When your job becomes something you do that gives you purpose and drive, it becomes your vocation. Maintaining positive work life wellbeing improves your overall physical and mental wellness. Gallup conducted a study to evaluate career wellbeing. This study found that employees who were engaged in their work were significantly happier and more interested throughout the day than those who were not engaged.
To help you enhance your work life wellbeing, we have compiled some tools that are both introspective and actionable.
Conduct Check Ins
An important part of maintaining your work life wellbeing is making sure you take time to check in both with yourself and your employer.
Check in with Yourself
While it might feel silly to do a self-check in, remember that being honest and understanding your needs is an important part of staying healthy. It is also important to apply that thinking to your job. An essential function of job satisfaction is a clear understanding of an employee’s role and their connection to the work they do and their organization. Periodically, check in with yourself. Gallup, identified 12 questions employees should ask themselves to determine work productivity and wellbeing. To help yourself check-in, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I know what is expected of me?
- Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
- Do I get to do what I do best every day?
- Have I received recognition for my work recently?
- Does my supervisor care about me as a person?
- Does someone at work encourage my development?
- Do my opinions count?
- Does the mission of my organization make me feel my job
is important? - Is my team committed to doing quality work?
- Do I have a best friend at work?
- Has someone talked to me recently about my progress?
- Do I have opportunities to learn and grow?
Check in with Your Boss
If you do not feel you can positively answer a large percentage of the self-check-in questions, talk with your boss about them. It’s important that both your expectations align and your voices are heard. This is especially important in a remote work environment where your co-workers and boss cannot see you every day to pick up on cues of job dissatisfaction.
Stay Curious
An easy way to disengage from work is to grow stagnant by doing the same thing day after day. Curiosity and learning invigorates your mind and passions and is a great way to find purpose or maintain your purpose. Challenge yourself by:
- Seeking opportunities for growth and learning.
- Identify subject matters you want to learn more about or strengths you want to expand.
- Identify new technologies or skills’ training opportunities.
- Pursue a professional certification.
- Pursue a degree or advanced degree.
- Identifying work projects or problems you want to look into and try to solve; then discuss this idea with your supervisor.
- Look for ways to be curious beyond work.
Conclusion
According to Harvard University Health Services, work life wellness “consist[s] of goals and ambition, job satisfaction, and a feeling of meaning and purpose.” Taking stock of your work life wellness, particularly if you have transitioned unexpectedly into working virtually, gives you an opportunity to gain perspective. You can reassess your goals and purpose. You may find that you need to hit the reset button on your approach to your job or pursue an opportunity you hadn’t otherwise considered.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you and your distributed teams improve your work life wellness, contact us today.