​Jennifer Hampton, a social worker, life coach, and mental health professional, spoke to Connect & Cultivate attendees about Strategies for Preventing Burnout in the Workplace. Drawing from her extensive experience in stressful environments, she shared practical strategies to prevent and address burnout. Here are the key takeaways:
 
Definition and Impact of Burnout:

• Burnout is characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion due to prolonged stress.
• Unlike stress, which can sometimes be motivating, burnout leads to decreased productivity and serious health issues such as depression and heart disease.

 
Practical Tools and Techniques:

• Circle of Concern/Control: Focus efforts on things within your control to reduce stress.
• Pomodoro Technique: Enhances productivity by working in focused intervals with breaks.
• Aligning with Values: Living by your values reduces stress and enhances contentment.
• Setting your Boundaries: What you say “yes and no” to.

 
Stress-Relief Techniques:

• Self-Care: Take a self-care assessment and see how you maintain a healthy wellbeing
• Music: Can improve mood and reduce stress.
• Regular Breaks: Help manage stress levels throughout the day.
• Box Breathing: A technique to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety – even Chris Hemsworth does it!
• Tolerance: Healthy stress tolerance and stress management means paying attention to the pressure that is building and acknowledging your limitations before you reach your capacity.

 
Books to Read:

• Awareness by Anthony de Mello's
• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

 
Creating a Supportive Work Environment:

• Open communication and collaboration among colleagues are key to fostering a supportive atmosphere.
• Leaders play a crucial role in recognizing burnout and promoting a culture of well-being.
• Here are some ways we can address the “the disappearance of the off-season:”

 
1. Flexible Scheduling

• Staggered Shifts: Implement staggered shifts to ensure that not everyone is working overtime at the same time. This helps distribute the workload more evenly.
• Compressed Workweeks: Allow employees to work longer hours on certain days in exchange for additional days off during the week.
• Seasonal Time Off: Offer compensatory time off during less busy seasons to make up for the intense periods.

 
2. Open Communication and Feedback

• Regular Check-Ins: Conduct regular check-ins with employees to understand their workload and stress levels.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Establish anonymous feedback mechanisms for employees to express concerns about work/life balance.

 
3. Time Management Tools

• Efficient Scheduling Software: Use scheduling software to optimize labor allocation and reduce unnecessary overtime.
• Task Management Systems: Implement task management systems to prioritize work effectively and ensure that critical tasks are completed without excessive overtime.

 
4. Cultural Changes

• Promote a Healthy Work Culture: Encourage a work culture that values work/life balance and recognizes the importance of downtime. Celebrate when a team member submits a vacation request, encourage regular doctor appointments, and support parents attending a school function.
• Health and Wellness Programs: Provide access to health and wellness programs, such as fitness classes, mental health support, and ergonomic assessments.
• Lead by Example: Ensure that management sets a good example by maintaining their own work/life balance and not encouraging a culture of overwork.

NVG's Advocacy on the Groundwater Sustainability Plan
The Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) is a basin-wide plan that lays out a path for sustainable management of a groundwater basin over 20 years.

NVG has worked for several years as a voice for growers, aiming to ensure that the state-mandated GSP considers how water is used in vineyards and how these regulations will impact grape-growing operations.

NVG is also a committed community partner in meeting the county’s environmental goals related to ensuring the health of the subbasin. This advocacy includes representing members on the GSP Advisory Committee, providing regular public comment and presentations to the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), and regular correspondence with county staff to aid the County in understanding effective water mitigation strategies in Napa County vineyards. 
 
See below to view a recent article highlighting NVG's support of and feedback on the GSP's rollout, our comments on the GSP Workplans, and our most recent presentation to the TAG.

Sustainable Vineyard Practices: Irrigation
Last month, NVG hosted an irrigation-focused Sustainable Vineyard Practices Seminar, where we received an update on the GSP from Jamison Crosby, Napa County’s Natural Resources Conservation Manager.

As a result of NVG's continued advocacy on the GSP, Napa County has committed to developing incentive programs for growers who have already implemented effective water conservation strategies and are willing to share their data with the county. NVG will continue participating in these stakeholder discussions on behalf of members.

If you are interested in participating as a pilot site for well monitoring to help inform the model used to calculate the sustainable yield of the Napa Valley Subbasin, please reach out to Jamison Crosby at [email protected] if you would like to support this effort.

Please see below to watch a recording of this update and stay abreast of an important regulation for our industry.

Napa Valley Grapegrowers Water Conservation & GSP Resources
NVG has created a wealth of resources to support members throughout the planning and implementation of the GSP. Watch our Water Conservation Seminar with information about the Groundwater Sustainability Plan, view a video on Water Reclamation in the Napa Valley, and visit our GSP and Water & Irrigation webpages for additional resources.

These resources were partially funded by the USDA Extension Risk Management Education Grant. ​

The timing of rainfall affects when you begin to irrigate, as do vine water stress and needs. To support you in planning your responsible irrigation practices for the season, NVG provides you with the following resources:​

Water is a limited and valuable resource that must be managed well to secure the future of farming and to protect our natural ecosystems. Please click the button below to hear from Miguel García with the Napa County Resource Conservation District as he discusses various actions growers can take to manage their water more effectively.​