Wellbeing

About wellbeing

Wellbeing is not just the absence of disease or illness. It’s a complex combination of a person's physical, mental, emotional and social health factors. Wellbeing is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. In short, wellbeing could be described as how you feel about yourself and your life. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines wellbeing as a positive state experienced by individuals and societies, where people are able to realise their abilities, cope with normal life stresses, work productively, and contribute to their community.

Factors that influence wellbeing

Every aspect of your life influences your state of wellbeing. Researchers investigating happiness have found the following factors enhance a person's wellbeing:

• a happy and secure intimate relationship
• network of close friends
• enjoyable and fulfilling career
• enough money
• regular exercise
• nutritional diet
• financial security
• spiritual or religious beliefs
• fun hobbies and leisure pursuits
• healthy self-esteem
• optimistic outlook
• realistic and achievable goals
• sense of purpose and meaning
• a sense of belonging
• the ability to adapt to change
• living in a fair and democratic society.

Factors are interrelated

The factors that influence wellbeing are interconnected and often affect one another. For example, employment can contribute not only to financial security but also to structure, purpose, and social connection. Different sources of wellbeing may also interact, with strengths in one area helping to support coping in another. For instance, supportive relationships or personal beliefs and values may help individuals manage stress or adapt to difficult life circumstances.

Financial Factors and Wellbeing

Financial resources can support wellbeing by enabling access to basic needs such as housing, healthcare, education, and daily living costs. However, research suggests that the relationship between income and wellbeing is not linear, with gains in wellbeing tending to plateau once a certain level of financial security is reached.

In contrast, financial insecurity can have a significant negative impact on wellbeing. Ongoing concerns about paying bills, managing debt, or maintaining stable housing can contribute to chronic stress, which may in turn affect sleep, relationships, and overall psychological functioning.

Although money is often associated with happiness, evidence consistently shows that non financial factors, particularly the quality of close relationships, play a stronger role in long term wellbeing. Prioritising financial gain over other areas of life such as relationships or rest may also reduce overall life satisfaction.

Research also suggests that placing greater value on external goals like wealth or status is linked to higher levels of distress, whereas focusing on intrinsic goals such as connection, personal meaning, and relationships is associated with better wellbeing outcomes.

The Complex Nature of Wellbeing

Wellbeing is important, but seems a little hard to come by. One American study into mental health found that, while one in four respondents was depressed, only one in five was happy – the rest fell somewhere between, neither happy nor depressed. An Australian consumer study into wellbeing showed that:

• 58% wish they could spend more time on improving their health and wellbeing.
• 79% of parents with children aged less than 18 years of age wish they could spend more time on improving their health and wellbeing.
• 83% are prepared to pay more money for products or services that enhance their feelings of wellbeing.

Measuring national wellbeing

Measuring wellbeing in a population is difficult because the interpretation of wellbeing is so subjective – how you feel about your life largely depends on the way you see it. Like the saying goes, one person's problem is another person's challenge. Australian researchers try to measure wellbeing to keep tabs on living conditions. A typical approach to measuring wellbeing is to count the number of individuals affected by a particular factor.

For example, it is helpful to keep track of how many people:

• Have certain physical health conditions.
• Are single, married or divorced.
• Exercise on a regular basis.
• Smoke or drink.
• Are on unemployment benefits.
• Are victims of crime.
• Are unable to read or write.

Keeping track of a population's wellbeing helps governments to decide on particular policies. For example, knowing the average weekly income of a population helps to set the 'poverty line', which may then influence decisions on social welfare reform.

Results depend on what is measured

Survey results tend to differ depending on what was measured. For example, an Australian survey of young people found that eight in every 10 reported feeling satisfied with their lives, including how they felt about their work, studies, income and relationships. However, this positive picture is contradicted by another survey, which found that about half of all young Australians are grappling with a difficult problem such as depression or alcohol abuse. Wellbeing is an unclear concept that is hard to pin down with graphs, charts and statistics.

Factors That Support Wellbeing

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with family and friends.
• Make regular time available for social contact.
• Try to find work that you find enjoyable and rewarding.
• Eat wholesome, nutritious foods.
• Do regular physical activity.
• Become involved in activities that interest you.
• Join local organisations or clubs that appeal to you.
• Set yourself achievable goals and work towards them.
• Try to be optimistic and enjoy each day.

Where to get help

• Your doctor.
• Family and friends.
• Counsellor.
• Lifeline Tel. 13 11 14.
• Kids Help Line Tel. 1800 551 800.