Reading Time: 3 minutes How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical GuideBy Peter Boghossian and James Lindsay (Da Capo Lifelong Books) If you have never had a difficult conversation, you are not human. Whether it’s with parents, siblings or kids, or even with those distant family members you only see once a year, it just happens. No one […] Read more
Making impossible conversations possible
Guide Books Review: How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide
Train your brain
HR management: Skeptical farmers like to scoff at talk about mindfulness. So how do you account for the success of this U.K. farm project?
Reading Time: 5 minutes Over the past decade, a growing number of CEOs in North America have embraced mindfulness and meditation to cope with stress and increase their productivity. Now, science proves they’re onto a good thing. Research shows these ancient techniques actually do boost concentration, memory and creativity while reducing the negative effects of stress. So, why isn’t […] Read more
Coping with the winter months
“It’s okay not to be okay,” says therapist Deborah Vanberkel. All of us are subject to the winter blahs and cabin fever
Reading Time: 6 minutes As if farming wasn’t already stressful enough, Canadian winters bring additional challenges. Frozen water lines, icy driveways and tractors that won’t start are just a few of the many physical challenges that farmers must contend with during our harsh winters. On top of that, when the short days of winter arrive, some of us will […] Read more
Promises to yourself
When the pressure is on, farmers get amazing things done. Now, a new technique called WOOP can help you score when the pressure is off as well
Reading Time: 5 minutes Farmers are good at getting things done under pressure. When the crop needs to get in the ground or the hay has to be baled before the rain, farmers follow through. But when there’s no deadline, farmers can fall prey to procrastination just like everybody else, says Carleton University professor Dr. Tim Pychyl, who also […] Read more
Continuous communication
There are three simple steps to establish a family business code of conduct
Reading Time: 4 minutes There is a change in how families communicate today. I see the evidence in my daily work. You probably see it around the farm tables, in the barn, or with your accountant. Different discussions are happening now. Discussions are being driven by different players — sons-in-law, spouses, children — people coming into a farm family […] Read more
How to argue, intelligently
It's the Old Brain vs. the New Brain
Reading Time: 4 minutes In an increasingly polarized world, arguing seems to be a favourite pastime. Trolls (those delightful online creatures who start quarrels and sow discord for fun) treat the internet like a no-holds-barred Wild West. Others get lost in detailed rants and forget to listen — or forget what they were arguing about in the first place. […] Read more
Beating burnout
No one is immune, so it’s smart to know if you’re showing these symptoms of burnout. For most of us, it’s the best way to avoid the trap
Reading Time: 5 minutes Do you feel exhausted no matter how much sleep you get? Do you feel mentally drained, or do you lack energy or feel like you’re not really accomplishing anything? All of these symptoms can point to burnout, says Dr. Arla Day, a professor in occupational health at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. If this sounds […] Read more
Guide HR: Sibling rivalry
… and how to prevent it destroying your family business!
Reading Time: 4 minutes A family business can have many positive advantages, including strong cohesion among members and a shared commitment to success. However, family businesses can also sometimes be highly conflictual and chaotic. It seems your strength can become your weakness. Managing a business with family members creates several issues that can have a huge impact on the […] Read more
Meditating on the farm
Work better, sleep better, and bring some calm to your world
Reading Time: 4 minutes With 5,000 acres of crops to seed and harvest, Tamina Miller used to be so anxious, she could only sleep three hours a night. Miller, who farms with her family near Alliance, Alta., was suffering from stress overload. Then seven years ago, Miller started meditating 10 minutes a day, and it changed her life. Before […] Read more
Guide HR: Vacations: Why do you need them?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout have never been so high across all industries, but we see it particularly in the farming business. Even though technology purports to simplify our lives, we’re experiencing more and more over-investment in work. Many farmers tell me they’re exhausted, with no time to catch up. Moreover, everyone wants it […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
