We become by doing. This simple yet profound premise is the fundamental principle of occupational therapy. Engaging in our everyday activities provides us with the sense of organization, time, meaning, purpose, and balance necessary for our health and well-being. In occupational therapy we refer to these everyday activities as occupations. They are the play, work, and self-maintenance tasks that allow us to achieve a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in our everyday lives.
Occupations engage the whole person.
Our bodies allow us to perform tasks physically while our minds motivate us, guide us, evaluate our performance, and provide the purpose for our efforts. At the same time our environment, including our culture and social groups, influence how we perform these activities. Changes in any of these factors can dramatically alter what we do and how we perform. Occupational therapy, which began in 1917, is a health field that focuses on people's ability to do their everyday occupations such as dressing, homemaking, working, and recreating. Its goal is to help people achieve their own unique, desired lifestyles.