Tradie wellness coach Aaron Huey talks through some common issues tradies might encounter, but not want to talk about.
Q: “How do I deal with the stress of my day onsite without taking it home to my family?”
A: “Once you’re home, take five minutes before you go through the door to let go of everything that’s happened that day – the stress, the fights, the orders, the programmes, the deliveries whatever it is. Leave it at the door.
Take five deep inhales and exhales let it all go. So once you go through that door, you are who you need to be on the other side. Be that dad, husband, brother, son or mate. Those at home don’t need to take on the stress of your job too.”
Q: “Are there ways to manage anxiety or depression that won’t interfere with my work?”
A: “Absolutely and downing five schooners a night isn’t it. That only adds to the stress the next day when you’re hungover and chasing your tail. Three great tips that worked wonders for my time as a site manager.”
- Notepad at the side of the bed for those 3am ‘to-do lists’ in your head, things to order, people to call, items to check onsite. Having somewhere to write down these thoughts gets them out of your head for that period and actually helps reduce the stress as well as gives you a productive checklist to tick off the next day.
- Meditation: 5-10minutes a day, either in your truck, your site office or the dunny. No need to sit cross legged like a Buddha and burn some incense. There are plenty of apps to listen to guided meditation to help quiet down the noise in your head to help you think clearer. It’s a great what to release that pressure value building up in your body when everything feels like it’s creeping up on you.
- Box breathing: similarly to the meditation can be done in the truck in traffic on the way to work (my favourite place to do it) so by the time you get to site all your cool, calm and have clarity in the day ahead. Box breathing is simply breathing in for a period of time normally 4-6 seconds. Hold the breath for the same period, exhale for the same period then hold the out breathe for the same period. Repeat this 5-6 times. It will slow your heart rate, relax all the tension in your neck and shoulders and because your focusing on counting and holding the breathe the noise in your head should reduce.
All of these need to be done regularly to be fully affected. You don’t need them every day. The aim is to get to a point where you have them to use if you need them.
Q: “Will seeking help for mental health issues lose me my job?”
A: “No, your employer has duty of care to ensure anything that’s disclosed regarding your mental health isn’t held against you and they should do their best to support you where possible, there is plenty of free services they can suggest for you to get help. They shouldn’t be holding it against you or threatening your job or apprenticeship stability. If they don’t support or continue to use it against you then maybe this isn’t the place you want to continue working. There is plenty other sites and companies out there that do right by their boys.”
Q: “What are the signs that I might be dealing with more than just ‘regular’ job stress?”
A: “Signs that stress may be more significant include persistent feelings of anxiety or depression, difficulty sleeping, not wanting to get out of bed, significant changes in appetite or mood, withdrawal from social interactions, and increased reliance on substances like alcohol or drugs.”
You can find out more on Instagram @aaron_wd_huey
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