Times are tough.
Take care of yourself so you can work safely
The holidays have just passed, but it’s still cold. As the new year ramps up it’s important to remember that we all still have baggage. You may be heading to a new project site or just picking back up after a long break. Some are inevitably still looking for reliable work in today’s crazy world.
So, admittedly, this safety tip has less to do with OSHA then it does with taking care of yourself. Taking care of yourself is an essential part of working safely. Plus, your people deserve the best from you. More importantly, you deserve the best from you. So, here’s the tip:
Throw your S#!& in a ditch on the way home!
Don’t litter, though. Litterbugs aren’t cool.
That tagline refers to a piece of advice my good friend Jason Lucas, creator of the #socialmediasafetyminute and co-host of the Safety Justice League Podcast, gave me one morning nearly two years ago. He and I chat regularly about business, but the conversation we had that day was geared more toward supporting each other through life stress. I won’t bore you with the details, but I’d been struggling with a few stressful situations at work and home. Jason patiently listened, offered a few similar examples from his own experience, and then he challenged me to do something about it.
He told me to imagine all the crap I was dealing with as tangible things I could pack into a duffel bag. On my way home that night, I was to find a landmark that I drive past every day on my way to and from work and toss the duffel bag out the window. I would then pick it up on my way in the next morning (Pro Tip: You can do it going both directions).
While that might seem like a silly exercise on the surface, I’d encourage each of you to try it.
Sometimes, all our baggage follows us everywhere. We take it home to our families and let it run around the living room with no pants on screaming at us about how terrible we are at life. But that’s really not fair or true. If you’re reading this column right now, you’re infinitely more blessed than almost anyone else in the history of mankind. (Seriously, history has been rough for humanity.) There’s something positive to focus on no matter how distracting all the baggage is.
The key is throwing that stuff out the window so you can see it.
That little mind game has been a breath of fresh air for me. But, I have to remember to do it. It won’t work otherwise. I’d tell you more about the negative thoughts it has freed me from, but that crap is in a duffel bag in a ditch by the rock sign until tomorrow morning. For a little added/twisted fun, I designed my imaginary duffel bag to look a little bit like a body bag just to freak anyone out who might happen upon my imaginary creation. (How trippy would that be?).
Here’s to taking care of yourself.
Jason Maldonado has worked as a safety and health professional for 17 years in a variety of industries. He is the owner and lead contributor of RelentlessSafety.com, as well as an accomplished author and speaker. His first book, “A Practical Guide to the Safety Profession: The Relentless Pursuit,” is available now.
