Healthy Motivation

What drives you each day to come to work?

What gets you up and out of bed? 

What motivates you outside of work hours?

This Wellbeing sector will cover the 'fun', hobbies, worklife balance, and interests that keep Wellbeing front of mind for individuals; however it will also focus on Career, Finances, Community, Environment and Volunteering which are all important motivators.

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Managing your financial wellbeing

UniSuper is here to help you with information or personalised advice about your membership and the range of products. You can meet with a super consultant or financial adviser on campus or via secure video conference.

UniSuper also deliver seminars and webcasts that focus on financial wellbeing and provide tools to help plan for the future.

Find out more

Uni Super Financial Wellbeing Hub

We know money matters can be tricky for many of us. When it comes to our finances, it helps to hear from those who know. We’ve partnered with Money 101 to create the Financial Wellbeing Hub. The hub offers a diverse range of material to empower financial decision-making, covering a variety of topics.

Find out more

 

Building financial wellbeing

 

Interestingly, our finances are intrinsically linked to most aspects of our overall wellbeing – the impact of financial stress impacts our health and our motivation - even our self-esteem in some cases.

Building financial wellbeing will assist us to be in control of our finances, to feel financially secure now and plan to build security for our future.

Money matters! It can determine how we live, where we live, in fact all aspects of our lifestyle are linked to our finances. Taking control of our finances provides us with options. Alternatively, having no prudent measures in place to manage our money may leave us feeling stressed about our financial future.

If we find we are constantly feeling challenged by managing our money matters, we most likely will find that our levels of general happiness and wellbeing are also negatively impacted. This often leads to worrying about other financial matters such as our ability to access health and wellbeing services.

However, what constitutes a healthy and comfortable financial situation is different for everyone. It is dependent on individual needs, responsibilities, lifestyle priorities and choices. 

  • Creating a budget

    Having a budget will help you feel in control of your money.

    To create a budget first you must

    • Record your income. Make a list of all money coming in including how much, where from and how often.
    • Track your expenses and ensure you include your fixed expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, etc) and debts (loans, credit card, schooling expenses)
    • Unexpected expenses (car repairs, medical bills, pet costs)
    • Set up a saving plan (aim for at least 10% of your income)
    • Budget your discretionary spending limit – this is for your day to day living expenses such as entertainment, eating out and hobbies.
    • Money Smart - How to do a budget

  • Get cash back – check your regular deductions!

    It is important to regularly check the payments you are making for insurances, interest rates, utility bills and entertainment memberships

    • Checking your energy providers are giving you a great deal is one way to claim cash back into your pocket. Energy Made Easy is government website that assists you compare these costs.
    • Have you got the best deal possible with your home loan? Money Smart has some great tips on choosing a home loan. You can also call your bank and negotiate a better rate for you home loan.
    • It is worth making some time to compare your life insurance, house and content insurance and your car insurance. It is better to call around and find out. Thirty minutes on the phone may say you hundreds of dollars. Resources are available on life insurance or home insurance.

  • Educate yourself

    Understanding your financial wellbeing will enable you to make informed judgements and decisions about the use of and management of money. For detailed money management education and tools, use these resources:

Building Meaningful Careers

It is possible to find meaning in your career, no matter what it is that you are doing. It is about connecting with the bigger purpose of your role and knowing and understanding your strengths and values. Take time to notice all of what you do. How do you utilise your strengths and values in your role and also in your activities out of work?

Character strengths are the qualities that come naturally to us. Each of us possess all of the 24 character strengths in different degrees which gives each of us a unique profile. When we are aware of our strengths we can ensure we are using these to improve our life and thrive at work. The VIA Character Strength Survey  is a free, science based survey which will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

  • Job Crafting

    A technique called job crafting, coined by psychologists Amy Wrzesniewski and Jane E Dutton, can be helpful to focus you on what is meaningful for you in your current role. It is a process of commencing or stopping tasks to adjust your day to day role. It may included volunteering to take on tasks that are not in your role description but you are interested in performing

  • Relational Crafting

    Relational crafting is the process to create relationships at work and changing who you spend time with. You may like to spend time with new team members to assisting them to find their way around the new job or you may like to reach out to team members to understand their roles.

  • Cognitive Crafting

    Cognitive crafting is how you change the way you think about your role. Take time to consider what you are doing and how it is affecting others. Do you notice the impact you are making on your colleagues?

Volunteering

Volunteering is spending time willingly to help someone else without being paid. It can be formal or informal. Informal volunteering includes helping friends and family with things like babysitting, home repairs or caring. Formal volunteering usually takes place through a charity or other not-for-profit or community organisation.

Volunteering can be very meaningful and enjoyable, and in turn may be good for your mental health and wellbeing.

Volunteering can:

  • give you a sense of achievement and purpose
  • help you feel part of a community
  • help you feel better about yourself by improving your self-esteem and confidence
  • help you share your talents, learn new skills and create a better work-life balance
  • help combat stress, loneliness, social isolation and depression
  • help you meet new people, which can help you feel more connected and valued

Did you know, the University has more than 2,500 volunteers and 70 volunteer groups across North Terrace, Roseworthy and Waite campuses and the wider community. We welcome people of all ages, cultures and abilities to participate as volunteers.

There is also a local division for Volunteering opportunities across SA.