Working during your R&R - why it's not just greedy, but downright dangerous

13 Nov

It seems these days that every online guru is selling the dream of a million-dollar side hustle, passive income scheme, or how to monetise your downtime in one way or another.

We're here to remind you: there is nothing wrong with just being employed.

Stable employment comes with many benefits, including superannuation, paid sick leave, public holiday pay, fewer risks, and greater job security. You don't need to supplement your income or monetise your hobby - especially if you're working in an industry that pays as well as mining.

Not only does a second job create more work (duh), take you away from your family and friends, increase stress, and destroy your free time - it is also extremely dangerous for FIFO and shift-workers.

Who wants to work this much in life? Where does the greed end and life begin?

There are many "get rich quick" schemes to be seen around the internet. AI drop-shipping, multi-level-marketing and passive income are just buzzwords masking a behind the scenes scam. They are not a guarantee, and in fact, come with more risks than reward. If these schemes worked, everybody who was part of one would succeed, but the fact is that the majority actually losemoney. The scale required to grow in these is insane - time, energy and grind that certainly aren't quick or easy.

Similarly, any promise of an "easy get into FIFO secret" or "getting a mining job fast" is intentionally pushing on your emotional buttons. The mining industry is competitive, and given the mass number of people applying, you need to do more than one or two "tricks" to land a lucrative opportunity. Again - if it was that easy, social media wouldn't be filled with posts, say after day, repeating "how do I get an entry-level job" or "I've been trying for a year but just can't get in."

MYNR always says - the industry is competitive, it takes time and dedication during the application process, and recommend you do as much as possible to stand out.

And now the for tough love. If you feel like you're going to be the top 1%, because you know you'll stick it out, or some influencer says that this opportunity is "different" - why not put that effort into growing the career you're already in? It's more direct, will take less effort, and has already been proven to work. Put in the time with your employer, and you grow. Simple as that.

Mining already pushes your body and mind to the limit. Long shifts, heat, isolation, fatigue. Working under unnecessary cognitive load and exhaustion not only puts your safety at risk, but the safety of others, too - it's simply irresponsible.

Fatigue is one of the biggest risks in our industry. Per the Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulation 2017 all Queensland mines are required by legislation to conduct a fatigue risk assessment for every employee. Workers must declare their work, travel and rest hours (usually across a fortnight), including during their R&R time. If involved in an incident on site, and the employee or employer is found to have breached fatigue management guidelines, they may not be covered by insurance or eligible for compensation.

A safety bulletin by the NSW Resources Regulator reported two incidents in which fatigue was an influencing factor. One worker was on his 20th consecutive 12-hour shift, and another had just completed his 10th consecutive 12.5-hour night shift.

Your time off is for your safety, self-care, and maintenance. Just like equipment, you can’t run 24/7 without burning out or breaking down. Make rest your investment. The next time someone tries to sell you on doing more, remember - you’re already doing one of the hardest jobs there is.

If you’re constantly chasing the next dollar, next hustle, next dopamine hit from “being busy,” you’ll miss what actually matters - your health, your mates, your family, and the short time you get to live life outside of site.

You landed the job that everyone wants. You just need to show up rested, healthy, and proud of the work you already do. That’s the mindset MYNR stands for - career growth that doesn’t cost your wellbeing.

There are so many amazing things to be doing during your R&R. Forget about continuing the grind 365 days a year - life is meant to be experienced. Go for a hike, invite friends around, cook a new recipe or two, take a deep breath, and be grateful for what's already yours.