Stress management in Farmers
I asked my partner one day, what would your ultimate dream job be? He responded in saying he was already doing it. As a farmer it can be such a rewarding job but it comes with it stresses. I understand that every job has their own stresses but farmers live on the land, they never leave the work at the end of the day and struggle to have a good work life balance. There are the everyday stresses of managing staff, balancing budgets, future planning as well as doing physical work.
Farming can be up and down, worrying when it will rain, whether the price of sheep are going to drop, and the pressures of caring for livestock. This can be very overwhelming and can become an issue when there is social isolation, working long hours and the lack of sleep can make it even more difficult.
It’s important to note that everyone responds differently to stress but here are common signs that stress may be getting too much for someone
- Poor sleep
- Irritability and anger
- Increased drinking or smoking
- Change in appetite
- Avoiding making decisions
- Forgetful
- Increase isolation
My top tips for stress management in farmers.
- Delegate where you can
o If you are too overwhelmed or under the pump it may be best to delegate tasks where possible. If accounting and book work isn’t your thing, find someone who can assist you with it so you can focus your time and energy into something else.
- Find work life balance
o Spend some time with your family or friends, take one night away from the farm to de stress and try and forget about the worries.
- Talk about it
o If you don’t talk about it nobody knows what you’re going through. Talking about it will help you get the problems off your chest and someone maybe be able to help you in some way.
- Ensure you’re eating nutritious food
o When we are stressed your diet is the first thing to be put aside. We know that the food we are eating helps regulate our mood and help with our nervous system so trying to eat real foods and avoid processed foods can help.
- Keep moving
o I am told on a regular basis that farming is exercise and I get that there is a lot of being on your feet and heavy lifting! But you are doing a lot of physical work appose to cardiovascular exercise. If you can dedicate 30 mins 4 times a week to exercise that can help in stress management.
I hope these tips have helped, if you would like more specific advice please contact me for an appointment.
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