the obvious question: what is occupational wellness?
It’s one of several dimensions of wellness that contribute to our overall wellbeing. The other dimensions include physical wellness, spiritual wellness, social wellness, emotional wellness, and intellectual wellness. Each dimension has an effect on our overall wellbeing.
Occupational wellness is specifically related to our feelings and attitudes towards work, our satisfaction with our work, and our work-life balance.
It’s particularly important for working moms to have good occupational wellness because we spend so much time at work.
It affects our personal lives and work-life balance
With at least half of our waking hours spent at work, it makes sense that our jobs would affect our personal lives in a significant way.
Have you ever noticed how a bad day at work can leave you feeling irritable, unhappy, and emotionally fatigued?
I’ve certainly felt that way on those days when I can’t get a break, I haven’t had a minute to use the bathroom for hours, and the Teams chat keeps pinging with requests.
By the time I get home, I’m already stressed out and I’m one toddler tantrum away from losing it completely.
On the other hand, feeling good about my job helps me to manage my stress and be less emotionally reactive in challenging situations. I’m nicer, calmer, and a more positive person.
Improving our occupational wellness means that, even on the bad days, we’re less likely to blow a fuse; our tolerance for stress is higher.
We’re less reactive, less prone to burnout, more productive, and generally happier.
For the working mom, that means we can better handle whatever our kids throw at us when the workday is over.
Here are 9 things I do at work to improve my occupational wellbeing, feel less stressed at work, and have more energy for my personal life.
1. Take micro-breaks to manage stress
Taking micro-breaks at work improves my ability to handle stress and supports my emotional well-being.
I think of it as a recharge for my mental and emotional battery – if I go too long without recharging, I end up feeling depleted and burned out at the end of the day.
Small micro-breaks of 5-10 minutes (or less) throughout the work day helps me reset and re-energize. Some of the things I do during my micro-breaks include:
- Watching 5 minute meditation from an app or online video
- Thinking of 3 things I am grateful for
- Listening to nature sounds
- Listening to white noise
- Doing a breathing exercise or breathwork
- Stretching or light exercise at my desk
- Taking a walk outside in the sun
- Doing some coloring
- Practicing mindfulness
- Reading and reflecting on an inspiring quote
2. Build relationships with coworkers
Ever heard the phrase “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers?” Add “and coworkers” to the end of that sentence.
The quality of work relationships is one of the main factors we consider when deciding to stay or leave our jobs.
Building relationships requires some effort on our part, too – we should make an effort to bring something to the office potluck, go to the after work happy hour just once, or engage in the silly office games and banter from time to time.
Having good relationships with my coworkers and managers really makes a big difference in my attitude towards work.
3. Find purpose and meaning in my work
Every job has a purpose. Sometimes, we get so wound up in our daily lives that we forget that what we do is actually meaningful.
Finding the purpose in our work contributes to our sense of occupational wellness and overall wellbeing. It makes us feel more satisfied with our jobs, even when the work gets hard.
I work on deepening my sense of purpose at work by taking courses and continuing education, setting and working towards professional goals, doing job-specific skill-building exercises, reflecting on my professional values, and thinking about the positive effects my service has on others.
4. Identify what I can control
In any job or work environment, there will be factors outside of our control and things we can’t change.
On the positive side, there will always be some things we can control, even if only partially.
Identifying what’s in my control at work and exercising my power in those areas helps me feel more satisfied at work.
That includes the way I deliver my services, adjusting my schedule so it works for my lifestyle, adjusting when I take my lunch breaks, my clothing, and how I personalize my workspace area.
Embracing the autonomy I do have at work makes a big difference in how I feel towards it.
5. Personalize my workspace
Personalizing my workspace helps me feel more comfortable at work and reminds me of all the things that truly matter in my life.
It’s a little thing, but it’s nice to have what feels like my own little corner at work.
Personalization could be family-themed with pictures of our kids, our pets, or vacation memorabilia.
We could do a wellness escape aesthetic with faux plants, a light therapy lamp, and some inspirational quotes.
If our jobs allow, we should take advantage of the opportunity to make our workspaces feel a little more like ‘us’.
6. Optimize safety and ergonomics
Work safety and ergonomics is an often undervalued aspect of occupational wellness.
That’s probably because it focuses on the physical environment, something we don’t really pay that much attention to.
But when we think about it, it makes sense – an unsafe or poorly designed workspace can actually cause physical and posture-related injuries, which contributes to work stress.
Some of the ways I improve my safety at work include making sure my desk setup is at the right height, avoiding sitting (or standing) for too long without taking a break, using a lumbar or neck support cushion for my chair, and removing trip hazards from the floor.
7. Explore workplace wellness initiatives and programs
Many workplaces nowadays recognize the importance of wellbeing programs because data shows they increase retention, productivity, and employee satisfaction.
As a result, workplace wellness programs have become more common and they are a talking point for recruiters looking for new talent.
It’s worth looking into our company’s wellness programs and what they offer.
Taking advantage of these resources helps me feel more satisfied with my job, and they offer tools to help me with managing my work stress.
Some offers I take advantage of include free mental health consults, restaurant and travel discounts, and discounts on spas or massages.
8. Set healthy work boundaries
Setting work boundaries can have a major impact on our stress levels and are big when it comes to work satisfaction and achieving healthy work-life balance.
Work boundaries prevent us from taking on more than we can handle and help set expectations for ourselves and our coworkers. F
or me, that means leaving work on time, not answering emails when I’m out of office, and not working on off hours.
The clear separation between work and my personal life helps me focus on what I’m doing in the present moment – when I’m at work I’m focused on work, and when I’m at home home I’m focused on home.
Work boundaries also help me to be more productive by motivating me to finish tasks on time instead of procrastinating and doing things “later.”
9. Find a place to decompress
Sometimes, all I need to feel less stressed at work is to literally just move somewhere else.
For me, that means leaving my busy central office and finding a more secluded area to focus and decompress.
I love chatting with my coworkers, but I also need quiet time, too.
We can also consider moving our workspace to an area with more natural sunlight or overlooking trees or nature to help put us in a better mood.
Occupational wellness is a major component of our overall wellbeing. It includes things like our job satisfaction and happiness at work, which ultimately has a big impact on our personal lives.
Improving my occupational wellness and reducing work stress has had a positive effect on my ability to balance work and personal life and achieve a healthy work-life balance.