No matter what your profession, the imminent, and at times sudden, arrival of fall brings lots of changes and a fair number of challenges, both physical and mental.

September is a pretty busy time for most field-based horticulture crop producers. This is when everything that they have done to this point heads towards a conclusion. They may have been busy with harvest for weeks (and even months), but for the crops that only come off at the end of the season, it is one big, sudden push. It is a race against the clock to get the crops out of the field and into the post-harvest and storage system with minimal losses and maximum quality. There are also many fall activities that are also fighting to be completed, including soil sampling, weed control, nutrient applications, etc. This is complicated by the fact that in September there tends to be a dramatic shift in daylength, daytime and nighttime temperatures, plus moisture levels. I find that it can be a bit of a mental blow to suddenly go from a 14 to 16-hour day, with early sunrises and a 9:30 or 10pm sunset to a 10-hour day with a 7:30 or 8pm sunset. Moisture conditions, humidity, and temperature (both air and soil) critically impact when harvest can start in a day, often giving a short window of time to get the job done.

All this change brings stress, or at a minimum, a lot of pressure. It can be easy to get so caught up in the many tasks and pressures that you lose sight of your purposes and goals. You can forget about all the things that you have accomplished, now and over the past season. You can forget about your personal growth. You might constantly postpone and push back the important things in life that bring another level of richness and depth to what you already are doing.

That buildup of pressure can be unhealthy unless it is addressed appropriately. I am not suggesting that you skip harvest or drop your responsibilities. However, I do suggest that you make time to appreciate the good in your life. Schedule those important breaks and activities that do not take away from your professional success, but rather allow you to appreciate it more when you come back to work.

Many of the people (growers, professionals, family, friends) that I especially admire seem to have found a sweet spot. Since I do not see them every day, I can only observe and note via social media, but I DO note examples of where people have taken the time to find or create joy in the moment. Here are some examples of this principle based on things that I have seen people do.

• Look at who is standing with you

Feeling alone weighs you down and diminishes your capacity. You are not alone. In many cases, you have surrounded yourself with good people. Just the act of seeing (which is a combination of looking AND recognizing) those that support you should buoy you up.

The adage is that “there is strength in numbers”. Seeing that you are NOT alone can lend you strength, both physical and of purpose.

• Take time to laugh

There are probably scientific papers out there (which I have not read) that document the physical changes that occur in your body when you laugh. From my own experience, there is a release of tension, a mental shift, and a change in focus when you laugh. A laugh is a sort of mental helium that lightens the atmosphere, making whatever task you are involved in to suddenly become lighter. And it permeates the space around you, lightening others as well.

I recall spending long, brisk hours sorting potatoes when I was in university. It was monotonous, tiring, dirty and often smelly work. However, while I remember all those unpleasant things, I remember more the joking and laughing with good friends and coworkers that helped us to push through the work.

• Give yourself permission to take a break

I recently saw an Instagram post by a grower that I greatly respect. In it, she had taken a couple of days off to go fishing. It was a conscious decision, not a spontaneous one, as she is a busy, busy person. It allowed her to have a break from her many responsibilities and come back with renewed purpose.

Breaks do not have to be days long. They can last seconds. Take a moment to read an uplifting quote. Read a book. Watch a show. Step outside for a breath of fresh air. Go for a short walk. Stand in the sun. Incorporate some study or time for thinking into a block of time that might otherwise be rushed (e.g. lunch time).

• Take time to acknowledge the beauty in front of you

We are surrounded by wonder and beauty all the time. Just the fact that plants are growing and maturing for us is miraculous. But, if we always have our head down, we can lose sight of it.

Seeing the beauty that constantly presents itself before us is critical. This could involve appreciating a particularly stunning sunrise or the sunset (that you would miss if you were inside), a completely uniform or fine-looking crop, or a now empty field (and full storage). It could be pausing to hear a bird singing or a hawk soaring.

• Make time for the important things, even during a busy time

Another grower (and the entire family) that I know has been going full out with harvest and markets for months. But mixed into this busy season was a family wedding. Did they shut down the farm for weeks to prepare? No, they did not. They somehow managed to blend wedding preparations into the fall work. Did it add a few more tasks to the daily lists? Yes, probably. But I imagine that it added a spice or flavour to their lives that they will not soon forget.

For the big day, they took it and made the most of it. They let their customers know that they would be away for one day but would be right back at it the next day. This is a family farm and it is only fitting that family events be blended in.

It is ok to make time for things that matter.

• Breathe

Our brains (and bodies) require oxygen to survive. However, the breathing that I am referring to is more a mental thing, rather than physical. Taking time to stop and focus on your breathing allows your body to catch up to the world around it. It gives you a chance to reset and refocus and then move forward with greater purpose. Take the time to count to 10 or 20 and breathe some life back into your work.

What does it all mean?

These, and other, methods can be effective in helping you to recapture some control of your work, even if you feel like you have things in hand. Take the time to add the spice and flavour to your life, outside of the work. I think that you will find it gives you a bit more back than you would think and will help you to keep going longer.