Occupational Wellness is finding personal satisfaction and enrichment in one’s work.
Occupational Wellness is more than just finding a work-life balance. Occupational wellness is finding purpose and fulfilment in the work we do. If your current position is not directly related to your desired occupation, think about what skills and opportunities are available to get you to your desired field. Occupational wellness is finding a position that aligns with your values, skillset, lifestyle, and provides a sense of purpose.
Why is Occupational Wellness Important?
Occupational burn-out is becoming a new phenomenon in the workplace. Burn-out occurs as a result of chronic stress in the workplace and is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job, and reduced self-confidence in ability to effectively perform job duties.
Chronic stress can negatively impact our mental and physical health, both in the short-term and long-term. In the short-term, chronic stress can contribute to shortness of breath, heartburn, and headaches. In the long-term, chronic stress can contribute to hearth disease, obesity, and diabetes. Creating healthy boundaries within the workplace can contribute to reduced stress and overall life satisfaction.
A balanced work-life involves having time and emotional capacity to do the activities that bring you joy and enrich your life overall.
Self Check-In
- Do you take advantage of opportunities to learn new skills that can impact your potential future employment?
- Do you strive to develop good work habits (dependability, initiative, communication, etc.)?
- Have you participated in internships or volunteer work?
- Do you have confidence in your job searching skills?
Where to start?
- Take our self check-in to assess your occupational wellness! A great place to begin is first to understand where you are in terms of your occupational wellness.
- Don’t settle, set goals and work towards what you want.
- Increase knowledge and skillset to get to where you want to be.
- Find the benefits and skills in your current job that will be successful to you in your desired field.
- Find your people at work, individuals who help you find joy and meaning.
- Don’t be afraid to make a change.
Resources to Support Your Journey
- Everyone deserves an accessible and inclusive workplace. The Accessibility Services Center supports students with accommodations in field work and practicum courses, as well as supporting students interested in government jobs through the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP).
- Did you know that Campus Recreation and Wellness is the largest employer of students on campus?
- Check out Handshake to see the more than a dozen different positions for roughly 100+ students each year. Each area of RecWell offers entry and leadership positions for students. Applicable skills such as customer service, conflict resolution, communication skills, and supervisory experience can all be gained by working at RecWell.
- There are paid semester or year-long internship opportunities for various fields such as Marking and Promotions, Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation, Personal Training, and Athletic Training.
- CAPS is a great opportunity for campus employment! CAPS employs two interns and one student worker every year.
- Making decisions related to current and future employment can be difficult. Individual counseling sessions can support students with making decisions related to their occupational wellness.
- DASH employs students to carry out the mission
- Peer Mentor Alliance
- HRL provides student staff with opportunities to develop critical communication, collaboration, and time-management skills that translate to virtually all future careers. Interested in being an RA? Check out the application!
- Project Achieve promotes Occupational Wellness through providing career assistance to interested students.
- Prepare for the Fair Workshop.
- Encouraging Career Fair attendance.
- Resume, cover letter reviews, and mock interviewing.
- Encouraging students to take leadership in putting together UNO’s Days of Service in collaboration with the Office of Engagement.