1. Six Different Dimensions of You
Occupational and Intellectual Wellness

2. Objectives
Define and discuss different domains of Occupational Wellness
List different activities that fulfill the Three C’s of Intellectual Wellness
Outline a Wellness Plan

3. Physical
Social
Emotional
Spiritual
Occupational
Intellectual

4. What Is Occupational Wellness?
Roles
Fulfillment
Career
Life Skills
Higher Education or Experience
Finances
Budgeting
Satisfaction
Meaning
Leisure Time & Hobbies
Have student list ideas of what they think may be included in Occupational Wellness. List these ideas on the board in one column (leave room to the left for the next discussion list). After giving them 3-4 minutes for discussion, define occupational wellness for them?
To have occupational wellness as a person means to contribute your skills and gifts to a role that is meaningful for you, contributes to the community at large in a positive manner, and allows you to grow your experiences while cultivating a positive attitudes about them.
Occupational wellness is the healthy balance between a role in society and feeling fulfilled in life. Finding a role that is satisfying, meaningful to you, and holds your interest for many years is vital to being both happy and productive as an person. A role can be anything from being a student, a career that you pursue, or even extra social responsibilities you take on, such as volunteering. Roles can be more personal too. Being a parent or a best friend is a role where you are using your skills to be supportive of another human being. Everyone will take on multiple roles in their lifetime, usually more than one at a time.
Occupational wellness also means having a balance between your role and your downtime. You should always make time for yourself to explore hobbies and other leisure time activities. A role that contributes to your wellness should increase your motivation and excitement about exploring life, not leave you feeling drained or unable to make time for fun in life. If every day you find yourself experiencing anxiety or dread, you may be in a role that is not for you. At that point, its good to evaluate what keeps you in that role and the benefits of pursuing a new one.
One vital tool to maintaining your occupational wellness is finding out what motivates you. Once you figure that out, don’t settle. Stay persistent in life and find a role that fulfills you instead of defines you. Stay open to change, challenge yourself to learn new skills, and create your own picture of what your role in life will be.

5. Why is Occupational Wellness Important?
Happiness
Gives Purpose and Direction
Enriches Experiences
Satisfaction
Rewarding
Meaningful
Fulfilling
Lifelong Personal Growth
Have students discuss why occupational wellness may be important to them personally, both now as high school students and how they think it will effect their roles as adults. Write these ideas next to the prior column on the board.
The most common reason people look for occupational wellness is happiness. Many people spend 40 hours a week or more at school or work, but that’s not their only role. Anything that requires that kind of time investment should make you happy or soon you will be weighed down by the negativity you feel towards doing something that makes you unhappy. Equally important, you should search for roles that give you sense of purpose and direction in life. A good role should provide you with enriching experiences that leave you with a sense of satisfaction. These experiences should be rewarding and meaningful to you and not leave you feeling like you’re lost in a crowd of people. At the end of the day, your role should leave you with a sense of fulfillment and gives you energy to keep up a lifelong personal growth, continuing to question what motivates you and what role is right for you.
Its okay for a role to change. No one stays in the same role their entire life. We undergo many changes in our lifetimes, but with a strong occupational wellness you will be the one in control of your changing roles.
University of New Hampshire. (n.d.). Diverse stick figures. [Photo] Retrieved from

6. What is Intellectual Wellness?
The Three C’s
Critical Thinking
Creativity
Curiosity
Solving Puzzles
Reading
Painting & Photography
Learning a New Language
Crafting
Creating a Fantasy Sports Team
Writing Stories, Poems, Plays
Playing Creative/Stimulating Games (I.E. Minecraft)
Intellectual wellness is the ability to make sound decisions. Having intellectual wellness is characterized by a persons ability to use critical thinking, think creatively, and continue to be curious about the world around them. People with a healthy intellectual wellness often have very active minds. They are actively engaging in expanding their personal growth by seeking and being open to new ideas, mastering new skills, and challenging themselves to learn.
The Three C’s of Intellectual Wellness are the tools used to explore the world around us. Often times we mix them. (Discuss the list of examples)
Activity: Hand out index cards to all of the students. Ask them to take 5 minutes to use the card to demonstrate one example of their own experience with intellectual wellness. It doesn’t have to be a written example. They can draw a picture, write a poem, or do something creative with their card. Afterwards, give them another 5 minutes to share.
Tippens, B. (n.d.). iStock 3 c’s. [Photograph] Retrieved from

7. Activity: A Step Towards My Wellness
“I intend to improve my intellectual/occupational wellness by….”
Circle one and set a realistic goal for yourself.
Goals should make you feel happy and challenged!
“I will share my plans with _________ and will ask for their support by saying ____________”
Have someone else help you met your goals to stay accountable to your new habits.
Learning something new? Find a mentor or an instructor to teach you new skills!
“I will review my progress on ___________”
Setting a date to review your new habits will also help you keep accountable.

8. References
Lansing Community College. (n.d.) Dimensions of wellness. Retrieved from
Tippens, B. (n.d.). iStock 3 c’s. [Photograph] Retrieved from
University of California. (n.d.). Intellectual wellness. Retrieved from
University of New Hampshire. (n.d.). Occupational wellness. Retrieved from
University of New Hampshire. (n.d.). Diverse stick figures. [Photo] Retrieved from