Farmer stress management - some early study results

[Drirwin]

You need to chill Doc.

Just don't bother, when my sheep got onto a busy road it was my relaxing day & I went enjoying my hobby drystone walling. Left the sheep for others to sort out.

When my combine broke down in the difficult 2012 harvest, instead of getting stressed repairing it, I went to youtube to watch harvesting videos.

When I had been spraying some ploughing pre drilling & the booms dropped off, I could not face chasing spares & looking for a mechanic, so sat on the garden swing wearing a straw hat.

When the neighbours sheep got out & did £20K damage to the veg crop, I looked on the bright side & looked forward to the bottle of whiskey, I would soon receive.

No need for any stress in farming.

I realise you are being funny ? but just wanted to clarify that the reason I do research on this is that I, personally, think farming is a super stressful occupation due the level of responsibility, long hours, paperwork, level of physical labour (and let’s not even get started on veganism and ‘all farmers are evil’ media campaigns). I am not saying, in any shape or form, that farmers are free to just chill whilst stuff is going on, I am just saying that if we can share tactics that can be used, and help build resilience and lower the physiological response to stress (which can lead to heart attack, stroke etc when stress remains high over time) - whether those tactics mean just taking 5 mins to look at a view, or grabbing a pint with a mate after a long day, or involve changing work strategies to prioritise or try to remove stressors (such as the cow that always charges you) - then that is a good thing as I said above, we can change the way we deal with stress - the adversity associated with farm work will still be there, but you can look after your mental well-being at the same time

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I'm not sure if farming as an industry is anymore stressful that a lot of other business

 

[Devil's advocate]

I'm not sure if farming as an industry is anymore stressful that a lot of other business

I'm sure the cannabis producers, wholesalers & retailers suffer terrible stress, especially with cut throat compertition.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Stress dont recognise borders and I think its wrong of farmers to think they have the monopoly on it , it's a major problem for everyone, what about all these shops that have been closed due to lockdown. Could see a lifetimes work go down the pan

 

[Chasingmytail]

I used to be quite obliging at doing awkward jobs for neighbours.
Then I made up excuses to avoid doing them as their problem always ended up as your problem.
Now I’m older and grumpier I just say no.
Saying “no” should go on the list of stress busters.

So so agree, we can come across less compassionate here, not exactly neighbourly but from experience we dont have the time or the energy to take on other peoples problems and what seems to others like a 10 minute job becomes all day job. Just come over a bale my field for 10 bales - sorry thats an all day job. The small jobs always cost you and avoided with Im so sorry we are up to our eyes best you get in a builder/one man DIY to shift that. A neighbour is always asking us to do stuff and the minute we get there the machine gets stuck in the mud, so we have to go back get another machine. For tea and cake and £50 cash. Pop over and collect my shed (not mentioning that its still full of nails like we are going to sit there all day pulling nails out of this shed befoore putting on fire....Lessons learnt "no"

 

[Chasingmytail]

As a farming family I feel the responsibility needs to be shared throughout with everyone in that family. Children can take on small jobs and as the lady of the farm taking on the planning, vets, getting prices, feeds, paperwork and running around I think really helps the hamster wheel. I dont think its fair to take on the whole responsibility of the organisation alone so handing out stress def helps but thats up to the leader to communicate the needs and requirements in detail. If it means that children cant go to pony club every weekend then so be it. If the farm is earning the money for the families needs then its up to everyone to contribute to the running even if they are working some time off the farm. So share the stress, make everyone within the family take on duties and make sure its a family responsibility. No reason why older children cant cook a meal and clean the house if everyone is outside working.

 

[Brisel]

I realise you are being funny ? but just wanted to clarify that the reason I do research on this is that I, personally, think farming is a super stressful occupation due the level of responsibility, long hours, paperwork, level of physical labour (and let’s not even get started on veganism and ‘all farmers are evil’ media campaigns). I am not saying, in any shape or form, that farmers are free to just chill whilst stuff is going on, I am just saying that if we can share tactics that can be used, and help build resilience and lower the physiological response to stress (which can lead to heart attack, stroke etc when stress remains high over time) - whether those tactics mean just taking 5 mins to look at a view, or grabbing a pint with a mate after a long day, or involve changing work strategies to prioritise or try to remove stressors (such as the cow that always charges you) - then that is a good thing as I said above, we can change the way we deal with stress - the adversity associated with farm work will still be there, but you can look after your mental well-being at the same time

A good laugh is a great stress reliever. Lots of serotonin released. It's also a male way of making a problem seem smaller.

 

[DrWazzock]

I notice that most of the stress management techniques that I suggested went into the “maladaptive” box, namely booze, fags, and working harder. Well this week I worked harder and got a lot done and now I am having some booze and feel great. Works better for me than time off or hired help as nobody can do it as well as I can. Each to their own eh? ?

 

[czechmate]

So so agree, we can come across less compassionate here, not exactly neighbourly but from experience we dont have the time or the energy to take on other peoples problems and what seems to others like a 10 minute job becomes all day job. Just come over a bale my field for 10 bales - sorry thats an all day job. The small jobs always cost you and avoided with Im so sorry we are up to our eyes best you get in a builder/one man DIY to shift that. A neighbour is always asking us to do stuff and the minute we get there the machine gets stuck in the mud, so we have to go back get another machine. For tea and cake and £50 cash. Pop over and collect my shed (not mentioning that its still full of nails like we are going to sit there all day pulling nails out of this shed befoore putting on fire....Lessons learnt "no"

Ha ha.
Last evening at the end of a very hectic 6 day hay making window, I parked up the tractor and baler in the building at home farm and set off to look at cereals at the other farm. Mid way there was a small parcel of hay down, half baled with a couple of guys looking into the baler. Oh, thunder and lightening by now. So I walk over and ask what the problem is (actually run out of string and didn’t have any!!)
I’ll go and fetch my baler then I say, rushed back, spitting by now, and rushed around like mad and finished their hay. Just as last bale comes out the heavens open. They were incredibly grateful.
Made me feel happy all day - much better than chasing coin

 

[Lowland1]

Stress don't talk to me about stress. Separate home and work my wife and i run the farm together she does the agronomy I do the spraying . I can't spend any more time with my partner. My accountant is chasing me to get some info from the bank that the bank don't want to give. Staff I've got 400 all attempting to send me to an early grave so today we've killed a forklift,smashed the discs, buried a tractor ,planted some potatoes without covering them because it was too wet. One driver got 2 punctures on 2 different trailers and we mixed two different varieties of potatoes when we were grading and my customer halved his broccoli order.i
I don't drink but i do smoke....Crack Cocaine it cheers me up a bit.