{"id":794,"date":"2025-04-16T12:16:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T17:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/?p=794"},"modified":"2025-04-16T12:17:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T17:17:31","slug":"finding-purpose-through-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/2025\/04\/16\/finding-purpose-through-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Purpose Through Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By: Kuldeep Derola, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we think about wellness, we often picture hitting the gym, eating greens, or taking mental health days. While all of these are essential to our well-being, there&#8217;s one dimension of wellness we often overlook: occupational wellness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a college student balancing coursework, jobs, and future plans, I\u2019ve come to realize how much our work,&nbsp;whether academic, professional, or volunteer, shapes our overall well-being. It\u2019s about more than just doing a job; it\u2019s about finding purpose and satisfaction in what we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is Occupational Wellness?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Occupational wellness is about feeling fulfilled in your work or studies. It\u2019s knowing that your daily efforts align with your values, strengths, and future goals. It\u2019s not necessarily about loving every task, but it is about finding meaning, maintaining balance, and continuously growing in your chosen path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why It Matters (Especially in College)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>College is a unique time where your academic life is usually your main occupation. You\u2019re learning, building a foundation, and discovering what kind of impact you want to make. When we neglect this dimension of wellness, burnout can creep in, motivation can fade, and stress can take over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we nurture our occupational wellness, however, it can help us feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>More motivated to learn<\/li><li>Proud of our progress<\/li><li>Curious to grow<\/li><li>Connected to our long-term purpose<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>My Personal Take<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a Well-being Leader, I\u2019ve seen firsthand how students thrive when they find the \u201cwhy\u201d behind what they\u2019re doing. It could be a mechanical engineering student who lights up in the machine shop, or someone in business who gets excited about a startup pitch. That moment of connection \u2014 that \u201cthis is what I\u2019m meant to do\u201d feeling \u2014 that\u2019s occupational wellness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, I found fulfillment not just through academics but also by helping others, whether it was through tutoring, community outreach, or collaborating on student initiatives. These experiences weren\u2019t just resume-builders; they gave me a real sense of purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How to Cultivate Occupational Wellness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few simple ways you can build on this pillar of wellness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>&nbsp;<strong>Reflect Regularly:<\/strong> What parts of your work excite you? What feels draining? Journaling or talking to a mentor can help you gain clarity.<\/li><li>&nbsp;<strong>Set Meaningful Goals:<\/strong> Whether it&#8217;s acing a class, leading a project, or landing an internship, make sure your goals align with what <em>matters<\/em> to you.<\/li><li>&nbsp;<strong>Seek Balance:<\/strong> Work hard, but don\u2019t forget to rest. Balance fuels sustainability.<\/li><li>&nbsp;<strong>Celebrate Progress:<\/strong> Big or small, your wins count. Acknowledge your growth.<\/li><li>&nbsp;<strong>Stay Curious:<\/strong> Try new roles, clubs, or internships. You might discover strengths you never knew you had.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Occupational wellness isn\u2019t about having your whole career figured out today. It\u2019s about being engaged, open to growth, and connected to something bigger than a paycheck or GPA. Whether you&#8217;re discovering a passion or refining a skill, know that every step you take brings you closer to becoming the best version of yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s support each other as we build not just our careers, but meaningful lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I\u2019m available at Falmouth-203A every Monday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM to offer a safe space for you to express your challenges.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Citations:<\/em><\/strong> Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2016). <em>Wellness Initiative: Eight Dimensions of Wellness<\/em>. Retrieved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\">https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By: Kuldeep Derola, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader When we think about wellness, we often picture hitting the gym, eating greens, or taking mental health days. While all of these are essential to our well-being, there&#8217;s one dimension of &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/2025\/04\/16\/finding-purpose-through-work\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1518,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1518"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=794"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":796,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794\/revisions\/796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/wellbeing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}