How are you sleeping at the moment?

Not just how many hours you're getting, but whether you're actually switching off when your head hits the pillow.

Or are you lying there thinking about tomorrow's jobs, the weather, cash flow, staff issues and the hundred other things that come with running a farm business?

What about your patience? Are the little things frustrating you more than they used to? Are you snapping at your partner, the kids or your team over things that wouldn't normally bother you?

And when was the last time you genuinely felt relaxed?

It's easy to write all of this off as just another busy season. 

After all, farming is demanding. There are always deadlines, unexpected problems and things outside our control.

We tell ourselves we'll catch up on sleep when things settle down, take a break after harvest or spend more time with family once we've got through the next big job.

But here's the problem.

On a farm, there's ALWAYS another big job.

And sometimes what we dismiss as the normal pressures of running a business are actually the early warning signs that we're heading towards burnout.

And often, it's the people closest to us who notice these changes first. 

Your partner might notice you're not sleeping well, that your fuse is getting shorter or that even when you're physically home, your mind is still somewhere out in the paddock.

They might see that you're not laughing as much, that little things are getting under your skin or that you're simply not yourself.

But raising it isn't always easy.

After all, nobody particularly enjoys being told they're stressed, overworked or heading towards burnout. Especially when they're already feeling under pressure.

And the last thing most of us want is someone else telling us what's wrong with us!

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is give someone the opportunity to recognise it for themselves.

Our Director of Wellbeing, Tracy Secombe, has shared her own experience of this.

Looking back, Tracy realised she'd probably been experiencing burnout for close to ten years without recognising it.

She was dealing with headaches and other symptoms, trying different ways to manage them, without realising that the underlying problem was the sustained pressure she was putting herself under.

She was treating the symptoms without addressing the cause. 

And I wonder how many farm owners are doing exactly the same thing?

Another coffee to get through the afternoon. A few drinks to unwind at night. Working longer hours because there's simply too much to do.

All the while telling ourselves we're fine.

The challenge with burnout is that it doesn't necessarily arrive as one big event. Often, it's a gradual process where our energy, patience, enthusiasm and ability to cope are slowly eroded.

Until one day we realise we're not enjoying the business, or life, nearly as much as we used to.

We spend enormous amounts of time and money maintaining our machinery, improving our soils, looking after our livestock and managing our financial position.

Yet how much attention do we give to maintaining ourselves?

Our ability to think clearly, make good decisions, lead our people and enjoy our families depends on us being physically and mentally well.

Building a profitable farm business shouldn't come at the expense of the person running it. 

And importantly, we don't have to wait until we're completely exhausted before doing something about it.

That's why on 9 and 10 December, Tracy Secombe and Jeremy Hutchings are running a FREE Burnout and Resilience Workshop specifically for farm owners.

They'll help you recognise the early warning signs of burnout, better understand what's contributing to your stress and explore practical ways to build resilience.

And if you're reading this thinking about your partner rather than yourself, perhaps the best thing you can do is simply encourage them to join us.

Not because you've decided there's something wrong with them, but because it gives them an opportunity to reflect, learn and work out for themselves whether there are changes worth making.

Better still, why not attend together? 

Because the goal isn't simply to survive another demanding year.

It's to build a business and a life that we have the energy to enjoy.

👉 Register for the free workshop today and find out how to recognise the early signs of burnout and build your resilience for the year ahead.

Regards

Sam Johnsson
CEO, Farm Owners Academy

P.S. Burnout doesn't happen overnight. The warning signs often show up long before we recognise them. Join Tracy and Hutch on 9–10 December to learn how to spot the signs early and take steps to prevent burnout. Save your free spot here.