Got a question?? Ask here ->

Do you ever feel like the farm office only gets attention when things are already overdue? Like you’re constantly reacting, juggling mental load, and trying to keep all the moving pieces together in your head?

In this episode, I sit down with Carmen Quade from Agri Focused to talk about what’s really going on behind the overwhelm so many rural women experience in farm business administration.

Carmen shares practical, grounded strategies for reducing stress in the farm office, including brain dumps, planning systems, Trello, paper diaries, and creating realistic routines that work in agriculture.

We talk honestly about why flexibility is both a strength and a challenge in farming life, how reactive office habits keep us stuck, and why valuing farm office management is essential for a productive and profitable farm business.

This conversation is full of practical farm office systems and gentle reminders that you do not need to hold everything in your head all at once.

If you’ve been craving calmer systems, clearer priorities and a more organised farm office, this episode will leave you feeling understood and supported. We also explore time management, prioritising during busy seasons, and how small changes can reduce the mental load and help you work smarter in your farm business.

What’s one tool or habit that helps reduce overwhelm in your farm office? I’d love to hear from you. Connect with me on Instagram @farmofficetoolbox

References

• Connect with Carmen Quade and Agri Focused on Instagram, Facebook or via their website
• Carmen’s online training
• House Paddock Training and Consulting
• Cozi – calendar app
• Trello
• Alison Hamilton
• Connect with Lisa on Instagram @farmofficetoolbox

Got a question?? Ask here ->

Have you ever felt like the farm office is running you instead of the other way around? Like there’s always another task, another form, another compliance change, another thing sitting in the back of your mind keeping you awake at night?

I know that feeling so well. In this episode, I’m sharing the framework that helped me move from overwhelmed and reactive to calm, organised and far more confident in our farm office.

I talk through the 10 key parts of the scaffolding I use in our farm business administration systems, including time management, information management, planning systems, delegation, documenting workflows and creating repeatable farm office systems that reduce mental load.

I also share why valuing the office role properly completely changed the way I viewed my contribution to the business and how that shift helped me make better decisions about where I spend my time and energy in the farm office.

I’m also giving you a behind the scenes look at the new projects I’ve been quietly building including a national survey on farm business administration, a dedicated online community for people working in farm admin roles, new online courses and the beginnings of a book.

My hope is that these resources help more rural women feel supported, capable and less isolated in the work they do every day behind the scenes of Australian agriculture. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by farm office management or wondered if there’s a better way to run your farm business systems, this episode is for you.

What part of farm office management do you find most overwhelming right now? I’d love to hear from you. Send me a DM and connect with me on Instagram @farmofficetoolbox

References

• Connect with David Egerton-Warburton and Agrimaster via their podcast Boots Off Log On
• Connect with Carmen Quaid from Agri Focused on Instagram, Facebook or via their website
• Connect with Lisa on Instagram @farmofficetoolbox

Got a question?? Ask here ->

Welcome to farm office toolbox, A step-by-step simple guide to an organized farm office.

This Episode I speak with Alison Hamilton, a fourth generation farmer, business founder and CEO, industry board director, wife and mum to 2 little people!

Alison suggested her favourite strategies to start improving your game in your office;

1. Conduct a 'Functioning Farm Office Health Check'. You will get this as a download by joining the mailing list at her website, click below.
2. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to help prioritise. DO, Decide, Delegate Delete.
3. Use a Google Calendar and colour code your commitments, allowing plenty of buffer time for travel and the inevitable interruptions.

Alison's Signature Program - The Functioning Farm Office starts in February 2024!
20% Discount if you enroll by December 24th, 2023.

Farm Administration Coaching | Alison Hamilton
Alison Hamilton (@alisonhamiltoncoach) • Instagram photos and videos
The Functioning Farm Office | Facebook

Listen to more of Alisons wisdom in her three part Podcast with Kirsten Diprose in Ducks on the Pond: Being the boss of your farm office.
Ducks On The Pond | Australian Rural Women's Podcast