Filling Your Own Bucket . . . by

● To reduce physical and mental fatigue and stress

● To strengthen family and other relationships

● To gain new motivation and productivity

● To achieve a new perspective

● To satisfy the "if only I had done this."

● To fill your own bucket by doing something, you have always wanted to do

B. Lynn Gordon

keep things going in the short term. Plus, if you have family members or employees that are part of your team, stepping away for a few days instills more confidence in them, allowing them to gain new skills and feel a greater part of the team. Micro-management is another way to add unneeded stress to your day.

The value of time away from the farm

Summer is around the corner. As a child, I was always ecstatic for summer. Like many of my school-age classmates, summer was a break from the routine of going to school and provided the opportunity to fill our days with whatever we wanted. For me, that was riding in the pickup or 4-wheeler across the pastures to check the cows during the breeding season and seeing the daily changes in the young calves or halter-breaking and washing my heifers and steers for summer 4-H and junior cattle shows. After the long Manitoba winters, being outside in the sunshine was a long-awaited reward.

Livestock families don't often take breaks or summer vacations. The hectic pace of calving season may have eased, but next on the calendar is haying, branding, breeding, and that never-ending chore of fixing fence. We probably have all heard someone saying I never get a vacation; I'm a rancher. Research indicates that individuals who take time away from work are better family members and better business individuals. If you don't believe you need a break, what about your family?

While I certainly understand the day-to-day responsibilities associated with livestock production and the hundreds of reasons why you shouldn't take a vacation; however ask yourself, what are some reasons you should?

Here are a few I come up with:

● To spend time with your family or friends

● To clear your mind from the daily decisionmaking

In an occupation where stress is taking a toll on individuals, and there is always something that needs to get done, what type of break can you schedule this summer to keep things in perspective and take time to look after yourself and your family? To be sustainable in business requires focus, motivation, and enjoyment. Allowing yourself the opportunity to restore your motivation and prevent physical and mental fatigue can impact the success of your business.

I used to tell my friends that my dad was a great outdoorsman, then I would chuckle and say, not the kind of outdoorsman you would think of. He never went fishing but loved being outdoors in the summer, judging livestock shows, or touring cow herds. Not all of Dad's or our family's breaks off the farm were 'true vacations.' Still, they were opportunities to travel, see new things, and meet new people, all of which impacted our family business and lifestyles and broadened our perspectives.

Looking back now, I realize how difficult it was for our family to leave the farm for an extended period because of financial and logistical reasons. Who will do the chores? Will things be taken care of the way you would do it? What if something goes wrong? How do I develop a contingency plan to be prepared if something were to go wrong?

For some individuals, the thought of being away from the farm adds stress and prevents them from getting away. A friend often says, "I can't leave because no one will care for things as I do." Remember, you are not asking the fill-in person to manage the ranch at your level; they are there temporarily to

If taking an extended time away from the ranch is challenging to put into motion, take small steps like:

● Take a day trip to a destination you have been wanting to visit and learn about

● Attend an educational program on a topic you have always wanted to learn

● Visit a nearby customer who purchased cattle from you or used your genetics

● Invite cattle producers to visit your farm and commit to making a return visit to their ranch

● Join an organization to gain a new perspective and meet new people

● Identify an off-farm break as a business goal you plan to achieve

I recall two different times when I struggled with the decision to take time away from my work.

The one I hadn’t planned for so the trip was more expensive than I could afford at the time, but I knew if I didn't go, I might never get to see that event or that part of the county – a decision which I don't regret. Yet, what was even more special was the opportunity to visit an extended cousin who passed away unexpectedly about six months later. The other allowed me to forge new friendships, broaden my perspective and put a checkmark beside a special event on my bucket list.

No matter the context of your break, find ways to 'fill your bucket.' As a friend told me last week, if you think you want to do something, do it, life is short. The work will always be there, but the opportunity to look after yourself and others important to you may not. Enjoy.