Occupational Integrity: Another Perspective on “Life Balance”

Abstract

Background. An underlying premise of occupational science and occupational therapy is that humans do better with a balanced lifestyle. What life balance means, how to design it, and to recognize when one has it have not been defined. Purpose. Our intention is to offer another perspective on life balance, one that we believe is at the root of what the term means. Key Issues. We suggest the notion underlying life balance is the extent to which a person designs and lives in integrity with his or her own personal values, strengths and what has meaning for them. The term we propose is occupational integrity and that it be regarded as an essential precondition to life balance. Implications. Occupational integrity expands the focus of therapy beyond “doing” to interventions at the level of the person and identity, helping clients to identify their strengths, values and purpose, what is meaningful and satisfying for them, and then designing and living their lives in congruence with that.