Running on Empty: Why Mental Health Matters in Ag
You can have the best equipment, the best intentions, and the best plan, but if you’re burned out, none of it runs right.
We were talking the other morning about how hard it is to make decisions when you’re already exhausted. Choosing between a new piece of equipment with debt or rolling the dice on an older model can feel like picking the best of two bad options.
Let’s talk about capacity. We all have a limit, whether it’s mental, physical, or emotional. We have to take care of ourselves. You’ve heard it a hundred times: you can’t pour from an empty cup, you can’t run on empty, you can’t give your best when you’re running on fumes. But it’s true.
It’s only a matter of time before the whole operation starts to show the cracks.
We’re All Only Human
There’s a reason we’re seeing more conversations around mental health. People are taking it more seriously because it’s taking a toll on more of us than we realize. It’s not always easy to see, especially in ag, where pushing through is part of the culture. But the weight adds up: stress, isolation, exhaustion, and eventually something gives.
You work long hours, depend on unpredictable markets, and plan around weather that doesn’t always cooperate. We get it, things go wrong.
We’re not invincible. And being tough doesn’t mean staying silent.
Small Shifts That Keep You Going
You don’t have to flip your whole life upside down to take care of your mental health. Most of the time, it’s the small, consistent things that make the biggest difference. Talk to someone you trust, whether that’s your spouse, a neighbor, your banker or a counselor. The load gets lighter when you don’t carry it alone. Step away when you can, even if it’s just 15 minutes off the tractor to breathe and reset.
Protect your sleep. It sounds simple, but sleep is usually the first thing to go and one of the most important things to protect. Move your body, even just walking the fence line or stretching in the shop. And don’t be afraid to say no when you need to. Boundaries aren’t weakness; they’re part of staying in the game for the long haul.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup
Take care of yourself the same way you’d take care of your herd or your land. The people counting on you need you at your best. You deserve more than just getting by. You deserve to feel solid.
The work you do matters. So do you.
