Farm/Ranch Stress Management Plan
HE-287
Sean Brotherson, Family Science Specialist
Farm/ranch families can reduce or eliminate stress if they plan
ahead. With these nine steps, family members can tailor a plan to fit their situation.
Farm/ranch families experience some of the same stresses that non-farm/ranch families do,
like rising food and energy costs. In addition, they face the stress of machinery
breakdowns, unpredictable weather conditions, and the heavy pressures that accompany
planting and harvesting. By meeting together to plan ahead, farm/ranch families can reduce
or eliminate much of the stress they feel. This final leaflet in the series provides nine
steps to create a farm/ranch stress management plan that will work for you.
1. The specific stressful problem we want to solve is (e.g., our short tempers
during harvest):
2. The roadblocks and barriers to solving this problem are (e.g., not taking
time to notice symptoms early and to think before yelling):
3. Some early warning symptoms of this stressful problem are (e.g., family
arguments, Dad's neckaches, Mom withdrawing):
4. Some stress relief methods that work well for us are (e.g., neck rubs,
talking about the pressures):
5. Some possible ways we could solve the problem identified in #1 are:
- By controlling events (e.g., postponing daughter's elective surgery until after
harvest):
- By controlling our attitudes (e.g., the worst that would happen if we didn't get
this field's hay baled by nightfall is that our hay would get wet -- we've survived
worse problems):
- By controlling responses (e.g., instead of using our usual "you
statements" to blame each other, we could use "I statements" to ask
directly for what we want):
- By using resources (e.g., asking a family member for a neck massage before
falling asleep at night):
6. We are aware that we know ourselves better than anyone else. So if we were to write
the best prescription available to cure the problem identified in #1, here's what
we'd plan:
7. The personal benefit we'll get from using our plan is (e.g., we'll eliminate
the distress of being short-tempered with each other during harvest):
8. The price we'll have to pay is (e.g., we'll have to remind one another to
think before yelling and ask for what we want):
9. A way we'll make sure we get a reward for our new behavior is (e.g., when we
notice fewer arguments, we'll point it out and cheer us on):
After you have put your plan into action for a week or two, you might meet together
again to evaluate your progress and perhaps revise your plan or set up a new one to solve
another farm/ranch stress problem.
HE287, Reviewed April 2009
|
