6 Tips for Farmers to Battle Burnout

By: Raylene Nickel

When farm pressures mount and one difficulty after another hammers your operation, your stress levels rise. Emotions run ragged. Your business can suffer, and even your health can deteriorate if the stressors are prolonged.

Stress and Burnout are Real. “When we are stressed, the cortisol levels in our blood go up and can potentially affect blood pressure and heart health,” said Monica McConkey, a Minnesota-based counselor who works with farmers face-to-face and by phone. “Uncontrollable variables, like weather, commodity prices, and natural disasters, cause stress. When farmers suffer stress for a number of years, burnout can result. As a result, they might say to themselves that they can’t do this anymore, but they can’t not do it either because they believe they have few options.”