Avoiding Burnout on the Homestead – Planning Ahead

This week’s post is prompted by a discussion we had earlier in the week around on long-term plans here at the Silly Couple homestead. How big do we want to get? How many goats do we need for homesteading purposes? How quickly can we scale our fruit and vegetable production? All of these questions are important to ask when planning out a homestead. But, before you dig too deep into plans, it’s important you truly consider the time commitment. Avoiding burnout on the homestead is important, and this week we start our larger discussion of big-picture planning with a focus on just that.

Homesteading is Hard Work

There’s no way to sugar coat it. Homesteading is hard work. And, if you’re looking to really become self-sufficient (or as much as anyone can be), it takes time and planning. This makes avoiding burnout on the homestead essential. The reality is, we have a pretty small operation right now. Our vegetable garden is just getting started, our fruit trees and bushes are still a year away from producing, we only have a small flock of chickens, and we only have one goat in milk.

Despite the relatively small size of our homestead right now, we still have to devote a minimum of 1 hour each morning and 1 hour each evening to ensure everything is fed, watered, and comfortable. And, when I say minimum, I mean that in the truest sense. The reality is that you can add a third hour almost every day. And, if you’re really tracking time, those little visits throughout the day can add up too. That’s to say nothing of the bigger projects that come with land ownership -making sure grass is controlled, taking out invasive weeds, processing fallen tree limbs (or cutting down dying ones) -the list could go on.

The point is, homesteading doesn’t really allow you to take vacations. So, when we talk about avoiding burnout on the homestead, don’t underestimate the importance.

Setting Aside Time to Relax

It might sound remedial, but the number one key to avoiding burnout on the homestead is to set aside time to relax. No matter who you are, you need some time to decompress and get away from the homestead chores. Or, this time of year, to get out of the brutal heat. If you’re like us, you carve out a little time every day.

Part of our homestead routine involves going out first thing in the morning and last thing before dark. So, we’re out there shortly after sunrise and we’re back out there until sunset. Especially at this time of year, this breaks up our evenings quite aggressively. Sure, I get done with work, we eat dinner, and I have some time to relax. But, then just as I’m getting comfortable, it’s time to get out and do the evening milking.

Despite the tight schedule, we’ve found the television to offer a great respite for this in-between time. Between dinner and milking, we’ll watch an episode of a TV show we both like. Right now, we’re rewatching Star Trek Enterprise -because trekkies can spend their entire lives rewatching Star Trek. So, every evening, we watch an episode and don’t allow ourselves to worry about anything around the homestead.

Additionally, we try to take time on Sundays to really embrace our Sabbath. We firmly believe that when God instructed us to rest on the 7th day, it wasn’t a suggestion. So, we do what we have to for our animals, but we try to avoid big projects or overworking ourselves. Instead, we can take a break from the grind of life. This allows us time to work through whatever books we’re reading, watch a new movie, or just generally take time to relax. When we considering avoiding stress on the homestead, this is definitely a top way to do it.

Create Some Variety in the Everyday

Another option is to create some variety in your routine. This one often works itself out. Animals can do some unpredictable things, so situations can often arise that are out of the ordinary. Perhaps your livestock guardian dog is extra boisterous one day and decides to run off after a deer (been there). Or, maybe your goat is getting so wildly playful that she decides to try and jump somewhere she shouldn’t, getting stuck in the process (yep, Bella’s done that one). While these might cause extra work, they also are important in their randomness. See, following the exact same routine can get tiresome.

With that in mind, take some time once a month (or more frequent if possible) and look for ways to add some variety to your daily routine. Make it silly. For instance, May 6th was Naked Gardening Day. What better way to change your routine that doing all the morning’s gardening naked? If you have goats, consider doing goat yoga every so often (if not regularly) to destress and mix things up. Whatever it might take, add some variety on occasion.

More Tricks to Avoiding Burnout on the Homestead

Of course, when it comes down to it, avoiding burnout on the homestead can be a very personal thing. Perhaps you absolutely hate reading. Or, maybe to fully relax, you need to jump on Instagram and just scroll for thirty minutes. Whatever the case might be, it’s important you set aside time to relax if you hope to stay sane. Caring for animals and tending the land is not for everyone. If you’re not ready to commit the time and willing to sacrifice other aspects of life, then it might not be for you.

Next week, we’ll talk about something a little more personal in our homesteading journey. Specifically, we’ll dive into our discussion about how goats will play into the future of our homestead. Until next time, we’ll see you around the homestead.