STAFF WELLNESS PROFILE – ANDREW MENDES
Our People priority was established as part of Providence’s Mission: Forward strategic plan to inspire people and teams, so that we can attract the best and brightest and support them to flourish. The Working Well series aims to profile PHC staff and medical staff who are living wellness at work. By sharing how your colleagues embrace wellness at work, we hope that this series is just one of the ways you feel supported to flourish at Providence. If you are looking for wellness resources currently available, please refer to this one-pager. Because the better we feel at work, the better we are able to care for others.
Today we are profiling Andrew Mendes, Inventory Analyst.
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness means my overall state of happiness and health. It is all about maintaining a proper balance between a multitude of habits that contribute to those two states, which includes eating healthy, keeping to my workout schedules, and spending time with my dog, family and friends.

What is one of your wellness goals?
Finding the proper balance in life can be challenging, as some days can certainly be a struggle, but the continuation of maintaining overall wellness is the best goal possible. However my one primary goal would be continuing to eat healthy, especially with so many delicious temptations around the city.
What do you do during your work day (and at home) to achieve wellness?
During my lunch at work, I am fortunate to have the YMCA just less than 5 minutes, to achieve my workout goals. This in turn also allows me to get home as early as possible to relax and unwind, and have more time after work at home to spend time with my dog, Porto, and my family or friends.
Do you have a wellness tips for staff/your colleagues?
Find a healthy routine and stick to it; be consistent and start with baby steps. Don’t go all out, as you will fall back into your old habits – slow and steady wins the race. I run marathons and trust me, a consistent pace will help you succeed with not only your wellness but everything in life.
Providing the best care to the people we serve is dependent on our own health and wellness. We are working to deliver a comprehensive Staff and Medical Staff Wellness Action Plan, to help us create a healthy and safe work environment where everyone can flourish. If you have a wellness idea that could make a big difference to you and your colleagues, please send it to Ideas: Forward. If you have questions about this plan or feedback on wellness at PHC, please be in touch: missionforward@providencehealth.bc.ca.