170 Chapter 7 The overarching aim of the current dissertation was to introduce and explore a behavioral phenomenon I call ‘proactive vitality management’. To this end, I conducted eight empirical studies described throughout the previous chapters. Together, the studies sought to examine (1) how to conceptualize and reliably measure proactive vitality management; (2) the hypothesized consequential processes of proactive vitality management; and (3) who may benefit from using proactive vitality management. In this final chapter, I will answer the research-guiding questions of this dissertation with a summary of the main findings, while positioning these findings in the broader literature. Subsequently, I will discuss the limitations of the studies and provide directions for future research. This chapter will be closed with a discussion of the practical implications and a conclusion. DISCUSSION OF MAIN FINDINGS Research Question 1: How can proactive vitality management be conceptualized and reliably measured? In order to conceptualize proactive vitality management, I have integrated and built further on several streams of literature to introduce proactive vitality management as ‘individual, goal-oriented behavior aimed at managing physical and mental energy to promote optimal functioning at work’. The conceptualization of proactive vitality management has been elaborated upon throughout the various chapters in this dissertation, but most thoroughly in Chapter 2. In line with the key attributes of proactive behavior established by Parker et al. (2010), proactive vitality management involves self-starting behavior that is inherently change-oriented and future-focused. Indeed, individuals may purposefully initiate actions aimed to manage their vitality for work based on their own situational needs and personal preferences. According to the proactivity framework developed by Parker et al. (2010), individuals can either change the self or the situation to achieve their goals (i.e., locus of change). However, studied examples of proactive behavior in an organizational context, such as job crafting (Tims et al., 2012; Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001), voice (LePine & Van Dyne, 1998), or playful work design (Bakker et al., 2020; Scharp et al., 2019), mostly involve behavior aimed at changing the situation, such as the task, the job or the
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