Engaging in meaningful occupations is critical for stress management due to several reasons:

1. Reduction in Anxiety and Depression: Participating in meaningful activities helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by providing a sense of purpose and fulfilment. This engagement can distract individuals from stressors and provide positive experiences that counteract negative emotions.
2. Improved Emotional Regulation: Meaningful occupations help individuals manage their emotions by providing a structured and purposeful way to express and process their feelings. This can lead to better emotional regulation and reduced stress levels.
3. Enhanced Social Support: Engaging in activities that involve social interaction helps build and maintain supportive relationships, which are crucial for stress management. Social support provides emotional comfort, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging.
4. Development of Coping Skills: Meaningful occupations can help individuals develop and enhance their coping skills by providing challenges that require problem-solving and adaptation. This can improve resilience and the ability to handle stress.
5. Promotion of Mindfulness and Relaxation: Many meaningful activities, such as hobbies or creative pursuits, promote a state of mindfulness and relaxation. This can help reduce stress by allowing individuals to focus on the present moment and find joy in the activity itself.
6. Increase in Self-Efficacy and Confidence: Engaging in meaningful occupations can enhance an individual’s sense of self-efficacy and confidence, which are important for managing stress. Accomplishing meaningful tasks provides a sense of achievement and control over one’s life.

These reasons highlight the multifaceted benefits of meaningful occupations in stress management, underscoring their importance in promoting overall mental health and well-being.

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74 (Suppl. 2), 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001

Heo, J., Stebbins, R. A., Kim, J., & Lee, I. (2013). Serious leisure, health perception, dispositional optimism, and life satisfaction among older adults. Leisure Sciences, 35(1), 16-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2013.739870

Pemberton, S., & Cox, D. (2011). Experiences of living and working with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative study among people with multiple sclerosis and their partners. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33(9), 778-788. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2010.513421

Lyons, K. D., Lambert, C. E., Balan, S., Hegel, M. T., Bartels, S. J., & Hull, J. G. (2004). Changes in activity levels of older adults with cancer: A pilot study of cancer survivors. Cancer Nursing, 27(1), 34-40. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002820-200401000-00007

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144-156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.