Simple strategies for success when you work away from home By the Mining Family Matters team
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ining, oil, and gas are dynamic industries offering financial stability and great career opportunities, but the lifestyle can also be tough sometimes, especially for young families when a parent works away. Here’s a simple set of strategies that has helped to ease the pressure for tens of thousands of mining and resources families around the world.
might be hard on the kids” or “it’ll be
1. Don’t underestimate the additional pressure: Most couples are vaguely aware of potential problems (“It
see what’s working and what’s not
2. Coping in the early days: Don’t
tough for a while, until we get used
assume your life is tougher than the
to it.”) Often, though, they don’t
person who is away/at home. It’s
discuss specific issues, or how to
natural to feel this way, but getting
minimize them. There’s no need
into a competition about it won’t
to be overly pessimistic, but it will
help your relationship.
help enormously to be very clear and honest about the pros and cons of working away, why you’re keen to give it a go and what you hope to get out of it. Reassess your goals as a family every six months or so, to working, and to ensure you’re still on the same page.
3. House rules for a happy home: Try to remain as accessible as possible while you’re apart. Keeping in regular contact with phone calls and little emails makes a big difference in the continuity stakes. 4. No ‘I’ in team: This old cliché is especially true for mining families.
