Occupational Therapy Contributes to Rethinking the Centrality of Work in People’s Lives

Cristiane Oliveira Reimberg, Analyst in Science and Technology, Journalist at Fundacentro, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Balance is the key word when reflecting on the roles and occupations we assume throughout life, and Occupational Therapy (OT) can help us in this challenge. In times of rising mental disorders, intensified work demands, and precarious employment, it is essential to rethink the centrality of work in our lives. This discussion is addressed in the article What is the contribution of occupational therapy to face the effects of the centrality of labor on the time and lives of workers, published in the Brazilian Journal of Occupational Health/Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional (RBSO, vol. 50, 2025).

Occupational Therapy is grounded in the balanced distribution among work, rest, leisure, and sleep to promote more effective participation of men and women in the world. It recognizes that individuals engage in occupations—both those they must perform and those they wish to perform. These are the activities in which people participate daily and throughout life, making them dynamic and variable depending on each life stage.

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“OT practices allow for the analysis of the occupations in which people are engaged, assessing their adequacy, distribution, significance, and balance or imbalance, and correlating these aspects with health and well-being processes,” state the authors, Angela Simonelli and José Marçal, from the Federal University of Paraná and Fundacentro, respectively. Through this discipline, it is possible to analyze the imbalance caused by work as an occupation in a person’s life and its consequences, as well as to assist them in pursuing balance.

In adult life, work stands out as the main occupation expected by society. “Although working—in capitalist society—is considered the primary occupation of adult life, associated with personal fulfillment, it is not the only occupation during this life stage. Ideally, it should be balanced with other necessary or desired occupations: leisure, physical activity, health management, daily living and instrumental daily living activities, rest and sleep, education, and social participation,” the researchers highlight.

Another important aspect to consider is that the beginning of a new occupational role in life can alter the importance, time spent, and engagement in previously performed roles—for instance, when a person has a child or retires. “OT questions and relativizes the supremacy of work over other occupations, since it recognizes the importance of balance among various occupations and roles as a determinant factor for health and development,” the authors conclude.

To read the article, access

SIMONELLI, A.P. and JACKSON FILHO, J.M. What is the contribution of occupational therapy to face the effects of the centrality of labor on the time and lives of workers? Rev Bras Saúde Ocup [online]. 2025, vol. 50, edisfl3. https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-6369/06425pt2025v50edisfl3. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1590/23176369/06425pt2025v50edisfl3

Links externos

Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional – RBSO

Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional (Fundacentro)

Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional – X