Hello to March, the beginning of autumn (do we even get autumn in Queensland?) and another jam-packed month for every man and his proverbial dog.
I've consumed a lot of "wellness" content lately, not by choice, or maybe my too-smart phone is more of a mind reader than I already suspect.
The thing is, I've been warned about burnout from many angles over the years.
From school teachers, employers, doctors, news articles, podcasts - you name it, they're talking about it.
But is burnout ever really taken seriously in the bush?
We like to comment throughout the year on how fast this one is passing, as if it's taking us by surprise.
But I know I say yes more often than is good for me and yet I do it anyway.
If you can't find time in the week to call a friend over a cuppa, (guilty), chances are you've got too much going on.
The trouble is, how should we know where to draw the line?
What's worth pursuing and worth our time and energy, and what's actually draining us for a negative effect?
Often on the land, saying no isn't an option.
So many yeses relate to welfare and livelihoods and there simply is no other choice but to accept the challenge.
Social opportunities become therapy, so we say yes and push strained bodies and minds all day and onwards into the night.
Add in responsibilities around parenting, family and life expectations and we find ourselves in a real can of worms.
There has been so much positive movement around mental health in recent times, particularly aimed toward people in ag.
While some farm jobs can't be ignored, others certainly can if it's the difference between contentment and utter exhaustion, the latter of which is scarcely something to be proud of.
I know how hard it can be to have a work/life balance when the two are one and the same.
Living where you work certainly doesn't lend itself to down time and recovery, because the reminder of what's waiting for you is literally staring you in the face.
Awareness can help, and taking stock of what's most important and whether or not we're tuning in to that aspect of our lives.
According to the experts, we're the most productive and positive versions of ourselves if we're feeling satisfied with life - go figure.
It's easy to blame external sources for our dissatisfaction, but how much sooner might we achieve the universal desire for happiness if we turned the spotlight on ourselves?
It might be time to set some mid-year resolutions, after all, I believe there's an over achiever in everyone somewhere!
For accountability's sake, here's mine - say no to one request or personal expectation a month and replace it with something that brings me peace and joy.
Here's to happier, more balanced bushies!
