Avoiding Burnout – And Finding Joy – On The Farm

By Roxanne Reed, founder and CEO of Farm School on Wheels

Roxanne Reed, founder and CEO of Farm School on Wheels, recently shared her thoughts on a topic any aspiring, beginning or experienced farmer can relate to: Preventing burnout. Farm School on Wheels travels throughout the Carolinas to offer young, beginning and small (YBS) farmers training and ongoing support to build and grow sustainable farming businesses.

I recently attended an event that delved into a topic close to my heart: Preventing burnout on small farms. The speaker, with years of experience in business management, shared insights that resonated deeply with me. It’s a topic that doesn’t just apply to farming, but to any entrepreneurial venture.

The session kicked off with a lively discussion about wrangling the stressors we face daily – the alligators snapping at our heels. They’re the bills we forgot to pay, the orders we overlooked, the endless to-do lists that keep us up at night. We’ve all been there, tossing and turning at 3 a.m. with worry gnawing at us. The speaker’s advice? Write it down, tackle it head-on and move on. Don’t let those alligators consume you.

Then there are the flying monkeys – the smaller, nagging issues that add to our stress load. They’re not as urgent as the alligators, but they're still there, buzzing around, demanding attention. It’s crucial to prioritize and tackle them after dealing with the bigger, more immediate challenges.

And let's not forget the hatchlings – the tiny problems that will quickly grow if left unchecked. By mentally categorizing these stressors into buckets – alligators, flying monkeys and hatchlings – we can better manage our workload and focus on what really matters: Turning our farming operation into a sustainable, gratifying business.

Amid the chaos and challenges, it’s essential to celebrate the wins, no matter how small. Those “rainbow and unicorn” moments remind us why we embarked on this journey in the first place. They’re the times we find joy and fulfillment in our work, even when the going gets tough.

The speaker also touched on the importance of understanding our teams’ motivations, whether that’s a sense of achievement, affiliation or power. Knowing each team member's dominant driver helps us assign tasks more effectively and create a supportive work environment.

Delegation was another key theme of the session. As a self-professed control freak, learning to trust others with important tasks was daunting for me. But I knew it was necessary for growth and sustainability. Slow and steady wins the race – start small, delegate gradually and celebrate your team’s successes along the way.

And let’s not forget self-care, an often-neglected aspect of entrepreneurship. We can’t pour from an empty cup, so taking time for ourselves is essential for maintaining our well-being and productivity.
I'm reminded of the speaker’s closing words: “Batman can’t do it alone. So why should you?” 
Building a successful farm – or any business – takes a village. It’s about surrounding ourselves with a supportive team, trusting others to share the load and remembering to take care of ourselves along the way.

Here’s to tackling those alligators, wrangling those flying monkeys, tending to those hatchlings and celebrating every rainbow and unicorn moment along the way. You got this!