Just like making sure you are ready to work safely by bringing your personal protective equipment to work with you, there are actions you can take everyday to ensure that you are protecting your own health and wellness.

1. Connect—Not online, but in real time. Spend quality time with family and friends. Surround yourself with your community.
2. Disconnect—Don’t overindulge in social media or other online activities. Take time to get outside into the natural environment. Breathe. Listen. Leave your phone off.
3. Eat well—Life gets busy and it is easy to rely on things like fast food and processed foods. Eating a balanced diet and regular meals will properly fuel your body for working in the natural gas industry.
4. Get enough rest—You may be young and spending lots of time with friends outside of work, or have young children at home, or have other demands on your off-work hours that may be keeping you from getting enough sleep. This can leave you sleepy or unfocused and impact your own safety at work, and that of those around you. Do everything you can to ensure you are getting enough sleep.
5. Avoid overconsumption of stimulants—Things like coffee and energy drinks may make you feel like you have more energy but they can take their toll making it difficult to sleep later in the day or causing energy crashes throughout the workday as the effects of the stimulants wears off.
6. Avoid overconsumption of alcohol or drugs—Being hung-over, intoxicated or under the influence of drugs at work is a danger to you, your coworkers and others that may be in your path.
7. Outside interests—Do something outside of work that makes you happy. Play a sport, walk your dog, play with your kids, learn to play an instrument.
8. Exercise—Working in natural gas can be physically challenging. Make sure that you are in good shape by getting regular exercise OR using your muscles in different ways than you do on the job to avoid injury.
9. Do not smoke or vape—There is nothing about smoking or vaping that is good or beneficial. It seriously harms your health and the health of everyone around you. It is also very expensive.

Learning Activity 1: Talking About Health and Wellness

This activity involves participating in a class discussion about different issues related to health and wellness. The discussion is not a debate. It is an opportunity to gain information and awareness. Discussion will focus around the following questions.

1. What do you think are the most important elements of health and wellness for you? For your family and friends? For your community?
2. How does pride in your history or ancestry and sharing your stories contribute to your health and wellness?
3. How can sharing stories contribute to the health and wellness of a community? A work team?