Occupational Therapy: The Link Between Occupation, Health, and Well-Being

This essay discusses the link between occupation, health, and well-being, using badminton as an example. It explores the benefits of playing badminton in childhood and adulthood, and how it impacts physical, mental, and social well-being. The essay also explains the person-environment-occupation model and Wilcock’s theory of doing, becoming, and being.

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Occupational Therapy
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Introduction
This essay will discuss the meaning of occupation, health, and wellbeing as well as its
influence on hindering or supporting my health and well-being. It will compare and contrast this
influence with how my occupations have affected my health and well-being in previous stages of
my life cycle. The aspects of my experience will be compared in the present time and in the past
by analyzing the physical, cognitive, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual impacts.
Various evidence will be used to support and contrast the impacts of various occupations on
health and well-being and relate them to my personal experience. In the end, the essay will
provide a summary of the main concepts covered in the essay.
Occupation
Occupation refers to the things that individuals do that occupy their attention or time
(American Occupational Therapy Association, 2016). These things include everything related to
relishing life, self-care and those that contribute to economic and social aspects within the
society. Occupations facilitate the engagement of people to their mutual work as well as the
promotion of personal development and growth, which provides possibilities to sustain a healthy
environment where people interact with each other. In occupational therapy, the term occupation
entails the daily activities carried out by people as individuals, in families, and with communities
to bring purpose and meaning in life as well as occupy time. Occupations can comprise the
execution of various activities for completion and can lead to different outcomes.
Health
The literature on the definition of health includes several different definitions and ways
through which health is measured ranges from those that emphasize objective measures to

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definitions that are broader and measurement by self-perception (Huber et al., 2011). Narrowly,
health can be defined to indicate mental or bodily functioning. Broadly, health can be defined as
a state of complete social, mental and physical well-being and not merely the absence of
infirmity or disease (WHO, 2019). Alternatively, health can be defined as personal fulfillment,
an adaptive response, ability to perform to the best of the ability of the person, flexibility in
encountering life challenges and an integrated functioning (Svalastog et al., 2017). In this essay,
the definition of health that is used was stated as health is created and lived by people in the
setting of their everyday life. Heath is a positive concept that emphasizes personal and social
resources and physical capacity.
Well-Being
Well-being is emphasized as a term used to describe the perception of an individual
regarding their condition. Well-being entails the total universe of the life of human domains
comprising of social, mental and physical aspects (Medvedev and Landhuis, 2018). Well-being
also refers to the integration of an individual’s social, spiritual, emotional, mental and physical
characteristics (Oades and Mossman, 2017). Researchers have emphasized well-being as an
internal construct that may be independent of external conditions (Harsha et al., 2016). For
instance, it is possible for an individual to be unhealthy or ill and still have a sense of well-being.
For the purpose of this essay, well-being is defined as an internal construct made up of
spontaneous and reflective dimensions. Other definitions include the state of harmony in all
aspects of a person’s life. This state is characterized by experiences of pleasure, contentment,
spiritual experiences and sense of happiness.
In the framework, occupation is referred to as daily activities of life in which people
engage. Occupation takes place in context and is impacted by the interplay among performance

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skills, client factors as well as performance patterns. They occur over time and have a meaning,
purpose and perceived utility to the client. There is a link between occupation, health, and well-
being (Fortune and Kennedy-Jones, 2014). The person-environment-occupation model is the
conceptual framework that explains this relationship (Russell and Bahle-Lampe, 2016). In this
framework, the relationship between various factors is emphasized, which include the
environmental factors, occupation, and personal aspects as well as their impact on the occupation
performance of the person, their health and well-being. In the life of a person, there are various
factors such as self-efficacy, genetics, socioeconomic status, sex, age and other performance
components, which affect their performance in various occupations. (Mauno, Ruokolainen and
Kinnunen, 2013).
There is also the Wilcock’s theory of doing, becoming and being, which also tries to
depict the relationship between occupation, health, and well-being (Kosma, Bryant and Wilson,
2013). According to this theory, doing entails the occupation and occupation performance of a
person, which is vital in the interaction of the person with other people as well as in the
development of one’s identity and shaping the society. ‘Being’ entails the habit of being true to
one’s self, which is important in the reflection of individuals. ‘Becoming’ entails the criteria
under which individuals redefine their values as well as a rethinking of priorities in the advance
preparation of the emerging roles. When these three concepts are combined together, they lead to
health and well-being.
Various studies have been conducted to examine daily occupations such as leisure,
productivity, self-care among others and their link with health and well-being (Jonsson, 2008).
The focus of these studies was on the factors, which mediated the link between occupation,
health, and well-being (Hu, Qin, and Xu, 2017). Their findings on the impact of occupation on

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health depicted that removing occupation leads to elevated levels of physiological changes, stress
and decreased health. Another experimental study was conducted on the effect of certain
programs that aimed at the promotion of physical and mental integrity for individuals with
dementia within three months. High levels of somatostatin in the cerebral spinal concentration of
fluid and better improvements in motor and cognitive functions were found in a group that was
receiving the integrity promotion care (Pentland and McColl, 2008). Other studies have found
that occupation influences the health and well-being being of individuals.
Studies on mediating factors such as perceived control and stress have found that they
have a significant impact on occupation and health. It has been found that elevated stress and
lower perceived control are linked to decreased health functionality. In a literature review
conducted by Creek and Hughes (2008) it was found that the occupation has a significant impact
on health and well-being. The performances of each day occupations have significant functional
and physiological outcomes. It has been found also that changes or withdrawal in a person’s
occupation influences a person’s self-perceived health and well-being.
Currently, am a graduate student with 24 years old and so far I have engaged in several
occupations that resulted in various outcomes. In my childhood, I majorly engaged in three
occupations, which are playing badminton, cooking and playing music. Occupational therapists
believe that there is a link between occupation, health, and well-being (Fortune and Kennedy-
Jones, 2014). ). There is a conceptual framework known as the person-environment-occupation
model that explains the relationship between occupation and other aspects of life such as health
and well-being (Russell and Bahle-Lampe, 2016). In this framework, the relationship between
various factors is emphasized, which include, environmental, occupation aspects and personal
and their impact on the occupational performance of the person, their health and well-being.

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Playing Badminton
I was born and brought up in an area where badminton was a very popular sport. I think
this is because badminton is one of the most accessible game and does not require much
equipment. In my childhood, I used to play badminton using our household badminton rackets,
which we shared among members of the family. Unfortunately, we did not have our own rackets.
Badminton was my favorite sport and still, it is because it enables me to stay active when I
playing it. I began playing badminton when I was at the age of 9 years. At this age, my uncle
used to be a professional player who kept encouraging me to join him during his sessions of
practice. Together with my childhood friends, my attitude toward playing badminton was
significantly influenced. I was able to learn most of the skills through observation and with time,
my interest in playing badminton grew further as I felt socially connected. My relationship with
others also grew further.
Benefits of Playing Badminton in Childhood
In childhood, playing badminton has various benefits some of which that are vital to the
development of children. Research has shown that play is one of the most significant means
through which children are able to learn (Vogt et al., 2018). Badminton as a sport that involves
play supports learning, promote social and language development as well as enhance creativity in
children. Children are able to learn more effectively and efficiently via play.
My personal experience was that it impacted on my health and well being in the
following ways;
Socially badminton is beneficial to children because it requires at least two players.
Therefore, a child would need another child to play with this kind of sport. This encourages them

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to socialize much further as well as maintain relationships. Just like other sports, Badminton was
able to enrich and strengthen my friendship and social life. Playing badminton helped me to
socialize better with other people.
Physically, badminton enhances training of muscles, increase lung capacity because it is
a sport that is normally played outdoors or indoors. This type of sport engages body muscles to
enhance body flexibility and physical fitness. This, in turn, helps to improve blood circulation
and as well, as elevates the capacity of lungs. As a child, therefore this proved to be more
beneficial to me. Research has also found that badminton help to improve memory (Yuksel et al.,
2015). During my training, I was needed to practice this sport without a point tracker. I was
required to remember the number of points that I got in the game. Furthermore, I was required to
comprehend some of the rules of badminton that needed some memory exercise.
Mentally, badminton helps to improve motor skills in children. Research has found that
badminton is a sport that is healthy and can assist children to communicate and socialize better
with real people (Kang et al., 2011). Children who play badminton can benefit from it with
respect to their development of the brain. Like other children, badminton helped me to develop
better coordination and balance because the sport itself required harmonious interactions
between various parts of the body. The sport also required me to use my badminton rackets to hit
the incoming flying shuttlecocks. I was able to work in conjunction with my playing partners and
react to the action of my opponent. This improved my motor skills because I was alert at all
times during the game practice in order to make decisions in split seconds.
Playing Badminton in Adulthood

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In adulthood, this childhood occupation of playing badminton has helped me a lot
because currently, I am a coach of my local team. It has really helped me in socializing with my
fellow friends. When I play badminton, with my team colleagues and team members, I often feel
energetic and this feeds my body with the much-required energy to drive me throughout the day.
At my free time, I play badminton as it allows me to bond with my family and friends. It really
makes me feel great and stimulate the urge to perfect my skills further to become a great player.
Having played badminton from my childhood, my body has remained to be in good shape and I
have managed to make several friends along the way.
Benefits in Adulthood
My personal experience is that it has impacted on my health and well being in the
following ways;
Playing badminton in my current stage of body development support my health and well-
being in various significant ways. Research has found that playing badminton enhance physical
fitness because it helps to burn about 450 calories per hour (Yuksel et al., 2015). This type of
cardiovascular workout is beneficial to my health and well-being because it helps to keep in tip-
top shape. It also helps me to develop athleticism due to its fast-paced nature. This, therefore,
improves my speed as well as my reflexes. Badminton also allows legs to go through a full range
of motion that is pivotal for shaping toned muscles. It also allows the training of calves,
hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes, which help in burning fat and building lean muscle.
There are also other psychological benefits realized from playing badminton at this stage
of life. Badminton promotes physical fitness, which assists in reducing anxiety and stress levels.
This is because, during body exercise, endorphins are increased which neurotransmitters that

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make the brain to feel good are. These Neurotransmitters has also been found to improve sleep
and mood. Evidence suggests that that badminton improves social interactions, as the game
requires at least one opponent (Yuksel et al., 2015). This social interaction can assist one to
become part of a particular community by joining the league. For instance, I am part of my local
team in my area, which makes me feel positive after a session on the court.
However, it is noted that badminton can lead to various injuries such as muscle strains
and sprains although they are relatively rare as well as low risk when proper warm is carried out
regularly. Research has shown that those who practice more on racket handling and footwork can
reduce the risk further. It would seem therefore that there is nothing bad about playing
badminton at this stage of life. This is supported by research that was carried on the effects of
playing badminton. Evidence from this research showed that playing in adulthood is good for
overall body health (Yuksel et al., 2015). The research further found that badminton could
eliminate or reduce various risks of health problems such as obesity, diabetes and elevated blood
pressure. Furthermore, playing badminton can lower the risk for coronary disease of the heart by
reducing high levels of triglyceride in the body and increasing good cholesterol. At my age,
badminton can help in regulating my body weight, as it is known for its metabolism boosting as
well as fat-burning qualities. Generally, this implies that playing badminton overall is good for
my health and well-being.
Cooking
I remember that I began cooking officially at the age of 10 years although at younger I
used to enter into the kitchen and observe how my mother used to cook for the family. The first
recipes I remember cooking with her were found on the back of the Bisquick box: streusel coffee
cake and pancakes. Even though I was not the most helpful sous chef to my mother, but at least I

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was able to learn as I went along. It took some years before I started preparing the meal for my
working mother who used to come late in the evening. With time, I began cooking for the family
especially during weekends when I used to be free. I really enjoyed cooking with my mother
whom I was able to learn a lot of cooking skills that enlightened my life. According to
occupational therapists, there is a strong connection between occupation, health, and well-being
as also supported by the person- Environment-occupation model.
My personal experience was that it impacted on my health and well being in the
following ways:
Research has also found that cooking at childhood has significant benefits to children
(Hersch et al., 2014). Cooking in my childhood built by basic skills especially in honing basic
math skills by doing simple things like counting eggs. Studies have depicted that the best way for
children to learn is via experience (Lavelle et al., 2016). Cooking also boosted, my confidence
because being in the kitchen provided me with an opportunity to gain a sense of accomplishment.
Cooking helps me to explore with my senses and allowed me to explore different foods.
Adulthood
Currently, I have realized that cooking has become part of my life. In my childhood, I
used to cook for myself but now I cook for a group of family members. When I cook for myself,
I learn to enjoy healthy foods that I never liked before. Cooking for a group of family members
has enabled me to attain social status. So far, I have various skills and experience in preparing a
variety of foods that have earned a lot of respect among the family members.
My personal experience is that it has impacted on my health and well being in the
following ways;

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Research has shown that cooking has the ability to improve one’s health and lifestyle thus
improving health and well-being (Farmer, Touchton-Leonard and Ross, 2017). Being able to
prepare a variety of foods, I found myself preparing nutritious foods for the family. Consumption
of nutritious foods helps to improve one’s health and lifestyle (Utter et al., 2018). This is because
nutritious foods supply the body with the significant nutrients required to boost one’s immunity
(Pelto et al., 2015). As discussed, health refers to the state of complete social, mental and
physical well-being and not merely the absence of infirmity or disease. Therefore cooking, as
enhanced my social status, improved my mental performance and physically I practice cooking
skills, which together make up health. It is worth knowing that, through cooking, I have been
able to manage my body weight and fat consumption, which now are within the health optimum
levels. Cooking also helps me to save money because I tend to avoid buying prepared foods. The
money saved I use them in other productive ways such as saving it for my future use.
Playing Music (Drum)
I engaged in this occupation by drumming at a camp for kids who had parents with
cancer. I would sing, chant and drum and at the end of it all, I would feel contented. I remember I
began drumming at the age of 6 years old. This continued throughout my life and each day I
would learn new beats and acquire new skills too. In school, I would actively participate in
drama, as I played the role of drumming while the rest of my colleagues played other roles. I was
also a member of the school band.
My personal experience was that it impacted on my health and well being in the
following ways:

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Cognitively and psychologically, drumming helped my overall brain development.
Research has found that drumming helps to stimulate the right and left sides of the brain thus
enhancing brain development (Winkelman, 2003). This is because; children tend to use different
parts of the brain to listen to music around them, to instruct their bodies to move and create as
well as to comprehend a rhythm.
Evidence suggests that playing music develops analytical processes on the left side of the
brain as well as creativity in the right side of the brain (Ho et al., 2011). Physically, drumming
also helped me to develop physical fitness. It is also noted that drumming increases blood flow
and heart rate implying that drumming teaches children about their bodies (Winkelman, 2003).
Physical fitness is enhanced because while drumming, the whole body is engaged particularly the
legs, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. It is supported by the playing
badminton, which also enhanced my physical fitness during practice.
Adulthood
Currently, I do not play the drum regularly as I used to play in childhood, however, I do
play other musical instruments such as the guitar. At my free time, I usually attend drum lessons
to learn more about music genres. My main aim is to become a great drummer. I found this to be
fun and interesting as each day being able to acquire new skills.
My personal experience is that it has impacted on my health and well-being in
various ways;
Research on well-being has reflected two complementary approaches known as
eudaimonic and hedonic traditions (Ryan and Deci, 2001). The positive effects of playing music
especially drumming have been investigated widely (Ascenso et al., 2018). In particular, the

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potential of the group to enhance well-being has been well documented. Drumming has been
found to be an effective complementary tool treatment of addiction because it demands
alienation reduction via connectedness with others and self.
Evidence suggests that drumming is a tool for creating a sense of community in
neighborhoods that are underprivileged (Ascenso et al., 2018). It is also noted that drumming has
the potential of enhancing well-being in contexts of education by facilitating a sense of
empowerment as well as embodiment inherent to learning music. It would, therefore, seem that
drumming at my own improves my health and well-being in the mentioned ways. Personally,
drumming has enhanced my physical, intellectual and emotional aspects. This is supported by
research conducted to determine the effects of drumming at the individual level, which found out
that drumming improves relationships and increases self-esteem (Southgate and Roscigno,
2009).
Conclusion
The essay has discussed the meaning of occupation, health, and well-being as well as
how the three occupations affected my health and well-being. It has found that occupations
promote and maintains an individual’s health and well-being in various ways as discussed. There
is a close and strong relationship between occupations, health, and well-being. Perceived control
and stress are some of the mediating factors between occupation, health, and well-being. Three
main occupations along with the various activities involved have been discussed in detail.
Finally, occupation engagement has been discussed as well as how it influenced health and well-
being in various ways as supported by study evidence.

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