Beyond the Field: Burnout, Meal Prep & Mental Health on the Farm

Kat speaks with Ben from Thrive in Farming during the middle of harvest season for a conversation about mental health in agriculture and the power of small habits. Ben opens up about his two corporate burnouts and how neglecting basic self care nearly broke him. From his daily dog walks to calling out "time excuse bullshit," Ben shares why intentional living saved his sanity. With agriculture having the highest male suicide rates, this isn't just about meal prep; it's about survival. KEY TAKEAWAYS ·      Having lost farming friends to suicide, Ben understands why the industry has the highest male suicide rates from weather pressures, government changes and even online abuse. ·      Ben’s two burnouts revealed the cost of neglecting habits. Both of his worst professional experiences happened when he abandoned self care routines, teaching him exactly what never to repeat! ·      People have time but the wrong priorities, having extra sleep instead of 20 minutes of meal prep is a choice. ·      After 15 years of poor nutrition, Ben’s homemade heated lunches have increased his overall energy levels and eliminated the dreaded 2 PM crash too. ·      Age has brought perspective that lets Ben focus on helping people who want positive change rather than engaging with critics.   BEST MOMENTS "Everything is available to us if we make these small changes. I think one thing I've learned about human beings is we are really good at deflection." You know you have time, it's just you haven't got your priorities right." "Just be a sponge. Just take info in it. There's, it's all around you all the time. Filter out the bullshit." ABOUT THE GUEST  I'm Ben, the founder of Thrive In Farming, a business helping farm owners attract and retain great people by focusing on core values – culture, wellbeing, and flexibility. With a background in farming and a passion for health and personal growth, I am on a mission to help rural businesses, and people, thrive, not just survive. Outside of work I spend as much time as possible with my little family and dogs, exploring the countryside, supporting Ipswich Town and trying to keep fit! Thrive In Farming Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thriveinfarming/?hl=en-gb ABOUT THE HOST Kat started her career as a teacher, before moving into Tech where she worked in different executive roles within teaching and consulting working across the globe, both in the public and private sector. Despite appearing 'successful' on the outside, she paid a heavy ‘life’ price. In 2016, her whole world collapsed. The reason? The compound effect of years of unhealthy and toxic habits that destroyed her health, relationship and career. She suffered a severe breakdown and lost everything. In the middle of this she got headhunted for her first CEO role. She rebuilt herself by changing just one small habit, and built a series of positive habits which has transformed her professional and personal performance, resulting in becoming the healthiest and happiest version of herself.  She is a positive habits international keynote speaker and teacher, giving talks and delivering high impact programmes to organisations across the globe.  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katthorne/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_morning_gamechanger/ Sponsor : VennCard, the last business card you’ll ever need. Whether you’re a creator, coach, or consultant, VennCard helps you share your details with a tap, capture leads instantly, and follow up automatically.