You may not have ever thought about it, but loving your job can provide you with many health benefits. The right role can provide purpose, connection, fulfilment, a routine and ongoing learning – all contributing to making us feel happy and secure.
However, there’s another aspect to wellbeing. According to Josh Rosenthal, founder of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, “We must all be willing to look at not only the food on our plates, but at the experiences that feed us on a daily basis”.
Introducing primary food. A central concept of Rosenthal’s teachings, primary food isn’t just about eating well. It includes aspects of wellbeing that cannot be measured in calories:
- A fulfilling career
- Healthy relationships
- Physical activity
- A spiritual practice
A career which brings joy and fulfilment will nourish your happiness, bringing meaning, balance and purpose to your life. This feeling of purpose and meaning decreases stress and increases joy.
If you’re unhappy in your job, you might start to experience anxiety on Sunday nights as you think about the week ahead, or you might snack all day at work to distract yourself and feed your boredom. Poor eating habits also affect your mental performance, which will in time contribute to further anxiety!
Many health practitioners use a tool called the Wheel (or Circle) of Life. The Wheel of Life includes all the sub-areas of the main components of primary food, and it’s a great discovery tool to find out which areas are out of balance so you can take action to improve on them.
Try this easy-to-use interactive Circle of Life. The idea is that you put a dot in each section on the wheel. A dot placed towards the centre of the circle indicates dissatisfaction, while a dot placed towards the outside indicates satisfied and fulfilled.
Questions you may ask yourself include:
“Am I where I’d like to be in my career?”
“Is my role providing me with further learning?”
“Does my role provide me with meaning and purpose?”
“Does my role support my core beliefs?”
If you have identified areas of your life that need improvement, it is important to be proactive in making changes. You are in the driver’s seat!
Lastly, if you feel you are lacking in areas of your role, talk to your manager and explain how you feel. Dig deep and really think about what your ideal role looks like. There may be some simple changes that will improve your role, and in turn increase your overall fulfillment and happiness.
Gabrielle brings a varied background to her experience, starting in recruitment twenty years ago, before moving into roles within advertising, property and marketing. Previous qualifications include Diploma in Marketing and Certificate in HR Management. Gab has a keen interest in nutrition and wellness, having studies with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the Nutritional Therapy Association and Restorative Wellness Solutions.
