The number one priority of every electrician, HVAC technician or plumber is to take care of a customer’s needs. Day in and day out, it’s always about the customer. You enter their home, assess the situation and solve the issue so things can go back to normal.
But who looks after the technicians, especially when it comes to their physical and mental health?
Ultimately, it’s up to the technician to look after their own health, but as employers, empowering and encouraging your employees to put their health first will ensure all parties reap the benefits.
We create our own health.
Let’s be frank, life takes a toll on all of us. If technicians don’t take care of themselves, how can we take care of the customers? The importance of maintaining physical and mental health can not be overstated. But how can electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers live healthier lives?
Well, it’s easier than you might think.
We’re all capable of living healthy lifestyles. Often, all it takes is a little know-how. That’s why NexTech Academy has added courses on mental and physical health into their curriculum.
That’s right. NexTech Academy doesn’t just look after your hard skills and soft skills, we also offer a curriculum that helps students improve their health, too.
Employee health should be on every employer’s mind.
Why should an employee’s health matter to an employer? Simple: healthier employees are happier employees. As a result, they do a better job taking care of your customers. Also, electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers who are mindful of their health miss fewer days on the job. What’s more, they tend to complete work quicker. Physical and mental health also plays a factor in employee safety. A healthy employee is able to lift objects and perform physical tasks more easily and avoid injury. That means they are less likely to have on the job accidents. A good mood and good physical health will do wonders for job performance.
Living healthier is easier than most technicians think.
Improving mental and physical health doesn’t require a radical change in lifestyle. In fact, it’s amazing how easy it can be for simple adjustments to deliver significant results.
Sure, radical changes to diet and exercise, or beginning a mediation practice can bring about dramatic changes, but healthy living is not an all-or-nothing scenario. Any step a technician makes toward a healthier lifestyle will reap improvements.
For example, one of the NexTech Academy classes suggests electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers focus on three areas each day:
- Nutrition
- Hydration
- Social Relationships
Nutrition
Are you eating enough or too much? Would it help to mix in a fruit or a vegetable to your daily meals? Are you eating on a regular schedule? Could you cut back on salt or sugar? We’re not making hard recommendations here. We’re suggesting you see if there are easy ways to improve your nutrition.
Hydration
An often overlooked but absolutely invaluable aspect of healthy living is water intake. Drinking enough water each day improves digestion, aids in weight management, can reduce headaches, and well, makes just about everything your body does, work better. It may not seem like it, but just keeping a water bottle in the vehicle and drinking it between jobs can do wonders for your health. Even substituting one can of soda a day for a glass of water makes a difference.
Social Interactions
Think about the ways you want to connect with people that matter to you. Perhaps it’s making a phone call or giving someone a hug each day. Making it a point to do these things deepens your personal relationships. Strong relationships are foundational to a positive attitude and maintaining your mental health. We all need someone or some people in our lives that matter to us. We also need to know that we matter to them.
These are just a few ideas on how technicians can address their physical and mental health, but of course, there are lots more to learn about.
How you feel affects how you work.
Little things matter. In fact, it’s the little things that dictate how well we’re able to handle the big things. When a technician eats better, drinks more water, and invests in their relationships, other parts of life, especially work, just go smoother.
When people get mired in day-to-day work, it’s sometimes difficult to find the connection between a bottle of water and a happier client. But once you start making healthier choices and being intentional in your behaviors, you’ll see all of these connections fall into place.
Yes, the best thing any electrical, HVAC or plumbing technician can do is improve their skills and knowledge using self-paced, online vocational training from NexTech Academy. But don’t overlook your other opportunities for improvement. Living healthy is good for you, good for your success and good for your long-term health.
If you’d like to learn about how technicians can be healthier, we suggest enrolling in classes with NexTech Academy. If you like, you can get started now or call us at (651) 426-2000.
