10 stress-busting tips shared by farmers

Farmers have taken to social media to improve their health and wellbeing by sharing stress-busting tips with other growers and livestock producers.

Combating stress is among the top challenges facing growers and livestock producers, according to a survey undertaken as part of the Fit2Farm campaign by Farmers Weekly.

Some 28% of farmers and farm workers want to know more about how to manage stress in the workplace, the study reveals.

Almost as many respondents (25%) said they would benefit from techniques to help them stop worrying about work all the time.

Designed to highlight the importance of healthy farmers to healthy farm businesses, the study was carried out in association with Bayer and Isuzu.

Farmers responded in their droves to a request asking them to share stress-busting tips on Twitter.

1. Many farmers use exercise as a way to wind down and ease workload pressures.

Have an interest out side farming, I play hockey. It’s great to be away for a few hours and playing a sport you have to concentrate on that so farm pressures are gone for a few hours.

— Steve Williams (@st3venwilliams) October 22, 2018

2. Although some sports are more extreme than others

… it is not for me but one agricultural contractor I know took up parachuting, he tells me that when they chuck you out of the aeroplane you forget about everything else.

— Tom Rigby (@tomrtwit) October 22, 2018

3. Russell McKenzie takes a more relaxed approach

Switch phone off. Watch as much of my kids playing sport as possible. Total escapism and great talking to other people/parents about anything other than farming. The older & wiser you get the more you realise/appreciate that it doesn’t need to be all consuming.

— Russell McKenzie (@russbmckenzie) October 22, 2018

4. Lincolnshire farmer Paul Davey believes laughter really is the best medicine

Laughter. Make sure you laugh with your workmates, spouses or partners, children or complete strangers. It doesn’t matter how tough it gets, go and laugh with someone about anything…

— Paul Davey (@bleating_lamb) October 22, 2018

5. Sometimes no words are needed

pic.twitter.com/lzY3pPoMmV

— Joe Stanley ?? (@JoeWStanley) October 22, 2018

6. NFU deputy president looks to the wartime experiences of his uncle and grandfather

I think of my grandfather under the ‘stress’ of Luftwaffe bombardment in Malta in 1942 or my uncle in Tobruk
under the stress of Panzer attack in 1941. My kin who were never given the chance to grow old. I think how my life is blessed to have such brave forebears. #lestweforget

— Guy Smith (@essexpeasant) October 22, 2018

7. Simply slowing down is often its own reward

10-15 years ago I managed to smash up a combine fan housing £8000 damage and then my pick up in about 24 hours , both into cattle troughs , my father said , “ffs enjoy the job for what it is, stop trying to be a clever bugger and calm down”

— Mark Middleton (@Markmid1) October 22, 2018

8. Yorkshire sprayer operator Mark Turner says photography is a good distraction

I wouldn’t say I get stressed but I do need a distraction to stop the head from overloading so I think photography as I am doing my job, wildlife, skies, sunsets, machinery pics and drone pics.

— Mark turner (@mt765c) October 22, 2018

9. Avoiding social media and going for a walk is popular too

Walking, just the feel of the ground underneath my feet and the fresh air does me wonders. Takes my mind off everything but also resets me to think things through properly again. I find switching off from SM helps too when I’m really bogged down. That and eating fresh food!

— Cesca (@Cesca_Beswick) October 22, 2018

10. And you don’t always have to get away from the farm

Turn the phone off and go and talk to the cows and calves(especially the ones that have some grass!)reminds me that life is not so bad pic.twitter.com/HQorEbyMmP

— Adam Quinney (@ACQuinney) October 22, 2018