Wellbeing can be briefly described as having our experiences of happiness, health, and prosperity at a sufficiently high level. It depends on the wellbeing of our mental health, a high level of life satisfaction, having at least one life purpose, and being able to manage stress. Wellbeing is what everyone is looking for in their lives nowadays because it encompasses many positive attributes like feeling happy, being healthy, and having a social life. In fact, the answer to the question “What is wellbeing?” covers a very broad area.
One of the first answers that can be given to the question “What is wellbeing?” is feeling good about ourselves and our lives. The absence of illness or worries does not necessarily mean that our wellbeing is high. Wellbeing is more related to physical, mental, emotional, and social health factors. Additionally, although it does not clearly answer the question “What is wellbeing?”, we know that it is strongly related to life satisfaction and happiness. Moreover, the factors that affect our wellbeing are often interconnected with each other. For instance, our job not only provides us with a means to earn money but can also give us a sense of purpose, help us make friends, and create a sense of belonging. Furthermore, some factors can fill the void created by negative influences on our wellbeing. For example, if we have a happy marriage, we can experience the pain of a lack of friends more lightly, or our religious beliefs can make it easier for us to cope with a physical illness.
Our wellbeing is influenced by changes in almost every area of our lives. Here are some factors that can increase people's wellbeing:
The answer to the question of “What is wellbeing in the workplace?” does not significantly differ from the general answer to “What is wellbeing?”. What is essential is that our wellbeing in the workplace increases when we improve and maintain the things we value. Developing professional skills that align with our life's purpose and maintaining a healthy work-life balance influences our wellbeing in the workplace. By doing so, we can enjoy our work more and achieve greater success. As we improve our wellbeing in the workplace, we begin to find our workdays more meaningful.
Since we spend a significant proportion of our lives at work, we can say that our wellbeing in the workplace has a substantial impact on our overall wellbeing.
We may frequently hear the question “What is wellbeing?” and strive to support our sense of wellbeing. But do we know the benefits of increasing our wellbeing? What is wellbeing in terms of beneficence?
Let’s take a look at the advantages of high wellbeing in different areas:
As important as the question “What is wellbeing?” is to know how it is achieved. To increase our sense of wellbeing, we need to take actions that affect different areas of our lives. For instance, high occupational but low physical wellbeing may create a mismatch in our lives, which negatively affects our overall wellbeing. To ensure a balanced wellbeing, we may need to make some changes in our lives or strengthen certain characteristics. Here are some of the things we can do to enhance our sense of balanced wellbeing:
The 18-item version of the psychological wellbeing scale is widely used and it focuses on six different dimensions. These dimensions are self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth. Individuals complete the scale by indicating how much they agree or disagree with the items. Let’s go through the dimensions to learn about the different aspects of wellbeing:
Research indicates that individuals with high levels of wellbeing tend to exhibit certain characteristics. These can include experiencing fewer physical illnesses, bouncing back quickly from setbacks, and being more productive. Maintaining a positive emotional state can actually bolster the immune system, rendering the body more resilient to diseases. Plus, a positive outlook and emotional resilience may play a role in expediting the healing process. Also, those with high wellbeing are inclined to adopt healthier lifestyles, which contributes to the rapid recovery from illnesses and the maintenance of their physical health. Moreover, individuals who feel good about themselves and their lives often excel in various domains of life and can make valuable contributions to their communities and environments.
Many people associate wellbeing with being cheerful and carefree. There is a common belief that only individuals with these characteristics possess high levels of wellbeing. But it is essential to remember that anyone can improve their wellbeing with the right motivation. People with high wellbeing often approach life with an open-mind and a positive attitude, which makes them more willing to work on their wellbeing. Especially when facing tough times, maintaining focus on wellbeing can be challenging, but it is worth the effort.
The key to an effective wellbeing application lies in setting goals related to behavioral change. With appropriate intervention, people can develop the necessary skills, maintain their motivation, and receive the social support they need to make sustainable changes in their behavior.
One example of a wellbeing application is the "Exercise for a Good Day" exercise. In this exercise, individuals are asked to reflect on whether they had a good or bad day and identify the reasons for their evaluation. The exercise prompts participants to assign a numeric value to their day's quality, like rating it on a scale from 1 (worst day) to 10 (best day). This exercise is sustained for at least two weeks. Upon completion, participants answer a set of questions:
By answering these questions and reviewing the past weeks, individuals can realize the factors contributing to the wellness of their daily lives and shape their days accordingly.
Another wellbeing application can focus on increasing positive emotions since they enhance self-awareness and encourage innovative thinking and behavior. In this application, we can select three positive emotions that we feel rarely, such as gratitude, contentment, appreciation, curiosity, love, closeness, and trust. Then, we can consider the ways to experience these emotions more frequently in our lives. Finally, we will put these strategies into practice!
Deciding to increase your wellbeing is a good start on this journey. If you need a hand in enhancing your wellbeing, you can record your daily emotions and review your day on Relate. You can also start the “Gaining a Positive Perspective” journey to have a better perspective on life and achieve a higher wellbeing!
