In the search for a fulfilling career, understanding the interaction between your working environment and your aspirations is crucial. Self-determination theory provides a broad framework for understanding human motivation, personality, and the role of the environment regarding an individual’s mental health. The theory was first accepted into mainstream psychology in the mid-1980s following work by Edward L. Deci and Richard Ryan.
Self-determination theory provides a way of understanding how our mental health interacts with the environment we inhabit (including our workplace). By studying it, along with some of its sub-theories, this article will see how making a career change can be an important step in improving one’s mental health.
Introduction to Self-Determination Theory: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness
Self-determination theory consists of three main components: Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness. Accounting for each of these measures is required to holistically understand one's motivation and, as a result, mental health related to work activities. For instance, keeping in mind how one relates to these while at work can provide a gauge for if that current job or career is a good fit.
Autonomy:
Autonomy refers to the degree to which one feels they have a choice over their actions and the degree they are willing to endorse their actions. The types of questions worth asking here are: Am I being restricted more than I want in my job? Am I being micromanaged? Or, am I being undermanaged?
Competence:
Competence refers to the feeling of mastery or the ability to be effective in one’s activity. You don’t need to be a genius or even the best person in the office - whatever that means - but it is important to feel that you can stay on top of the workload. The types of questions worth asking here are: Do I need more training to effectively do this job? Am I finding this job too hard, or too easy?
Answers to these questions can motivate you to move into new roles, to research further education like direct entry MSN programs for non-nurses online, or other qualifications related to fields you might be interested in. Asking these questions will help you to narrow down what paths to look into.
Relatedness:
Relatedness refers to one’s feeling of belonging to the environment and connectedness with others. Questions like: How do I get along with my coworkers? Is my relationship with my boss or manager productive? Is this role too social for my liking?
Theory One: Organismic Integration Theory
Organismic integration theory is concerned with how well an individual acts within the organization, or environment, as a whole. Its main claim is that extrinsic motivation is related to an individual's sense of autonomy.
Note: extrinsic motivation, as opposed to intrinsic motivation, refers to how motivated one is to complete tasks that are beyond the behavior itself. Put simply, extrinsic motivation is how motivated you are by the ends, intrinsic motivation is how motivated you are by the means.
Relating this to careers or the workplace, organismic integration theory is concerned with how much you believe in the goals of the company. It says that if you are aligned with the company goals, or if you believe in the company mission then you are likely to be motivated when pursuing your day-to-day tasks. Alternatively, if you do not believe in the company's goals, then you are going to be less motivated to complete those tasks.
Motivation to do the day-to-day is crucial for one’s mental health. Organismic integration theory says that if you dread the company's goals, then you are likely to dread the day-to-day activities. This can be useful to know in two regards: Firstly, it can be useful to see how you feel about your current workplace. Secondly, if you are to take the jump to another company, ensure you are aligned with that company's mission.
Theory Two: Basic Psychological Needs Theory
The basic psychological needs theory takes the three components of self-determination theory and directly relates them to individuals’ mental health. When the basic psychological needs are satisfied, it has a significant positive impact on an individual's mental health. By changing workplace settings, through a career change, it is possible to better meet these basic needs.
Meeting these components leads to improved self-esteem and well-being. A feeling of autonomy leads people to believe in their self-worth and personal efficacy. Competence allows one to feel confident in their actions. Relatedness provides a social support network that boosts one’s self-perception.
Improving individuals' capacity to cope with challenges and be resilient in the face of setbacks, allows one to be comfortable in the workplace. Being more comfortable in the workplace is a small, but important step towards improving your mental health.
Theory Three: Relationships Motivation Theory
Relationships motivation theory is concerned with the development and maintenance of close personal relationships and belonging to groups. Given that the average full-time worker spends close to 40 hours a week with their coworkers, it is important to recognize that these relationships are hugely impactful to your mental health.
The theory claims that relatedness is not only desirable for most people in their daily lives but is a necessary component for their well-being. Recognizing if you relate to your coworkers, or if there seems to be a barrier between you, might provide a hint that it is time to search for a new career. Removing these barriers, by switching careers, and connecting with new people, is invaluable to individuals' well-being.
Whilst it is seemingly obvious that relatedness will have a significant impact on your relationships, less obvious, but equally important, is autonomy. This is because the relationships you build and reinforce should be those that support your sense of self, not overly restrictive onesRecognising if you aren’t ‘being yourself’ at work, and searching for workplaces that may allow you more autonomy, might be necessary if your current work is weighing on your mental health.
Making a career change is a big decision. It can be difficult to know if now is the right time. It can also be difficult to know where to move to. Self-determination theory can be a useful tool in the toolbelt when trying to make these tough decisions.
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