Australasian Mine Safety

is having on their resilience. Our body and brain does send us warning signs to let us know that things are a little off balance, but we often ignore those signs. It is actually why I created my Resilience Quiz (hyperlink - https://heididening.com/ bucketquiz/) so people could check in and get an understanding of how all of these challenges are impacting them. Are there any strategies that you could recommend for building resilience as: An Individual: • Be Still – the world feels like it is going mad. None of us could ever have predicted such a fallout. Stress levels are at an all-time high and this is why it is so important to take 10mins a day to just be still - sit in silence, do some deep breathing, listen to a mindfulness app, pat the cat, or soak up the sounds of nature. • Move More – this does not have to be a full-out cross fit workout, it could just be a gentle stretch in your loungeroom. The key is to keep the body moving. Take the dogs for an extra walk or download a free fitness or yoga app and workout in your loungeroom. • Laugh Out Loud – it is very easy to feel overwhelmed and scared and that's why we must find a way each day to have a good giggle. Do you have a funny person in your life that you could have a 3min chat with? Luckily for me I'm married to a silly Irish Leprechaun who continuously cracks me up but if you can't get yourself one of those, find yourself a funny person online. I personally LOVE Celeste Barbour and she certainly makes me laugh out loud every day. A Leader: • Be in Service – genuinely go out of your way to help people in your teams to cope. What are some little things you can do that could make a big difference right now? Could you: › Help setup the technology that is now needed for someone who is not as technically advanced as you. › Have an 'R U OK' conversation every day with someone in your team. › Send out a link to an article that's light and fun and will bring a moment of relief. • Lead by Example – now more than ever you must be an excellent role model. You must walk your talk and be the leader that others look up to because of your calmness, smartness and vision for the future. Remember actions speak much louder than words so check in on how you are appearing to your team members. Make sure: › You don't verbally catastrophise about the current situation. › You provide at least one optimistic view about the future situation. › You proactively keep yourself healthy – display social distancing, handwashing and daily movement. • Listen Intently – during these ever- changing and uncertain times, mastering the art of being present and really listening to the challenges, concerns, and stories of people around you will make a difference to their lives. What we know is that 'being heard' is something most of us want in this world. Make sure you: › Don't speak on the phone while scrolling through your emails. › Check in regularly with your remote workers. › Master the tech so you can have video meetings. • Be Fallible – no one likes a know-it-all. › It is OK for you to admit that you don't have all the answers. › It is OK to acknowledge that things are changing fast and that good decisions you make today could be the wrong one's next week. › It is OK that you say out loud that you are also concerned with this situation. People trust in leaders who are honest and transparent, but of course it is also your job to be calm and provide optimism and/or solutions whenever possible. COVID-19 is challenging many in the mining sector with issues like separation from families or work, working from home or even in some cases loss of employment. What advice do you have for people in the midst of COVID-19? All of these circumstances for the mining sector will cause high levels of stress, fear and uncertainty. Unfortunately, they are all out of our control. So, the only thing we can do is to focus on what we have control of that will help us to navigate through these tricky times. I have been advising people in the midst of COVID-19 to use the' Keep, Stop, Start Methodology'. What are you already doing that you know helps you to stay balanced? For example, walking the dog, yoga in the loungeroom, boxing in the garage, deep breathing before bed, playing board games with your kids etc. KEEP doing it. What are you doing that you know is holding you back from being able to cope? For example, not enough alcohol-free days, too many hours of scrolling on social media, eating food that doesn't nourish your brain and body etc. STOP doing it. 15 www.amsj.com.au / Autumn 2020 / AUST R A L AS I A N M I N E SA F E T Y J O U R N A L

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