Answering the above question isn’t as simple as it sounds. Although there are many different definitions of ‘wellbeing’, people interpret the phrase differently. So what counts as well-being for one person, may not count for another.
However, the general idea of well-being is being comfortable, healthy, and happy with your situation. But your situation can relate to anything which affects you, for example, your physical and mental health, social life, economic situation, and even intellectual abilities. Sometimes people refer to well-being as ‘how we’re doing’, and it’s often referred to as social welfare.
Following World Wellbeing Week, we’re looking at what exactly wellbeing means, and how it can affect us on a daily basis.
What affects a person’s well-being?
Well-being includes all aspects of a person’s life. Factors that both we can and cannot control. The experiences we are exposed to and the environment we live in will contribute heavily to our overall well-being. These can include more mainstream factors such as health, economy, and education.
Well-being is also reflected by our inwards feelings. How we interact with others, the quality of our relationships with others, our capabilities, how we view and feel about ourselves, and our sense of purpose.
The main 6 areas which affect a person’s well-being are:
Physical health
This includes lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise. Ultimately how we treat our bodies will impact how we feel about them, and in turn, how our bodies make us feel and what they allow us to do.
Social interactions and relationships
This relates to the quantity and quality of the relationships we create and the social interactions we have. Having these relationships means we can communicate our feelings, interests, beliefs, traditions, and values, which provide us with a sense of belonging.
Intellectual abilities
Having the ability to expand our knowledge and learn means we can progress throughout life. If not expanding, then the maintenance of intellectual wellness means we can continue to live an enjoyable life.
Emotional and psychological health
This refers to an individual ability to cope with everyday scenarios and situations. As well as how we think, view ourselves, and value ourselves.
Economic situation
This refers to whether an individual is able to create a sense of safety and security for themselves and anyone who is dependent on them. Including our income, housing situation, and assets.
Spiritual feelings
Spirituality doesn’t have to just refer to religion. It can also include our feelings towards the world, and our place in it.
Contact Us
For more information on how a workplace can affect a person’s well-being, and how to manage this appropriately, please get in touch. Visit our FAQs page, call us at 01260 277797, or email us at website@acornoh.co.uk