How thriving farmers spend their time differently

Last week I wrote about the inner work of thriving farmers - the mindset, the emotional resilience, the way they think differently.

But mindset without action is just positive thinking.

You also need the outer work. The tactical habits. The operational practices. The things thriving farmers actually DO with their time and attention.

This isn't glamorous work. It's not the stuff that gets talked about in podcasts or celebrated on Instagram.

But it's the work that makes everything else possible.

Here's what I see thriving farmers doing. Even when they don't feel like it.

They show up consistently

Thriving farmers have learned that consistency beats perfection every single time.

They show up to write their weekly email even when they have no idea what to say.

They show up to their bookkeeping even when they'd rather do literally anything else.

They show up to plan even when they're tired.

They show up to market their products even when it feels vulnerable.

They don't wait for inspiration or motivation or the perfect mood. They just show up and do the work.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

They have a day and time for their marketing. And they do it that day, at that time. Every week.

They have a system for following up with customers. And they work that system.

They have a planning session scheduled. And they show up for it.

It's not about being perfect. It's about being reliable. To themselves and to their business.

Because when you only do the important work when you feel like it, it doesn't get done. Or it gets done inconsistently, which means you never build momentum.

Thriving farmers have accepted that they won't always feel like doing the work. So they've decoupled action from feeling.

They do it anyway. That's the practice.

They pay attention to their numbers

Thriving farmers know their numbers. They look at them. Regularly.

Not just once at tax time. Not just when something feels off. They check in with their revenue, their expenses, their profit margins.

They face the data instead of avoiding it.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

They have a simple system for tracking income and expenses. Even if it's just a spreadsheet. Even if it's not fancy.

They review their numbers monthly. Or weekly. They know what they made this week, this month, this season.

They know which products are profitable and which aren't.

They know where their money is going.

And because they know, they can make informed decisions. They can adjust. They can course-correct.

Most farmers avoid their numbers because they're scared of what they'll find. Thriving farmers have learned that knowing is always better than not knowing.

Even when the numbers aren't what they hoped. Because if you don't know, you can't fix it.

Your business is trying to tell you something through your numbers. Thriving farmers listen.

They evaluate regularly

Thriving farmers don't just do things because they've always done them.

They evaluate. They ask: is this still working? Is there a better way? What should I keep doing and what should I stop?

Here's what this looks like in practice:

They do an end-of-season evaluation. What worked this season? What didn't? What will I do differently next time?

They evaluate their products. Which ones sold well? Which ones took more energy than they were worth?

They evaluate their time. Where is my time going? What's actually moving the needle? What's just busy work?

They evaluate their systems. Is this process efficient or am I doing it the hard way out of habit?

This isn't about criticizing themselves. It's about getting curious. It's about constantly improving.

And it's what keeps their business evolving instead of stagnating.

Most farmers keep doing the same things year after year, wondering why nothing changes. Thriving farmers change what's not working and double down on what is.

They invest in what they need

Thriving farmers are willing to spend money on what will help them do their job better.

They hire help when they need it. They buy the equipment that will save them time. They invest in coaching or courses or systems.

Not recklessly. Not without thinking it through. But they're not afraid to invest in themselves and their business.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

When they're drowning in production work and have no time for marketing, they hire help for the production work.

When their bookkeeping is a mess and causing stress, they hire a bookkeeper or invest in software that makes it easier.

When they're stuck and spinning, they get coaching to help them think clearly and stay accountable.

When there's a tool or piece of equipment that would genuinely make their work easier, they buy it instead of struggling with inadequate tools.

And here's one that might surprise you: many of my clients hire housekeepers.

Not because they're lazy. But because they've done the math and realized that spending 4 hours every weekend cleaning the house is 4 hours they could spend on business development, or rest, or time with family.

They hire someone to clean their house so they can focus their energy where it actually matters.

They understand that they are the asset in their business. That their time and energy and capacity matter.

And sometimes you have to spend money to save your sanity. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.

Thriving farmers don't operate from scarcity. They make strategic investments. And they trust that taking care of themselves and their business is worth it.

They get support to clean out their brains

This one's crucial.

Thriving farmers don't try to do it all alone in their heads.

They have someone they can talk to. A coach. A mentor. A peer group. Someone who can help them process all the spinning thoughts and indecision and stuckness.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

They have weekly coaching. Or a monthly mastermind. Or a business buddy they check in with regularly.

They use that time to get all the thoughts out of their head and onto paper.

They talk through decisions instead of ruminating alone.

They get accountability for the things they keep saying they'll do but aren't doing.

They clean out their mental clutter so they can show up clear and focused for their business.

Many of my clients work with me for years. Not because there's always more to learn. But because weekly coaching cleans out their brain once a week of all the spinning, indecision, and stuckness.

That regular support is what keeps them moving forward instead of staying stuck in their head.

Thriving farmers don't see getting support as weakness. They see it as smart business decision.

They take themselves seriously

This might be the most important one.

Thriving farmers take themselves seriously. They treat their business like it matters. They treat their time like it's valuable. They treat their goals like they're worth pursuing.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

They have boundaries around their work time. They protect it. They don't let every request or interruption derail them.

They don't dismiss their own work as "just a small farm" or "not a real business."

They don't apologize for charging what their products are worth.

They don't let other people's priorities override their own.

They show up to their business like a professional. Not perfectly. But intentionally.

They have systems. They have processes. They have structure.

Not because they're control freaks. But because they know that if they don't take themselves seriously, no one else will either.

And their business reflects that seriousness. It's not chaos. It's not reactionary. It's run by someone who believes it matters.

Because it does.

The unsexy truth

Here's what nobody tells you: thriving farms aren't built on brilliant strategies or viral moments or lucky breaks.

• They're built on these unsexy, daily practices.

• Showing up even when you don't feel like it.

• Looking at your numbers even when it's scary.

• Evaluating what's working and what's not.

• Investing in help when you need it.

• Getting support to stay clear and accountable.

• Taking yourself seriously enough to protect your time and your priorities.

That's the work. And it's not glamorous. But it's what actually creates sustainable growth.

You can have all the right ideas and still struggle if you're not doing these things.

But if you ARE doing these things, you'll be amazed at what becomes possible.

The invitation

You don't have to do all of these perfectly. You don't have to implement all of them at once.

But you can pick one. And you can start practicing it.

Maybe this week you look at your numbers. Really look at them. Face what's there.

Maybe you schedule a weekly time for your marketing and you show up for it. Every week. No matter what.

Maybe you invest in the help you've been telling yourself you can't afford.

Maybe you reach out to get the support you need to stop spinning and start moving.

One practice at a time. That's how you build a thriving farm.

Not by doing everything at once. But by consistently doing the things that matter.

Even when they're hard. Even when they're boring. Even when you'd rather not.

That's what thriving farmers do. And you can do it too.

You're capable of this. All of it.

If this resonated, you might also want to read:

The mindset that separates thriving farms from struggling ones - The inner work that makes these outer practices possible

You can't grow your farm business past who you're willing to become - Why becoming someone new is required for growth

The energy drain of unmade decisions - How to make decisions and follow through consistently

And if you need support building these practices into your rhythm, if you need accountability to actually do the work instead of just thinking about it, I'm here. Schedule a free chat with me at FarmCoachKatia.com-work-with-me.