How often do you take time to think about, or try to improve your overall well-being? Perhaps not enough. Perhaps you don’t even realize you’re working against yourself!
Authors Tom Rath and Jim Harter wrote that there are five broad categories that are essential to most people when it comes to the fabric of their well-being.
*Career Well-being
*Social Well-being
*Financial Well-being
*Physical Well-being
*Community Well-being
I’d like to take a minute to share some tips for how to boost wellbeing in these five areas.
Let’s face it, many people don’t have the luxury of leaving a job they hate when they feel burnt out or whatever it may be… But the impact your career has on your well-being is a big one. If you are unable to do something that you enjoy and be happy about your career, you can still try to improve your career well-being. – Every day, utilize your strengths and build on them, and try to spend more social time and engage in conversation with the people and teams you enjoy the most.
Studies show that increased social time each day (on average, 6 hours) leads to less stress. So, to become less stressed and improve your social well-being, aim to get in as many of those 6 hours as you can. HA! Six hours sounds like a lifetime to all of us busy people out there, right? But don’t worry! This “social time” can be considered not just spending time with family or friends, but enjoying the company of colleagues at work and engaging in brief conversations that may not pertain to work, e-mailing/texting/chatting with friends, and of course, your standard social outings. Even if you get in 30 minutes each day, you could feel better!
Here’s the real fun one. Financial well-being. Wouldn’t we all just LOVE to improve our financial well-being? Easier said than done, right? Well, the best tip I can give for this one is to invest in experiences! Spend more time, less money – on doing things with those you love. Or, spend money on something that means a lot to you – whether a gift for a friend, to a cause you believe in, or just treating your kiddos to an ice cream cone “just because” – rather than spending that money on material possessions. I promise, it works! (although I’m definitely still a work in progress myself here)
Exercise and sleep! When it comes to physical well-being, it’s just about that simple. Get in at least 20 active minutes a day and try to instill routines that will allow you to be well-rested. Don’t worry, again, I know this is easier said than done. But being mindful of it and *trying* as often as possible totally counts! Even if your 20 minutes consists of chasing toddlers around the house and walking out to check the mail. ?
When we do things for others, we are able to better see how we can make a difference, which boosts our confidence in our ability to create change. – To improve your community well-being, spend time discussing your passions and interests with others in an effort to get connected to groups and causes. Also, seek out opportunities within your community where you can contribute based on your personal mission.
So, there you have it! What are some ways you feel you can improve your overall well-being?
A few of my personal favorites are simply taking time for myself when necessary – to care for my health mentally and physically through personal development, exercise, and on most days, decent nutrition! Connecting with my friends, even if through brief text conversations, definitely helps me out, too!
Would love to hear some of your ideas in the comments!