Elevate Mental Health and Well-Being Month | Week 5 - Career & Intellectual Well-Being: Practicing with Purpose

By Kirsten Blume

Aspects of career and intellectual well-being are grounded in our values. When our job and workplace align with our most deeply held values, we tend to feel more engaged, connected, and motivated. When our job or workplace misaligns with our values, it can contribute to burnout and less intellectual satisfaction day-to-day. It’s possible for our most closely held values to change over time, especially coinciding with large life transitions (e.g., becoming a parent or losing a loved one). A helpful exercise is to occasionally check in on what values resonate most at any given time or to identify collective values as a workplace team. Brené Brown provides a list of values to consider, alongside an activity to zero in on which values are most important to us.  

Curiosity also helps foster our intellectual well-being. Curiosity can embolden our path to find work we enjoy, spark new interests or hobbies that replenish our energy tanks, and deepen our relationships. Curiosity is defined as “an eager desire to learn.” When was the last time you got lost in a book? Explored a new hobby just for the fun of it? Asked a really open-ended question of a friend about their hidden talents or aspirations? Considering and practicing our curiosity can enrich our intellectual well-being inside and outside of the workday.

You know what else can make us feel more engaged and present at work? Taking breaks and prioritizing vacations! It is crucial for all of us working in the legal field to support each other in taking the time to recharge and reenergize. Let’s collectively normalize and uplift the importance of unplugging and giving our nervous systems the chance to rest and restore.

What helps you feel engaged and present in your work life? What values are currently most important to you in your work and workplace? Join the OAAP attorney counselors and special guest Kamron Graham this Wednesday, May 28, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. on ZOOM, to discuss aligning legal work with our values.

Watch this: Curiosity As a Practice—TEDX Talk by Julie Pham

Listen to this: Living Into Our Values—podcast with Brené Brown and Barrett Guillen

Try this: Host a meeting or gathering at work about vacations your colleagues are dreaming of taking in the upcoming year, and then help support each other in brainstorming best timing and how to fill in for each other to ensure everyone can step away to recharge – 5 Steps to Making Vacation Less Stressful by Caroline Hernandez.