WHAT IS WELLBEING - ARE YOU SURE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT?

It is defined as  the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. But the reality is that it means different things to different people. It can be linked to physiological factors (food, drink, sleep, exercise) and it can also be linked to emotional (stress, anxiety, loneliness). We know this from the chemistry of Serotonin, Endorphins and Cortisol (see References below)
 
 We could break Wellbeing into these elements..

	
Physical. This includes lifestyle choices that affect the functioning of our bodies. What we eat and how active we are will affect our physical wellbeing.
	
Emotional or psychological. This is our ability to cope with everyday life and reflects how we think and feel about ourselves.
	
Social.  This is the extent that we feel a sense of belonging and social inclusion. The way we communicate with others, our relationships, values, beliefs, lifestyles and traditions are all important factors of social wellbeing.
	
Spiritual. This is the ability to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life. Achieved through being connected to our inner self, to nature or even a greater power.
	
Intellectual. It is important to gain and maintain intellectual wellness as it helps us to expand our knowledge and skills in order to live an enjoyable and successful life.
	
Economic. Economic wellness, in short, is our ability to meet our basic needs and feel a sense of security. 


How does Corporate and Personal wellbeing differ? 

Well in one context we might think (or hope?) that they are the same or closely related given that about a third of our day is spent at work. In another context we might say they differ a lot because our personal hopes, dreams and priorities are seldom the same as our boss or employer. 

As a Coach and IoD Mentor I note a high percentage of people who use the term "toxic culture" and the statistics and my own experience suggests between 25-30% of people anticipate leaving their jobs because they are not happy. 

To be brutal, firms seldom care about happiness, except in-so-far as it helps productivity. Happy people collaborate, cooperate and perform better. But the evidence is that free fruit, a pool table and flexitime isn't achieving much for people or profits. 

This should not surprise us: Hedonism is generally short-term and temporary form of wellbeing. Example: I'm hungry, so I eat. Next. I am thirsty so I drink. Next. I want a nice car, so I get it. Next. I want a better car. Next. 

Indeed this  type of well-being is materialistic and consumerist. We all know about Shopping Therapy! But like a great wine can lead to a hang-over and your latest toy can lead to debt, this version of Wellbeing is not sustainable. 

The relationship between Wellbeing and Purpose.

Increasingly it is clear that sustainable wellbeing comes from a sense of Purpose, a goal, something that engages us emotionally, physically, head, heart and gut. These other distractions (yoga, meditation, fasting, or religion) may be helpful and possibly transitional but they are not a replacement for Purpose or the sense of belonging that goes with responsibility and pursuit of Purpose.

Your life's meaning is unlikely to be to stand on your head, recite a holy text, or deliver quarter 2 growth in sales. These things may earn you a pat on the back, but that is not the same as the contentment that comes from a worthwhile pursuit of something really important - to YOU.

I welcome We Talk Wellbeing research into Wellbeing in Jersey and look forward to seeing the results.  

I will be particularly interested in what Wellbeing means for people and organisations, and whether they take a mechanistic approach (These interventions yield the happiness + productivity result)  or a more humanistic approach (How do we change culture, communication and process to improve our community). The key difference between the two appears to be that the former treats the person and production unit, whereas the latter treats them like an architect of Purpose.

As a Consultant, Coach and IoD Mentor I am interested in how we might better help people and organisations better define and achieve their goals.

If you are interested in the IoD Mentor Programme, or ICF Coaching and how this may help you (or your organisation) get in touch.

Tim HJ Rogers MBA 
CONSULTANT MENTOR COACH
MBA (Management Consultancy) & Change Practitioner 
ICF Trained Coach IoD Business Mentor
Mob 447797762051 
Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com

References
Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion.

Endorphins act on the opiate receptors in our brains, they reduce pain and boost pleasure, resulting in a feeling of well-being. Endorphins are released in response to pain or stress, but they're also released during other activities, like eating, exercise, or sex.

Cortisol is what gives us our 'fight or flight' response to a stressful or dangerous situation. It helps us perform better in some situations and improves focus. 

Welfare hedonism is a philosophical theory which says that individual well-being or welfare consists solely in the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain experienced by an individual