Intellectual and Occupational Well-Being: Rethinking Your To-Do List
Of all the areas of well-being, we give the most credence to how we are doing occupationally and intellectually. After all, that’s our status. Are you challenged and motivated by the work you do? If asked to describe your work in one or two sentences, what would you say? Your perspective on what you do every day can make a difference in how you feel about it. Try this.
Consider your to-do list. You may have 14 items you must work on or complete today. Often, we prioritize by urgency, by what can be accomplished quickly, or through other methods that work (or do not work) for us. Instead, try prioritizing through a well-being lens. Intellectual well-being is described as “Engaging in continuous learning and the pursuit of creative or intellectually challenging activities that foster on-going development.” What will help you develop or enhance a skill or area of knowledge? Where can you be curious? Then take the time to be aware of that growth as you engage in the task. That awareness can also help you draw on and expand that thread in the future.
Then take that to-do list and think of the differences you can make. It may be a client conversation where you endeavor to be present with how the person is feeling and set an intention to acknowledge the person, not just the legal issue. Your to-do list has 14 items. For the client you are calling, or meeting with, remotely or in-person, this is all they have been thinking about. Occupational well-being includes “cultivating personal satisfaction, growth, and enrichment in work.” Feeling like you are making a difference, even in a small way, will contribute to that feeling of satisfaction.
Even with all of this, the job may not be right. We can feel trapped. If you know you will need to make a move, do your best, but think of how this will prepare you to succeed in what comes next. Your intention has shifted to the future, which can bring hope.
LCL supports legal professionals who are making career decisions, dealing with job difficulties and in many other ways, including a careers group. Contact us at 651-646-5590 or [email protected].