Yacht crew work long days in a small space, often far from family, with little privacy and not much control over the schedule. None of that makes you weak for finding it hard. It just means wellbeing needs the same attention as any other part of the job. These are the habits I come back to.
1. Protect your sleep
Sleep is the first thing to go in a busy season and the first thing to fix. Keep your bunk dark, keep your phone out of reach when you can, and use your off-watch time to actually rest. Tired crew make more mistakes and have shorter tempers.
2. Keep a routine you control
You can't control guest schedules, but you can control small things: a short workout, ten minutes of reading, a call home at the same time each week. A routine you own gives the day some shape when everything else moves.
3. Move every day
Exercise is one of the most reliable ways to lift mood and cope with stress. You don't need a gym: bodyweight sessions in a quiet corner, a run ashore or a swim when it's allowed all count. I wrote more about this in staying fit on rotation.
4. Talk to someone
Bottling things up on a small boat rarely ends well. Find one person on board you trust, keep in touch with people at home, and speak to your head of department early if something is wrong. Many crew find it easier to start by listening to others talk about it, which is why I put together my top 20 wellbeing podcasts, all free on my Spotify playlist.
5. Know where free help is
ISWAN's SeafarerHelp is a free, confidential helpline for seafarers and their families. If you or someone on board is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services or the person responsible for safety on board straight away.
6. Watch out for each other
Withdrawal, drinking more, irritability or a change in how someone works can all be signs a crewmate is struggling. Asking "are you OK?" and meaning it is a skill, and a good crew culture makes it normal.
If you want to talk about wellbeing or safety training for your crew, message me on WhatsApp.
