How do we actually measure our own wellbeing? Wellbeing explained through the theory of PERMA.
Wellbeing has been a buzzword for some time, but what does it truly mean, and how can we measure it?
Our wellbeing as employees affects how we think and feel about our individual work and our collective work within an organisation which can predict our job attitudes and performance, but what about our personal wellbeing?
If you have heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, you would know of the importance of self-actualisation. In developing a theory to address and define self-actualisation, in 1998, Dr. Martin Seligman identified five components? people pursue to achieve wellbeing, and this created the PERMA model.
PERMA represents: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishments. Each dimension works in cohesion to provide an individual with the ability to thrive and flourish in life. Let’s take a look at each of the dimensions a little more closely.
Positive Emotion
Having positive emotion is more than happiness, it is about building physical, intellectual and social resources to promote resilience, and cultivate wellbeing. But how does one build positive emotion? We can build positive emotion by:
- spending time with loved ones and those close to you;
- doing things that you enjoy and are passionate about; and
- reflecting on things you are grateful for and what is going well in your life.
Engagement
According to Seligman, engagement is having a natural flow and ‘being one with the music’. This explores one’s ability to become absorbed in an activity and remain present in the moment. In a world with competing priorities and distractions, this type of engagement is often hard to achieve but people who can master achievement show greater levels of happiness. We can increase our engagement by:
- participating in activities you enjoy and allowing yourself to lose your sense of time;
- living in the moment, starting with small mundane tasks;
- watching, listening and observing what happens around you in nature; and
- identifying what your strengths are and play on those in these moments.
Positive Relationships
Relationships are all around us, and as inherently social creatures we thrive on our interactions with others. Relationships provide us with support, love and value; and our social environment has been found to play a critical role in our cognitive development and maintenance. Fostering positive relationships isn’t just about maintaining your existing ones, but building new ones. So how can we do that?
- Join classes, clubs or social groups that interest you.
- Engage with those you don’t know as well as you could, ask new questions and dig deeper to create friendships out of acquaintanceships.
- Spark up conversation with those you haven’t been in touch with, and connect again.
Meaning
What is the meaning of the things we attach importance to? Being social creatures also means we are consistently searching for meaning and attaining a sense of value, purpose and worth in what we’re doing. Having these things ensures we focus our efforts on what is important to us and gives us a purpose in many spheres of life. We can build on finding this meaning through:
- getting involved in organisations that align with your values;
- trying new and creative ways to connect with the things you value; and
- identifying ways you can use your passion to help others.
Accomplishments
We place value on wanting to look on our journey or trajectory and feel a sense of pride. Yet, achieving goals can be challenging and we often set goals that are unattainable or immeasurable. Accomplishment and achievement is important to keep us in line with our values and continue on a pursuit of self-improvement. Achieving internal, intrinsic goals will set us on a path to achieving our external goals. So how do we build our accomplishment?
- Set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound).
- Reflect on your journey – not just past successes but your learnings and areas of growth, to where you are now.
- Look for creative ways to celebrate each achievement, large or small.
To increase employee wellbeing, it doesn’t mean spending money and resources. Wellbeing can be achieved through many ways such as interpersonal interactions with colleagues and supervisors, building positive social relationships but most importantly, giving an employee the tools to manage and nurture their own wellbeing, in and outside of work.
PERMA can be helpful for improving performance, building resilience, and increasing success and life satisfaction. Here are three activities which embody the PERMA framework that you can complete today to increase your wellbeing!
- The VIA Character Personality Assessment survey: learn your character strengths to guide you in achieving better engagement and accomplishment.
- Track and Measure Success worksheet: keep track of your wins and success story
- Gratitude Journal: to implement a routine for self-gratitude in your daily life
I recently took the Character Personality Assessment Survey and here is a glimpse of some of my strengths!
