Beating Burnout on the Farm
By Lesley Kelly, Farmer and Co-Founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation
Burnout is more than just feeling tired at the farm. It’s an emotional, mental, and physical reaction to constant stress. When farm demands and pressures constantly pile up, it takes a toll on you. You might start to feel unappreciated, overworked and irritable.
Burnout is a thief of energy and productivity and can spread into your personal life. You might come home feeling completely drained and dread the next day. You feel you have nothing left in your tank or you simply stop caring.
If you are feeling this way, you’re not alone. Many farmers in Canada are on the verge of burnout, according to a study conducted by the University of Guelph in Ontario, putting farmers at risk of developing chronic diseases and mental health challenges. The study found that nearly half of participants felt ineffective, disengaged or overextended.
In farming, one of our values is hard work. Maybe in the past, you were told that you needed to work seven days a week, twelve hours or more per day, so that’s what you’ve always done.
Maybe you think or feel you have no choice but that if you want to be successful, you simply have to work yourself to the extremes to get ahead.
And maybe, the exhaustion and stress has become so normal that you don’t know anything different.
That’s why it’s so important that we talk about burnout in agriculture.
Because it’s not healthy to work this way. When stressors and pressures mount over time, we become burnout which comes with feelings of helplessness and extreme exhaustion. Overall, this leads to serious implications for productivity, labour retention and for the success of the farm and industry as a whole.
The good news: You can be successful without being constantly tired, stressed, and irritable (in fact, you’ll probably be much more successful when you get yourself out of burnout).
What is burnout and how do you know if you’ve got it?
Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped. It's a result of excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress. In many cases, burnout is related to one's job or responsibilities. Burnout happens when you're overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with the farm and life's incessant demands.
Possible causes of burnout
Lack of control. An inability to influence decisions and outcomes that affect your job, such as markets, weather, etc — could lead to burnout. So could a lack of the resources you need to accomplish tasks on the farm.
Dysfunctional workplace dynamics. Perhaps family and/or work relationships leave you feeling undermined or a partner micromanages your work. This can contribute to job stress.
Extremes of activity. When a job on the farm is monotonous or chaotic, you need constant energy to remain focused and engaged — which can lead to fatigue and job burnout.
Lack of social support. If you feel isolated on the farm and in your personal life, you might feel more stressed.
Work-life imbalance. If your work at the farm takes up so much of your time and effort that you don't have the energy to spend time with your family and friends, you might burn out quickly.
Signs of burnout
Have you become cynical or critical at work?
Do you drag yourself to the farm and have trouble getting started?
Have you become irritable or impatient with your partner, kids, or farm employees?
Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?
Do you find it hard to concentrate?
Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?
Have your sleep habits changed?
Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be experiencing burnout.
Tips on stress and burnout
1. Recognize the early warning signs
One of the most dangerous aspects of burnout is that it impacts self-awareness. When you’re in it, you’re running on adrenaline, and the momentum feels so exhilarating that you end up adding more and more to your plate. But once burnout hits, it can take months to overcome. So what early signs should you look out for? Here are some of the subtle cues that you might need to reassess how much you’re taking on:
Basic activities like going to the grocery store or moving a piece of equipment feel overstimulating.
You feel so overwhelmed you’ve started to cut activities you know are good for you (e.g., exercise or alone time).
You’re saying “yes” even though you’re already at capacity.
You find everyone and everything irritating.
We’re quick to ignore these signs, but they’re important alarm bells.
2. Learn to draw—and respect—your own lines
Here’s a secret of adulthood: No one else is going to draw your lines for you. You may sometimes wonder: Why don’t the people who love me help me not overdo it? Often, it’s because they want you to be successful. And a marker of success in our society is being busy. They may be just as busy as you. Or they may not even know what your boundaries are. It takes courage to say no and stick to it without feeling guilty. Your capacity is also going to be different from everyone else’s. Remember that behind every no is a deeper yes, even if that yes is just to yourself.
3. Reduce your stimulation level
When your body is under threat from being too busy or mentally pressured, it releases stress hormones that increase your stimulation level making it hard to relax or sleep well at night. To prevent being overstimulated, do some exercise or try deep breathing and other relaxation techniques.
4. Prioritize Activities You Enjoy
Outside of the farm, it may be helpful to fill your life with activities that are relaxing or bring you joy in some way. This strategy can help you remind yourself that there’s life outside of your job and the farm. Depending on the activity, it may also help you relieve stress, improve your physical health, help you form new social connections, or offer other benefits. Something involving physical activity could be a way to reap benefits like these, such as joining a gym, or a sports team, or taking up a hobby.
5. Seek Support
Burnout may cause mental and physical tension as well as difficult feelings like frustration, being overwhelmed, or fear. To recover from this experience, it may be useful to find someone with whom you can express, and work through these emotions. Trusted family and friends may provide a listening ear and compassionate advice. Or, you might consider seeking the guidance of a trained therapist. They can help you identify, interpret, and manage your feelings, as well as develop skills for opportunities like self-care and communication.
If you or someone in your family or farm team are going through a hard and stressful time, reach out to a professional. For local crisis contacts and resources visit https://www.domore.ag/crisis-contacts.