A good work/life balance and the ability to make strong personal connections in communities can help improve wellness and wellbeing - and attract and keep the people we need in our industry and rural communities.
Your wellbeing can change depending on what you do and how you think. Improving your wellbeing builds resilience to face the many pressures farming can bring. Being more resilient allows you to recover quickly from life's setbacks.
We work with some of the leading rural support networks to provide tools, tips and services to keep our people and communities thriving.
When you look after yourself, you’re looking after your farm too. Farming is a job with a unique set of challenges – including many that are hard to predict or control.
These challenges and pressures aren’t going to disappear. That’s why developing habits that help you perform at your best are so important.
That’s where Farmstrong comes in.
They share farmer-to-farmer tips, supported and informed by wellbeing science to help increase your wellbeing so you can cope better with the ups and downs of farming.
Rural Support Trust is an organisation made up of 14 independent charitable Trusts throughout New Zealand.
The Rural Support Trust have local rural people in their teams who know from experience that pressures can mount up. Their networks and training can help with all kinds of situations, helping farmers and rural communities get through challenges.
Rural Support Trusts have a connection to MPI and the Trusts are responsible for managing the recovery process of an adverse event in rural communities (such as floods, drought, tornados, covid and M.bovis). They also run events for farmers and their families to enjoy some downtime off farm.
A professional and confidential counselling service provided by an independent company, EAP Services. Fonterra funds the service for our farmers to help those who are experiencing any personal or work-related difficulties.
International research found that people who thrive have five things in common: they feel connected with others, take notice of the simple things, give regularly, keep learning and are physically active.
The right kind of food provides fuel for energy levels and a positive mood throughout the day. To ensure you have enough energy and nutrients to perform at your best, a nutritious diet and regular meals are essential, especially for a physically demanding job such as farming.
Being well-rested can significantly enhance your productivity, both on and off the farm. If you find yourself frequently waking up during the night with difficulties getting back to sleep, here are some simple tips that can help you achieve the restorative sleep you need.
Building in regular physical movement each day means you can be match-fit for busier times, like calving. Keeping yourself farm-fit can also reduce stress and anxiety. Even a short burst of brisk walking can increase your mental alertness, energy and positive mood.
Burnout is your body saying "I've hit the wall". Your mind and body give out early warning signs, and if you know and understand these early warning signs, you're able to address the problem before it gets out of hand. Here are some notes on how to identify these signs of unhealthy stress.
Some people are inherently better at coping through tough times, but that doesn't mean you can't. There are ways to help change the way you respond to a situation in a more positive way. One of these ways is a tool called 'Catch it, Check it, Change it'.
Research shows that taking breaks and time off farm makes a huge difference to your overall wellbeing. Being productive is not about working long hours, but working smarter. It is a challenge, but getting away for even just a few hours helps with perspective and work-life balance.
You ensure your farm equipment is serviced often and maintained regularly to ensure the longevity of your machines. But what about your own body? It too needs to be checked out regularly and 'serviced' when required. Sitting on a problem for too long often makes it harder to manage once it gets out of hand.