I try and maintain a good diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is more than just avoiding weight gain….much more. A good diet can have a major impact on our mental wellbeing and general fitness. It can fuel greater energy enabling us to achieve more in the day and avoid tiredness.
Considering portion size and healthy swaps can make a big difference to how we feel. There is plenty of information about healthy eating online, however here are a few references more specific to farming, including a link to Milly Fyfe’s page – Milly is a FCN Ambassador.
No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents – Milly Fyfe
farmstrong.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Eat-well-farm-better_a-handy-guide-for-busy-farmers.pdf
Fit2Farm: Why farmers need to eat better and exercise more – Farmers Weekly
Food Facts – British Dietetic Association (BDA)
NHS 111 Wales – Living and Feeling Well : Healthy Eating
I take some form of regular physical exercise
Making physical exercise a daily habit can be very beneficial. It doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or cycling 50 miles (congratulations if you do!)
Simply walking more, an occasional short run, or Park Run can help reduce blood pressure and improve heart health, as well as maintaining mobility in later life.
My mental health is good
“We hear a lot about mental health and farming and plenty of surveys have shown that some people experience poor mental health. Stress and anxiety are often symptoms of things going on in people’s lives and whilst it is crucial to talk about how you feel and connect with support, it is important to understand and tackle the causes. We all have physical health and mental health, and we need to look after both. Understanding how to manage stress, how to spot the warning signs in others and how to start a conversation with someone you are worried about are all important.
There is a wealth of information available to support mental wellbeing. The DPJ Foundation, a Welsh charity dedicated to supporting mental health in farming and rural communities, offers invaluable resources and a confidential helpline: 0800 587 4262.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please don’t hesitate to talk to someone – whether it’s a family member, friend, or a support organisation. You can call FCN on 03000 111 999, contact the DPJ Foundation, or make an appointment to speak with your GP.”
I am proactive about my physical health and get checked by GP
As with mental health, maintaining good physical health can make a huge difference to our lives, and in the farming world is so important to stay well so we can keep doing the job we love.
With long working hours and time spent in tractor cabs, making time for exercise can be difficult and we aren’t the best at seeing our doctor on a regular basis. Many calls we receive at FCN have a connection with physical health, whether this be caused by illness, accident or simply getting older, and taking steps to look after ourselves and be proactive about our physical health can avoid problems for ourselves and our family.
Check out the physical health section on FarmWell Wales:
farmwell.wales/fit-for-farming/
Health Information Resources – Public Health Wales
I know how to keep stress and anxiety under control
Stress is common and can be very damaging to our health. Whilst we all experience levels of pressure at times, stress, particularly for prolonged periods, will eventually take a toll.
Stress tends to build over time and it is important to know the signs in ourselves and being able to spot them in those we live and work with. Being an active ‘look out’ and talking with family or colleagues if we are concerned about their stress levels is so important.
If you or someone you know is finding it hard to manage stress, it’s important to talk to someone – call FCN on 03000 111 999.
Download PDF for helpful advice
NHS 111 Wales – Health A-Z : Stress
Tips for parents leaflet
I maintain a good work/life balance
We have a habit in farming of celebrating those people who work very long hours and rarely take a break. Whilst their spirit and commitment is admirable, there is a danger with this. It can be very difficult to take a break when you farm, it may appear impossible. But getting away from the daily grind is vital to avoid burn-out, stress and tiredness which can be dangerous. Even if it’s just for a short time, to take a walk, sit and admire a view, or perhaps a weekend break, try and ‘take 5’ and recharge the system.
If it feels impossible to do this, consider sitting down with family members and discuss what might be possible – after all if you ‘fall over’ due to over work, it’s them who will have to pick up the pieces.
Consider how you could change your schedule to break up the day.
If you give 140% on day one and this affects you on day 2 so you can only give 40%, it’s better to pace yourself.
I have a positive mindset and bounce back from setbacks
We can all feel that things get us down from time to time when the daily pressures can build. We all have a choice at these times to choose the positive, to make a conscious decision to see things from a different perspective. If someone cuts us up on a road, we can choose to get angry about it, or just acknowledge it and move on. It’s not always easy to do this! But the negative response is likely to make the situation worse, whilst the positive response allows us to brush it off and not cause further stress.
Bouncebackability is an important aspect of resilience – picking ourselves up after a set back and not being distracted from our purpose can be valuable.
But if this is happening on a frequent basis, there may be other things to consider. Getting back up when knocked down is resilient, but avoiding being knocked down in the first place must be the aim.
We have good relations within our family
Farming families can get big and sometimes very complicated! In fact, family relationship problems are one of the top three most frequent reasons for contacting FCN.
One of the challenges is that in farming, families live and work together on a daily basis and so it is really important to maintain open channels of communication and work hard to keep positive relations in place.
If things aren’t working, better to initiate a civil discussion around the kitchen table to nip problems in the bud, rather than allow things to go unsaid and tensions to develop.
In these situations, actively listening to the views of others and ensuring everyone has a chance to speak, is very important.
Sometimes, inviting a third party to help facilitate a family discussion can be useful – someone who can be objective, impartial, and isn’t too closely involved.
I am happy to ask for help when I need it and encourage others to do so
At times in our lives, we all need a bit of help, and asking for it is a strength not a weakness. But our ‘tough as old boots’ culture in farming can sometimes get in the way of this.
It’s not only important for us as individuals to seek support when needed, it’s important to set an example to those we live and work with that it’s ok too.
It may be talking to a family member, or a friend, or someone we work with. And there are plenty of support organisations out there.
I don’t allow unwanted/negative thoughts to affect me
Many of us experience unwanted thoughts which can affect our mood and thinking. When this happens, try not to give them undue attention – acknowledged them and move on, rather than dwelling upon them.
If you sense that unwanted thoughts are becoming a problem, it is best to seek professional help.
I have good spiritual health (eg: faith, mindfulness, yoga etc)
‘Good health is a three-legged stool’ – physical health, mental health and the oft overlooked spiritual health.
Spiritual health will mean different things to different people – it may mean following a religion, taking time out to be mindful, or finding hope even in the toughest times. It’s about feeling at peace with life.
Not an area that is often discussed in our industry but an important component of resilience, however you chose to engage with it.
I take holidays/ breaks away from the business
When did you last have a holiday ?! We know that getting away can be very difficult for people who live and work on farms, especially those with livestock enterprises.
But as with farm/life balance, it is so important to try and engineer in time away from the farm……even if it’s going to stay on another farm !
Finding someone to look after the farm work when you are away is often a block to taking holidays. So working to find someone you trust, who understands your farm and how you do things, who can step in a for a few days or a week occasionally, can give you the confidence you need to take time away.
There are also providers who can help with this by offering temporary staffing solutions, or maybe you can come to an agreement with a neighbouring farm.
I know how to access cancer support services if required
One in two of us will experience cancer directly and we will all be affected in some way during our lives through knowing someone who is living with the condition.
A cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment can result in practical and emotional challenges on farm and we also know that it can be difficult for people in the rural community to access cancer support and services.
This was the catalyst for FCN and Macmillan working together to connect people in farming and rural communities with help.
