145 Proactive Vitality Management Among Employees with Chronic Liver Disease Findings from earlier studies indicate that proactive vitality management is associated with higher levels of work engagement (Bakker et al., 2020; Bălăceanu et al., 2021; Op den Kamp et al., 2018; Tisu et al., 2021; Ye et al., 2020, 2021). We expect that chronically ill employees who proactively manage their physical andmental energy may experience a similar, beneficial influence on their work-related well-being over time. Indeed, when they proactively conserve and mobilize their physical and psychological resources, not only their capacity but also their willingness to perform well may increase (Op den Kamp et al., 2018; Parker et al., 2010). Through proactive vitality management, individuals can promote their own goal achievement and performance by replenishing valuable energetic resources that they can invest in work (cf. Beal et al., 2005). This process may increase a sense of ownership over one’s work and fuel feelings of vigor, dedication, and absorption regarding work, i.e., work engagement. In turn, this may enable chronically ill employees to reach higher levels of performance. Going beyond regular job performance, in the current research, high-quality performance is represented by ‘going the extra mile’ – coming up with new and novel ideas, and approaching work tasks in original ways, i.e., beingmore creative at work (Amabile, 1983). An important assumption underlying our perspective on the motivational process is that one needs energetic, cognitive, and affective resources to perform creatively (e.g., Amabile et al., 2005; Baas et al., 2008; Kark & Carmeli, 2009). Work engagement, a positive, affective-motivational state of fulfillment (Schaufeli et al., 2006), has shown to be crucial in sustaining workers’ well-being and productivity (de Lange et al., 2008). Higher levels of work engagement may promote creative performance because engaged individuals are more driven to invest their resources and use their skills and expertise needed in the creative process (e.g., Bakker et al., 2020; Bakker & Xanthopoulou, 2013). We hypothesize that chronically ill employees may motivate themselves by proactively undertaking strategies to manage their physical and mental energy. Engaging in such proactive strategies that help them to feel vital, such as purposefully going for a walk in-between work sessions to energize and clear their mind, may help them to benefit from and capitalize on available opportunities or job resources, such as job autonomy (Tisu et al., 2021), thereby creating the optimal circumstances to perform creatively in their work over time (see also Figure 1). 6
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