Wednesday, 05 June 2019 14:26

Coping better with ups and downs on farm

Written by  Mark Daniel
Sam Whitelock will be at the Fieldays. Sam Whitelock will be at the Fieldays.

The importance of seeing regularly to your wellbeing will be the focus of Farmstrong’s site at Fieldays.

Regularly taking breaks, connecting with mates, keeping active, eating well and doing stuff you enjoy – these add up over time and help you cope better with the ups and downs of farming. 

And these pay off for the business, says Farmstrong project leader Gerard Vaughan. 

“Farmers who ‘lock in’ these habits tell us they not only feel better, but their performance, decision making and efficiency on the farm also improve,” he says. 

This year, the Farmstrong site at E34-E36 will have interactive tools to allow visitors to identify tactics that could work for them. 

“Over the last four years, hundreds of farmers have shared what they do for their wellbeing, countered by the things in farming that make withdrawals on their wellbeing.” 

The Farmstrong site will have an interactive ‘wellbeing bank account’ display where visitors can quickly identify their current ‘investments’ and ‘withdrawals’ on their wellbeing. 

“In farming, we regularly make plans and put systems in place to look after our land, stock and machinery, but sometimes forget about ourselves,” says Vaughan. 

“Using this interactive tool will help you quickly see what you currently have in place and whether there are other things that you could be doing. 

“Life can regularly throw ‘curve balls’ our way, whether it is weather ‘bombs’, low payouts or animal and plant diseases. Having habits in place for wellbeing can get us through tough times without our burning out or becoming unwell.”

The Farmstrong site will display basics from neuroscience that help us perform at our best each day. 

“How we think about things, particularly when we are under the pump, can make a huge difference to the way we manage stress, solve problems and even prevent injuries,” Vaughan says.

 “Knowing some of the more common thinking traps and how to avoid these is a good skill to add to the farming toolbox. Visitors can have a quick game of matching five common thinking traps with a farming example and a solution to it. 

Rugby ambassador

Farmstrong ambassador Sam Whitelock will also be on the Fieldays site on Friday June 14 from 2pm to 4pm. 

Whitelock will be signing Farmstrong merchandise and telling what he does to cope with the pressure of being a professional athlete.

“As a rugby player, and someone from a farming background, I can identify with many of the pressures farmers have to deal with every day. 

“That’s why I know looking after yourself is so important,” says Whitelock. 

More like this

RSE workers get immunised

Over 1,000 Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers in the Hawke’s Bay have now been immunised against measles.

HRT patches decision needs reconsideration - RWNZ

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says Pharmac needs to reconsider its decision to fund only one brand of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) patches used by women going through perimenopause and menopause.

Coming to a beach near you!

The popular Surfing for Farmers programme, which gives farmers a well-earned break from life on the farm, starts its eighth season from November 5.

Featured

Being a rural vet is ‘fantastic’

Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) awards.

Editorial: Long overdue!

OPINION: The Government's latest move to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable is welcome, and long overdue.

National

Lame stories from a country vet

Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s…

Machinery & Products

Gongs for best field days site

Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive…

Amazone extends hoe range

With many European manufacturers releasing mechanical weeding systems to counter the backlash around the use and possible banning of agrochemicals,…

Gong for NH dealers

New Holland dealers from around Australia and New Zealand came together last month for the Dealer of the Year Awards,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Less hot air

OPINION: Farmers won't get any credit for this from the daily media, so Milking It is giving the bouquets where…

Dollars go offshore

OPINION: The Advertising Standards Authority’s 2024 report revealed that not only is social media rotting our brains, it is also…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter