How Finding Your Flow with Immersive Activities Can Help You Live with Chronic Illness

Cultivating activities that improve health, well-being, and a sense of meaning may sound like a luxury, but it can be an important tool for managing life with chronic illness.

Have you ever noticed that when you’re doing something you enjoy, the world seems to fall away, and it’s easier to exist in the present? Taking time for these activities can create ripples of positivity throughout the rest of your life.

Our society often encourages us to think of hobbies and leisure activities as frivolous — when they’re anything but!

In occupational therapy, we call these “meaningful occupations.” An occupation is defined as an activity that brings meaning and purpose to life.

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How meaningful occupations improve health and well-being

The whole premise of occupational therapy is that by engaging in meaningful occupations, your health and well-being can improve.

For instance, I enjoy singing, and singing in a choir is a meaningful occupation for me.

Research funded by the National Endowment of the Arts tells us that choir singing offers health benefits, including:

• self-confidence
• social connection
• improved respiratory health and cognition
• improved mental health

On the other hand, if you hate singing, having to participate in group singing every week might feel like a form of mild torture — and definitely won’t carry the same meaning.

Where I might experience health benefits from singing, others might not if they don’t associate it with the same value.

The trick is to find your own unique occupations and overcome the barriers to participating in them. These barriers can include chronic illness, time constraints, finances, or all of the above.

Examples of meaningful occupations

There are endless possibilities for meaningful occupations. To find yours, think about what brings you joy. What puts you in a state of “flow,” or the feeling of being so immersed in an activity that you lose track of time?

I used to take pottery classes. When I was centering the clay on the wheel, I’d lose myself in the moment. My mind (and anxiety) would fade into the background. It felt so satisfying to create pottery, chat with my classmates, have a routine, and even think of myself as a “potter.”

The positive feelings I got from pottery class lasted long after the class itself, improving my whole day or even week.

Many other occupations can serve as vehicles for feelings of worth, connection, happiness, and mindfulness.

Gardening can improve mental and physical well-being and quality of life while reducing stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Walking alone or in a group can improve well-being while fostering social connection and a sense of achievement. Surfing can improve mood, self-esteem, confidence, and social relationships.

Other possible meaningful occupations include:

• knitting
• kickboxing
• reading
• working out
• martial arts
• teaching a class
• dancing
• caring for someone
• religious activities
• home renovation
• volunteering
• creative writing

There are as many meaningful occupations as there are people to engage in them. The magic happens when you find personal meaning in the occupation — otherwise, it may just feel like a chore.

Prioritize your occupations — and your mental health

I know firsthand how easy it is to not prioritize your meaningful occupations and, ultimately, your own mental health.

After all, singing in a choir when I’m also trying to work, pay my bills, grocery shop, attend doctor appointments, and keep up with my family can seem like a luxury and a huge commitment at the same time.

We live in a society that values productivity. Doing something purely because it brings you joy or helps you connect with your community doesn’t totally fit into that script.

It’s a little cliché, but I try to remember the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

When I take time for my meaningful occupations (singing, pottery, yoga, reading, cooking), I feel better mentally and physically. And when I feel better, I’m able to show up better in my daily life — whether that’s at work, in my relationship, or managing my chronic illnesses.

Overcoming barriers to meaningful occupations

Of course, it isn’t as simple as knowing the importance of taking time for your meaningful occupations. For so many of us, there are other factors at play.

When I’m in a depressive episode, I lose a lot of motivation for the things I enjoy. And when I’m in a chronic pain flare, I simply cannot do some of the more physical things I enjoy — like running or yoga.

Working long hours, being a caregiver, financial constraints, and more can all also be barriers.

For all these reasons, it’s so easy to let your meaningful occupations be the first things that you lose in a time of hardship. The kicker is that without your meaningful occupations, that time is guaranteed to feel even harder.

Make it work for you

My advice is to carve out time for your meaningful occupations and make that a nonnegotiable, even if you have to start small: think 30 minutes a week, or even multi-tasking during your commute.

Be open to modifying your occupation or just simply trying something new that fits into your life’s current rhythm.

For example, although I’m so not a morning person, I started signing up for 7 a.m. yoga classes. This helped me get out of bed when I felt depressed, which then made me feel accomplished and proud before the day even fully began.

When my chronic pain was really overwhelming, I had to give up some of the things I used to love and try new things that were more accessible for my body. Instead of running, I read books and started a blog.

The point was never the actual occupation itself, but how it made me feel.

Commit to what you love

I know it can be challenging to change the narrative to really value your hobbies and leisure time, especially when we receive so much messaging every day about “hustling.”

Especially as a person with a chronic illness who is less traditionally productive, it can feel counterintuitive to spend your precious time on hobbies. If you’re like me, it might even make you feel guilty at the beginning.

Try to remember that there’s a huge body of research — and a whole profession — out there that shows how valuable leisure time is for your health and well-being. You are worth it.