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Just like you can become physically fitter, you can also build your mental strength and fitness. That’s the thinking behind Live Well Build Well, a nationwide wellbeing programme designed to help builders and tradies manage the ups and downs of residential construction. Programme leader Rafael Caso says Live Well Build Well is the ‘ambulance at […]
Just like you can become physically fitter, you can also build your mental strength and fitness. That’s the thinking behind Live Well Build Well, a nationwide wellbeing programme designed to help builders and tradies manage the ups and downs of residential construction.
Programme leader Rafael Caso says Live Well Build Well is the ‘ambulance at the top of the cliff’.
“This programme is designed to increase the mental health and resilience of everyone in the industry and complements the work of Mates in Construction, which helps those really ‘under the pump’.”
“We use the term mental fitness because, for many people ‘, mental health’ has become associated with illness rather than wellness. But the research shows that small, everyday changes in how we think and what we do to keep well and be happy can add up to huge changes in our mental health. We can still thrive no matter what life throws at us.”
The programme, which is in its second year, is rapidly building a community around mental fitness and encouraging builders and tradies to share what they do to keep well and stay on top of their game, despite the demands of the industry.
Live Well Build Well’s resources focus on four key areas: the basics of mental fitness – such as exercise, nutrition and sleep, flexible thinking skills, active listening skills and the importance of knowing your ‘why’ – having a sense of purpose to keep going in tough times.
The programme’s wellbeing advisor, Professor Grant Schofield of AUT, has spent years studying the human life span and how humans can be ‘their best self’. His insights have been packaged up into tradie-friendly video clips and skill-based learning modules over the last year.
These will be rolled out in 2025 through a network of industry champions to build on the toolbox talks Rafael Caso has been delivering at workplaces and businesses across the country.
“Everyone has days on-site when nothing seems to go right,” says Rafael. “This can lead to a downward spiral where unhelpful thoughts and emotions reinforce each other and make a difficult situation even worse.”
“The good news is that we can change the way we think to be more helpful while still acknowledging the difficulties we are facing. This is possible using mental fitness skills such as ‘Catch it, Check it, Change it’ or ‘Reframing A Bad Day’, where you train your brain to have more constructive thoughts.”
“We are encouraging builders and tradies to learn these mental skills rather than waiting for the pressures of work to take their toll. The idea is that people invest regularly in their ‘wellbeing bank account’ so they have something to draw on when times are tough.”
Here’s what Live Well Build Well wellbeing expert Prof. Grant Schofield has to say. “Negative thoughts and feelings are part of a normal human experience of the world. You can’t avoid them, but by learning to be more psychologically flexible, you can manage them.”
“One of the challenges people face at work is that they are sometimes easily ‘triggered’. Something goes wrong and they act on their negative feelings straight away and lose their rag. Being mentally fit is about learning to notice those thoughts and let them go. That’s how you keep moving towards your best life.”
Rafael Caso sums up the programme’s potential: “We know from the work Mates in Construction’s been doing that the challenges in the industry aren’t going away anytime soon – deadlines, market changes, regulations, the cost-of-living crisis. They’re going to keep coming. As an industry and a country, we need to give people the skills to manage these challenges and perform under pressure, not just take the hits.”
“The most important part of staying mentally fit is to make your own wellbeing a priority, no matter how busy the week gets. Make time for activities that help you to de-stress and recharge your batteries. Different things work for different people, so check out the Live Well Build Well website and social media feeds to see what other builders are doing and what could work for you. Even small changes can make a huge difference to how you feel at the end of each day or week. That’s how we’re really going to ‘shift the dial’ in this space.”
To find out more, visit livewellbuildwell.com and follow Live Well Build Well on socials.
Check out these resources:
Anxiety New Zealand – 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757
Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7.
Lifeline – 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland.
Need to Talk? – Call or text 1737
Rural Support Trust – 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP).
Samaritans – 0800 726 666
Shakti Community Council – 0800 742 584
Shine (domestic violence) – 0508 744 633
Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Supporting Families in Mental Illness – 0800 732 825
thelowdown.co.nz – email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626
What’s Up – 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
Women’s Refuge – 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
Youthline – 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
