I've spent the last two years knee-deep in research, data, and design of the ideal career advancement methodology, one that focuses on self-awareness, self-accountability, and self-acceptance. I've studied professionals' psychographics across industry, level, and age ranges to learn about how we approach our career, growth, and accountability. Since focusing on these areas of research, I've transitioned my thinking and focus from strictly career advancement to creating the category of career wellness.
While career advancement can be tracked through accountability and growth metrics, it works best parallel to a separate track of work that I've deemed "intention." That track of work, in combination with advancement, creates career wellness.
When we seek career wellness, we can achieve a more well-rounded view of ourselves and our career. That level of awareness and consciousness will then elevate our organizations and industries, respectively.
When we talk about wellness, typically, two things happen. One, we tie wellness solely to physical activity. While physical health holds an indisputable place of necessity in all settings, limiting the concept of wellness to physical activity only is short-sighted. The second thing that happens is that we tie wellness to work-life balance as if we must increase wellness in our personal life to combat the negative in our professional life. This area of wellness typically links to mental health, physical activity, relaxation, and spirituality. Why not look at wellness holistically and combat the narrative that work is dominantly negative and balance provides the positive equalizer exclusive to non-work-related areas? If the tools we are given for wellness in our personal life can offer such positivity, why not try to mold those practices to create a positive experience for our professional life?
It all comes down to defining career wellness. Career wellness is a positive state of mind achieved through areas of awareness, acceptance, and accountability. These areas are supported through professional growth metrics and personal development.
Career Wellness is Personal Wellness, and the benefits of personal wellness are not exclusive to work-life balance. Wellness is not exclusive to physical activity and can be tracked directly to professional development and career advancement. This is where the intention component of our accountability combination elevates our career advancement goal, thus creating the space of career wellness.
The term intention is typically tied to spirituality, but I'd like to destigmatize the notion that personal development methods in the spiritual space can be used in non-traditional routes to support our careers.
How can professionals do this?
Set intentions, Career Manifestation, and Create Positive Habits.
Manifestation is meaningful in the process of achieving true career wellness!
I truly believe that my commitment to excel intentionally is equally important to my goal setting metrics for my career advancement. Some of these practices pull from traditionally deemed areas: spiritual; don't let that confuse you; they are impactful for your career wellness. Using tools usually labeled as spiritual growth doesn't make you spiritual. It makes you receptive enough to appreciate and utilize its power in a professional setting.
When we start looking at our career holistically, marrying the tools for strategy and spirituality, we can achieve career wellness and personal wellness.