Overcoming Burnout on the Farm…for Good
As the summer draws to a close, flower farmers often find themselves exhausted and worn out. The relentless heat, constant battle with bugs and disease, and the necessity to work in all kinds of weather take their toll. It's no wonder burnout is a common challenge in our field.
There are all kinds of tips and strategies out there to help with burnout on the farm. Take a day for yourself. Go for walks. Schedule time off. While these are all great ways to help you get through the rest of the season, they don’t address the root cause of the burnout. They’re simply a band-aid.
In this article, I want to rip off the band-aid and get to the heart of the issue.
So grab yourself some popcorn and get comfy.
Our day-to-day reality is shaped by our personal beliefs—think of it as the programming in our brains. We're born blank slates, and over time we’re programmed by different influences: parents, teachers, experiences, environment and more. These all shape our beliefs, our worldview, and ultimately, our behavior.
You can try every tip and strategy out there to battle burnout, but unless you change the internal programming causing it, you’ll never truly overcome it.
I’m gonna share my story so you can see what I mean.
I grew up with the common belief that you have to work hard for your money. Sound familiar? The harder you worked, the more successful you’d be. The more hours you put in, the better. My dad was a small business owner, and I saw this belief in action throughout my childhood—12-hour days, working holidays, and missed events.
This belief was ultimately passed on to me which led to years of workaholism.
Until…
Until one winter night, as I sat in bed with my laptop taking a training, the instructor shattered this belief.
He said, “you don’t have to work hard to make money.”
Don't be ridiculous. My defenses went up immediately. Yes, you do! What do you mean you don’t have to work hard?
Then he said “If this were true, your uncle Jack who works 65 hours a week at the plant would be rich. He picks up overtime. He works 12-hour days. If putting in more hours resulted in more money, Jack would be rich.”
F*@$! What is he saying?
“There is no reward for being the hardest worker.”
This hit a nerve because I WAS the hardest worker. In fact, I prided myself on it! He was ripping the rug out from a core belief that shaped who I was. He was implying that the grotesque number of hours I put in over the years (since more hours = more success) weren’t necessary.
“There are people out there making way more money doing way less work.”
I didn’t need to hear anymore. Point made.
What followed were months of unraveling. Taking apart this belief I had carried with me for years. It was one aha moment after another.
I used to love to cook dinner, but it turned into my #1 annoyance because I was too exhausted from working in the field all day to make a real dinner.
I let my passion for yoga (or any type of wellness for that matter) all but disappear because there was no possible way I could leave the farm each day for 90+ min.
I hadn’t read a good book in ages because who has time to read?
And then there was the mom guilt. Oh, the mom guilt.
I realized how this belief that I had to work hard to be successful affected every part of my life. I then became OBSESSED with finding ways to work smarter around the farm, not harder. I analyzed every single component of my farm business from my mindset to the numbers to the field to find ways to save time yet boost sales.
What was the result?
Sales increased by 42%.
We took multiple family vacations during the heart of the season.
Sanity. (That's a heavy word, isn't it?!)
I share this story because I used to be riddled with burnout. And not just in the fall, but year-round because I couldn’t stop.
The first step to address burnout is to address your beliefs or your programming that is in the driver’s seat of your day. When I work with students, I see these beliefs ALL THE TIME.
➡️ I need to grow equal parts filler, foliage and focal. No you don’t.
➡️ I need to extend my season as long as possible. No you don’t.
➡️ I need to plant this, that and this so I don’t have any gaps and can offer flowers all season long. No you don’t.
➡️ I need to make this seasonal business year-round. No you don’t.
➡️ I need to sell mixed bouquets. No you don’t.
No. You. Don’t.
These beliefs—these lies—are exactly what lead to burnout. They keep us trapped in a cycle of overwork and overwhelm, convincing us that the only path to success is through relentless effort and endless hours. But here's the truth: it doesn't have to be that way.
When I finally let go of the belief that more hours meant more success, everything changed. I started focusing on what truly mattered—both in my business and in my personal life. I became intentional about where I invested my time and energy, and the results were the proof.
By streamlining my processes and focusing on what actually moved the needle, I found that I could work less while making more. My farm became WAY more efficient, my sales increased, and I finally had the time to enjoy the life I was working so hard to create. (Curious to know what exactly I did? I documented it all here.)
So, if you’re feeling burnt out, it’s time to take a hard look at the beliefs driving your actions. Are they serving you, or are they holding you back? Challenge them. Question them. And most importantly, be willing to let them go.
Burnout isn’t inevitable. It’s a signal—a sign that something needs to change. By addressing the root cause, the beliefs that fuel our behavior, we can not only overcome burnout but thrive.
Remember, you don’t have to work harder to be successful. You just have to work smarter. And sometimes, that starts with reprogramming the beliefs that have been keeping you on the hamster wheel.
So, as you finish up this season, I challenge you to rip off the band-aid, examine the wound, and begin the healing process. Your future self will thank you.
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