That August Feeling: How to Farm with Intention Even During the Busy Season

“The August Feeling.”  That’s how one farmer described to me that bone-tired feeling of peak-season… when crops and sales are in full-swing, and despite working as quickly and efficiently as possible, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done. My term for that is “Sunday Tired.” It hearkens back to my restaurant and catering days. Saturday, the last day of the workweek, was the busiest night of the week. It was like the whole week built up to this grand crescendo. When the last dinner went out there was hardly an ounce of energy left to clean up our stations. Sundays were about rest and recovery (as long as I didn’t have to also work brunch), so I could do it all again starting on Tuesday.

Whether it’s “The August Feeling” or “Sunday Tired”, it’s hard to do anything more than necessary when that level of exhaustion strikes; and the usual pleasure of farming (or cooking) turns to indifference and frustration.

I had a coaching call with a farmer (Sarah) last week who was already having the “August Feeling” in June. She was worried that, for the first time in her 9-years in business, she was operating at a loss. She was frustrated and tired; she was ready to sell her business. It’s hard to farm with clarity and intention when you’re deep in that “August Feeling.” Harder still to make effective decisions to pivot and adapt.

As we chatted and looked through Sarah’s QuickBooks, there were several things that sparked my curiosity. She knew her sales were down. But she didn’t realize her labor expenses were double from last year. Not just double as a percentage of revenue, but double in gross numbers.

As we discussed potential solutions, it was clear we needed to tease apart what was really going on from the emotional frustration. The numbers can tell you what you should do (in this case, reduce the labor expense), but they don’t always define the path.  We needed to address three components of Sarah’s situation:

1.     Pragmatic – The numbers were clear, pragmatic and unemotional. She could still generate a profit for the year andpay herself, as long as she reduced her labor expense. But how?

2.     Emotional – Sarah was tired and drained; feeling like she was spinning her wheels. She wouldn’t be able to make an effective decision on the path forward without resolving the emotional component. In this case, I suggest taking some “me-time” to rest and recharge, even if it was just a few hours. In her emotional state of frustration, everything became more difficult.

3.     Logistical – To mitigate some of the emotion, we needed to figure out the logistics – the actual mechanisms and strategies – of reducing labor costs. As we talked through the causes of lower than desired sales and higher the sustainable labor costs, we brainstormed possible solutions. The more we discussed the logistics of making it all work, the more the emotions slipped away. By being able to plot the first few steps forward, she was able to reduce the emotional drain and think with greater clarity and intention.

Peak season is upon us… if you’re not already there, the August Feeling is coming. It’s not easy to see the solutions to the continual business challenges that arise. The more you can focus on the logistics, the easier it will be to mitigate the emotional drain. Talking with an outside person, who is not mired in the August Feeling, can help you see the logistics that will help you ease the emotions so you can make decisions with greater intention and clarify.

Need that person to talk to? Business Essentials Members of The Farmer’s Office are always welcome to join me for a speed-coaching session. We can troubleshoot possible solutions and talk about pragmatics and logistics