by Aaron Martin
It’s not a stretch to suggest that most individuals define themselves (at least, in part) by their careers. After all, it’s a job that controls our schedules, budgets and can impact relationships. It’s why we wake up every morning, put on pants and head out the door –instead of staying in whatever we wore to bed, queuing up Netflix and putting a frozen burrito in the microwave. While these tangible benefits of working are more obvious, the physiological gains are a bit more nuanced.
Mental Health Awareness Month
As we fight to break the stigma of mental health this May, it’s important to ask ourselves “How can we help?” Research suggests one way we can help: give people jobs.
Work not only gives us a reason to wake up every morning, it often plays a vital role in how we define and value ourselves. Sigmund Freud once famously said that “love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.”
5 ways a job can improve your life and make you a better human
1.) How to relate to people
You’re never going to agree with everyone all the time, especially at work. And it’s at work where we learn that a significant key to success is appropriately engaging with people, despite the disagreements. You don’t need to be best friends with everyone, but being on good terms with everyone makes work more enjoyable and productive.
2.) How to set goals
People don’t (and shouldn’t) expect to be stagnant in their workplace growth. Learning how to set goals at your job AND accomplish those goals is key to progressing your influence and importance at work. The feeling of achievement not only leads to better work ethic, it also encourages us to keep improving.
3.) How to learn new skills
Like goal-setting, learning a new skill often times leads to an increase in wages. While financial stability is a crucial factor in sound mental health, the feeling of achievement allows us to feel good about ourselves and it encourages us to never stop learning.
4.) How to communicate
There’s no way to avoid difficult conversation in the workplace, your paycheck may not be as much as you think it should be or maybe you’re just feeling underappreciated. Whatever ugly situation arises, it can generally be solved by good communication skills. Learning how to professionally express yourself is an invaluable skill at you can (and should!) take home with you.
5.) How to contribute to the community
It’s easy to feel isolated from others if there’s no reason to leave your house. A steady, regular job allows us to feel needed and invested in our local environment, no matter how small it may be. Being a regular contributor to your local work community also fosters growth in places that may feel a bit outside our comfort zone.
At Job One, our mission is to provide gainful, inclusive employment for everyone ––regardless of physical or mental setbacks. We focus on creating opportunities where individuals have choices for meaningful employment. An ordinary job doesn’t need to be life-changing, but it can change the life direction of an individual by providing healthy mental benefits.
Learn more about JobOne here.