Handling Stress

It's most certainly easier said than done. I'm talking about controlling negative attitudes, emotions and habits in order to improve your physical and mental health. Those not familiar with the daily business of farming or ranching might think that farmers and ranchers do not have as much stress as someone who works a non-agricultural job answering to a supervisor or boss. They would be wrong. In fact, farmers and ranchers face a multitude of stress related issues on a day to day basis consisting of planting schedules, labor issues, weather patterns, livestock health and safety, and wildly fluctuating markets, to name just a few. While farmers tend to smoke less than the general population, a large majority of farmers are apt to cope with stress through excessive worry, over eating, or most commonly, over working. When all these negative behaviors are combined they increase a person's risk for heart disease and other serious health issues. Farm and ranch families who are finding themselves under increasing pressure need to seek help in dealing with the additional stress. In this instance especially it's okay to not be self-sufficient.