Profit Tips

An Incredible Bird's-Eye Look at the State of the Dairy Industry

Mon, 19 May 2025 14:15:39 GMT

Editor’s Note: This is one article in a series that is included in the 2025 Farm Journal’s State of the Dairy Industry report. The full 16-page report will appear in the May/June issues of Dairy Herd Management and Milk Business Quarterly and will be published in this space over the next several weeks. To download the full report for free click here.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

The dairy industry is undergoing rapid transformation and innovation at an unprecedented pace. As part of its ongoing efforts to understand these shifts, Farm Journal recently conducted a comprehensive survey involving 400 dairy producers across the U.S.

These producers, representing herds ranging from 100 to 20,000 cows, provided valuable insights into their current operations and future outlooks.

Technology Integration

In an era where technology permeates nearly every aspect of life, the dairy industry stands at the forefront of this transformative wave. The integration of technology is no longer just an option; it has become a crucial step toward creating a more efficient and sustainable dairy industry. From feeding systems to health monitoring devices, technology helps dairy farmers optimize operations and ensure animal welfare.

A recent survey highlights a significant shift in the adoption of technology within the dairy sector. Remarkably, two-thirds of dairies now use at least one form of feeding technology. These innovations are designed to streamline the feeding process, providing precise nutrient delivery to livestock and reducing waste. The result is a noticeable improvement in both efficiency and sustainability.

Diversifying Revenue Streams

In today’s changing economic landscape, many dairy producers are finding innovative ways to sustain and grow their businesses. The key to survival during these turbulent times seems to be diversification.

Farm Journal’s recent survey reveals approximately one-quarter of dairy producers have embraced alternative land or dairy add-on revenue streams. This shift underscores the industry’s agility and adaptability as producers look for various avenues to boost profitability.

One strategy gaining traction is the beef-on-dairy operation. An impressive three-quarters of operators are now involved in at least one beef-on-dairy practice, with breeding and raising being the most common methods. Though there has been a decline in the number of producers raising animals under their beef-on-dairy operations over the past year, there is a notable increase in the sale of branded beef products. This shift highlights the evolving dynamics within the industry as producers adapt to market demands.

Next-Gen Transfers

A significant concern facing the industry today is the impending wave of retirements among dairy operators, many of whom have not established formal succession plans. This situation is becoming increasingly urgent, with surveys indicating that a quarter of these operators intend to retire within the next five years.

Contrary to the retirement trend, there is also a strong movement toward growth and expansion within the industry. Almost half of the operators express a desire to expand their operations in the near future. Such ambition suggests confidence in the industry’s potential and reflects a proactive approach to ensuring a sustainable future. At the same time, an equivalent number of operators are planning to maintain their current herd sizes, indicating a focus on maximizing efficiency and resource management.

Sustainability Program Awareness

Farm Journal’s recent survey reveals an array of insights regarding current sustainability practices and the prevailing awareness surrounding them. While the inclination toward adopting sustainable practices is reassuring, a deficiency in program awareness raises concerns that need to be addressed.

Encouragingly, over half of survey respondents (63%) reported participating in at least one sustainable practice. This trend is indicative of a growing societal shift toward environmental responsibility. Interestingly, larger operations, particularly those with substantial herd sizes and extensive acreage, tend to embrace sustainability more comprehensively. This trend is most pronounced in the Western region.

Reality of Workforce Shortages

A recent survey highlights the growing dependency of the dairy industry on non-family labor. For many respondents, non-family members consist of at least 50% of their workforce. This shift is indicative of broader changes within the industry as traditional family-run farms adapt to meet growing demands. However, hiring and retaining workers continues to be significant challenges. With evolving labor-related aspects indicating enduring challenges, the industry must explore viable solutions to continue thriving.

Despite the adoption of new technologies, the challenges of hiring and retaining a reliable workforce remain. Farmers must continue to balance the integration of technology with human labor, ensuring that both aspects work in harmony to drive growth and productivity. These changes suggest a long-term shift in how labor is approached, maintaining traditional farming values while embracing modern advancements.

Optimistic Horizon

The dairy sector is witnessing renewed confidence, energized by innovative strategies and fueled by a younger generation of forward-thinking dairy operators ready to embrace change. Their willingness to adopt advanced technologies and improved herd management techniques is reshaping the landscape of dairy farming. By integrating strategic solutions, these operators are setting a new standard that promises to uplift the entire industry.

According to surveys, 44% of producers plan to expand their operations in the next five years. This drive to scale indicates a strong belief in the trajectory of the dairy industry and its ability to thrive amid changing global dynamics.

The 2025 Farm Journal State of the Dairy Industry Report is available for download here .

A Big Future for Texas Dairy

Fri, 03 May 2024 20:42:21 GMT

Head to the Lone Star State, and everything is bigger, or so they say. That doesn’t only refer to big hats and big hair, it also applies to dairies, as the average size in the Panhandle hovers around 4,000 cows.

Beyond cow numbers, the theme of growth is consistent, although for some operations that doesn’t necessarily equal milking more cows. Many producers plan to increase cow numbers, while some share growth revolves around efficiencies.

The growth Texas has seen in the past two decades in terms of milk production is noticeable. Jennifer Spencer, AgriLife Extension dairy specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, says Texas produced 1.65 billion pounds in 2023.

According to Juan Piñeiro, assistant professor and Extension dairy specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, the Lone Star State will continue to increase cow numbers and milk production, especially in the Panhandle, over the next five years.

“When business is good, dairies continue to expand,” Piñeiro says. That’s why we have seen an increased rate of consolidation in the dairy industry, especially in the past 15 years in the U.S.

70% of Cows Live on 5% of Dairies

Net profits tend to be lower in smaller herds, Piñeiro points out, which is why 70% of the cows in the U.S. live on 5% of the dairies.

“This certainly holds true in Texas,” he says. “This statistic will continue to grow.”

But to grow, processing plants must also expand. With more than $7 billion in planned processing investments in the pipeline, including in states such as Texas, growth
is promising.

Spencer says four processing facilities are just opening or under construction in the state, which could increase demand for Texas milk:

Cacique Foods, a cheese plant, opened in May in Amarillo.
Great Lakes Cheese Plant in Abilene is scheduled to be completed in late 2024.
A milk processing plant in San Antonio to support H-E-B is under construction and scheduled to be completed in summer 2025.
Phase 1 of a Lubbock-based Leprino Foods cheese plant is scheduled to be completed in early 2026.

Piñeiro says it is difficult to predict what the future of Texas dairy will be with all the challenges facing dairies today.

“Although I do think there is room for growth in Texas with all the upcoming processing plants,” Piñeiro says, adding he believes most of the milk to fill the upcoming processing plant needs in the state will come from Texas dairy producers, but some might come from neighboring states such as southwestern Kansas or eastern New Mexico.

Labor Costs Eat into Profits

With oil industries, among others, competing for labor, finding workers is also a challenge for Texas dairy producers. This has led some to incorporate technologies and automation to reduce labor needs.

Although Tom Alger, one of the owners of A-Tex Dairy in Friona, Texas, says his dairy has fared well with labor. He says their challenge with labor has been the overall costs it takes to pay for workers.

“That’s inflation, though,” he says.

Originally from Chino, Calif., Alger and his family moved to Friona in 2007. The family decided to move east after the southern California dairy they rented was sold. Alger and his brother Ray went into partnership together and built a 3,200-cow dairy in the Texas Panhandle to provide an opportunity for the future generation to dairy.

“We have a larger dairy than I ever dreamed of,” Alger says, adding that the operation is in the process of slowly purchasing his brother out.

With God’s blessing, he says dairying has been mostly successful for them. They now milk 5,300 cows and continue to look at how to improve efficiencies to sustain the family dairy operation.

“We’ve gotten a little bigger in terms of cows and land, and we will see where the next generation goes,” Alger says, adding that they currently farm with his son Derek and his nephew Jeff.

Water Scarcity Presents a Hurdle

While Texas has more than doubled its cow numbers in two decades, the biggest challenge to push the needle and continue the steady growth curve is water scarcity. Piñeiro says this is the largest hurdle facing producers in the state.

“The Panhandle is a semi-desert, with roughly 12" to 18" of precipitation a year,” he says. “Improving water efficiency with the use of new irrigation technologies, drought-tolerant crops, hydroponic systems and management practices considering soil health, among other strategies, will be key in the future.”

Water was an issue when Alger moved to Friona in 2007, but now he says it’s a major challenge.

“The wells’ average flow rate is 400 gal. per minute, and today they might get 150 to 200 per minute,” he explains. “I’ve got some wells holding, while others are dropping quickly.”

They have plenty of water for the cows, but when it comes to the feed side of the equation, Alger says that is another story.

“It’s obviously a concern every year,” he says. “We look at what water we have available before we make the decision what crop go into the ground.”

Combating water issues, A-Tex Dairy grows fewer acres of corn and more drought-resistant crops, such as sorghum or wheat.

“Double cropping is not an option anymore,” he notes.

They own 3,500 acres and rotate crops to help feed their cattle. He says they’ll likely allocate 900 acres for corn silage this year.

Factor in limited rainfall, especially if you look at the past two summers in the High Plains area, and it is no surprise water is a main concern for its producers. A-Tex Dairy works with neighboring farms to purchase additional feed, and Alger believes they are well positioned for their 2025 feed supply. In addition, the dairy feeds a lot of gluten and distiller grain, along with some cottonseed.

Beef-on-Dairy is a Blessing

One area that has been a blessing for A-Tex Dairy is beef-on-dairy calves. The family started dabbling in this alternative profit source seven years ago, and for the past four years, the majority of their cows have been bred to sexed semen or Angus.

“We have very few Holstein bull calves,” Alger says.

They retain the beef-on-dairy calves at different weights.

“We sell some at 450 lb., some at 750 lb., and we retain ownership on some all the way down to the kill floor,” he adds.

Strong beef-on-dairy prices have helped keep the dairy in the black for the past couple of years.

“Milk certainly hasn’t done that,” Alger notes. “Right now, beef-on-dairy has been by far the most profitable for our operation.”

Looking to the future, Alger says they plan to start hedging prices for their beef-on-dairy calves.

“We need some protection because they are worth too much right now not to protect the high prices,” he says.

Another profit opportunity A-Tex is looking into is carbon. Alger admits they have had a couple of offers, but being a drylot facility, the offers aren’t as enticing as some of the modern dairy facilities.

“We are still exploring our options,” he notes. “I know there are opportunities out there. We are generally not the first to jump on something but typically not last either.”

This holds true with investing in technology, as Alger says they, of course, expect a return on investment when incorporating any technology into their dairy.

“Our focus is improving efficiencies,” Derek Alger explains. “We utilize EID tags and FeedWatch and are looking to incorporating a monitoring system.”

Producers have taken a hard hit with falling milk prices in 2023. Spencer says the uniform milk price fell from $23.68 per cwt in 2022 to $18.98 per cwt in 2023. The price of cheese averaged about $2 per cwt below both of those.

At the end of the day, Alger thinks dairy is still a good industry to be part of and says he believes, at this point, 2024 will be a decent year, especially considering feed prices are significantly lower than last year.

While there are several dairies in Texas that are positioned to grow in terms of cow numbers, Alger isn’t planning to grow his herd. For now, they will continue doing what they do best, which is striving to produce the most efficient milk possible to help set the farm up for the next generation of dairy farmers.

Farming to Lose the Least Money

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:07:28 GMT

From 2014 to 2019, we considered, facetiously, renaming our cost of production program from Profit Manager to Least Loss Manager. There were some ugly years in there, many of which would have been substantial losses without insurance or government payments.

I don’t predict the future, but as we look at 2024, there are many operations with red ink indicating a loss on their reconciliation and projections. It’s an uncomfortable position, especially those with low liquidity and working capital who are going through transition or significant investment into the business, uncertainty in landlord relationships, solar pressure and uncontrollable weather.

As I type this on a plane 30,000' over Morris, Minn., we encountered significant turbulence on a sunny day — a poetic analogy to my premise. Knowing the turbulence was coming, the pilot began a descent to get us to a safe flying altitude.

Let’s look at how to mitigate loss and plan to pilot through tough years.

1. Communicate with your lender.
2023 was full of “Well, I definitely should have sold more when the prices were high” conversations at the end of the year, and a lot of people got their feelings hurt. Put together reasonable projections, be honest about the loss outlook and start looking at borrowing options, capital burn rate and expenditure plans.

2. Control what you can, but don’t be cutthroat or drastic.
If you need to reduce fertility inputs, negotiate pricing or double down on your diligence in purchasing and timing, do so. Don’t step over a dollar to save a dime by ruining trusted relationships with vendors who have taken care of you.

3. Spend money to make money.
This might seem contrary to the prior point, but the fastest way to decrease cost of production is to increase yield. Don’t sacrifice yield for the sake of savings; you won’t prosper if there’s poor production.

4. Know your numbers – don’t guess.
The most helpless feeling expressed in these situations is uncertainty. What do I stand to lose? Where should I market, especially if it’s at a loss? If you know your numbers, you’ll make better decisions and reduce the stressful impacts of years with loss.

5. Refine your processes in accounting and budgets.
Are your books a mess? Take time to have a clear chart of accounts, profit and loss statement, and balance sheet. Make a budget and try your best to stick with it. In tight years, the unintended and unplanned expenses usually tip the scale between profit and loss.

6. Get help if you need it.
Put pride aside and have serious conversations with your lenders, advisers, consultants, friends, family and fellow farmers. If you’re stressed, talk to someone. If you are in a bad financial position, communicate with those who need to know. Face your problems head-on and attack as only you, the leader of your farm business, can.

Make the best decisions for your business in 2024, even if it means taking a loss on paper. You will survive to farm another day, but you need to position yourself and your decision-making now for a potentially turbulent flight ahead.

Track Your Time and Boost Farm Efficiency

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:51:32 GMT

Ensure your investment creates profitability

As much as 20% of your farm’s total cost of production is labor. Are you and your employees maximizing each hour? What is your ROI on that cost?

“If you’re not measuring something, you will never be able to improve it,” explains Chris Barron, a national financial consultant for Ag View Solutions , Iowa farmer and Top Producer columnist. “Time tracking is not for babysitting employees, it’s for managing the business professionally.”

Most farm operations have multiple profit centers, such as row crop production, a few hog buildings and a custom trucking enterprise. In using a time tracking app, such as TSheets , Timecamp , Harvest , Everhour or Time Doctor , you and your employees can easily note which hours are allocated to which enterprise.

“The whole purpose of time tracking is proper allocation from one profit center to the next, so you know where the profitability is coming from,” Barron explains. “We use TSheet and one of the reports I get at the end of the year is the total hours for every employee by each category.”

Listen to an episode of the Ag View Pitch where Chris Barron discusses tracking time:

Don’t let the process of tracking time overwhelm you, Barron suggests. When you start, keep it simple. Identify the profit centers to track and main responsibilities. Over time, you can determine areas where you many need to add manpower or even reduce it.

“Put everybody in the organization on the time tracking,” Barron says. “Then you can ask if the person doing each job is the most efficient. A lot of times that information isn’t evident until you track the time and compare each other.”

As with any business metric, the hard data may show your perception is different than the reality.

“I’ve personally tracked my time for three years now, and my perspective of the number of hours I was putting in was way different than what I actually put in,” he says. “That has helped me to structure my time more effectively.”

Know Where Your Hours Go

A personal time log is not about figuring out how much time you waste, explains Laura Vanderkam, time management expert and author . “It is about making sure we are not telling ourselves stories about our lives that are not actually true,” she says.
Use a time-tracking app, a spreadsheet or even a simple notebook. Three or four times a day, log what you’ve done since the last check in. Broad categories are fine, consistency is what matters, Vanderkam says. After a week, look at your log and add up some of the major categories (ex: work, sleep, time in the truck, reading, TV, exercise, etc.). Then ask yourself:

What do I like most about my schedule?
What do I want to do more of with my time?
What do I want to get off my plate?

“The answers are different for everyone, but having a clear sense of where the time goes, and how you feel about it, can help you make choices that get you closer to the life you want,” Vanderkam says.

Read More

Tick, Tock: 7 Ways to Maximize Your Time

Dripping Water Hollows Stone and Little Steps Finish Big Projects

Management Tip: Eliminate This Huge Time Waster

Passing the Torch from One Generation to the Next at Steinhurst Dairy

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:13:49 GMT

The speech “So God Made a Farmer,” given by Paul Harvey in 1978 to the National FFA Organization, tugs at every farmer’s heart. After all, it is both admirable and an honor when a child wants to be just like their parents when they grow up. Ohio dairy farmers Kurt and Robin Steiner can attest to their brimming pride when it was announced over the loudspeaker on senior football night that their oldest son, Christian, would take over the family farm after he graduated college.

Like many farm kids, Christian, along with siblings, Nicole and Zach, were taught the values of hard work, commitment and sacrifice on their family farm, Steinhurst Dairy, in Creston. Ohio.

When they look across the landscape of their family farm, Christian and his siblings see bountiful blessings.

“You see the animals when they’re born, raised all the way up,” Christian says. “You see God’s creation every day you work outside, and you work with your family.”

Est. 1959

The importance of family runs deep for Christian, who represents the eighth generation of dairy farmers in Wayne County. His grandfather, great-grandfather and great uncles helped established Steinhurst Dairy on their current location in 1959. His father, Kurt, describes his childhood farm as a typical rural Midwestern dairy.

After graduating from Ohio State in 1988, Kurt decided to head west to California to take a job with Cargill. He worked there for two years before landing another job with a big chemical company, but deep down, Kurt knew Ohio was home. He returned to his family dairy in 1994. At the time, his family was milking 140 cows in a double-6 herringbone parlor.

Kurt came back with a team player attitude and knew he needed to be an asset to his father and his uncle, John.

“I came back with the mindset I needed to shut up and listen for a couple of years,” he says.

Slowly, the Steiner family started to expand their dairy that now sits at 600 milking cows and 1,100 acres of cropland.

Despite the hustle and bustle of farming, the Steiner’s took time to pause in 2002 to talk about succession planning and what it would take to bring Kurt and his younger brother, Eric, into the operation as partners. With the help of a family attorney, the Steiner’s put together an extensive succession plan that addressed death, buyout of partners, how long the younger generation would have to work before coming into the farm as a partner and so much more for their family dairy. This conversation is vital for any dairy operation, but the Steiner’s would realize just how beneficial it would be for them in the coming years.

Handling Grief

As if 2009 wasn’t hard enough with a lackluster dairy economy, life suddenly came to a halt for the Steiner family on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon when Kurt’s father passed away from a heart attack.

Crediting solid management, where every partner pulled their weight, and a life insurance policy the farm had on their father, the dairy was able to continue without additional headaches.

“Our dairy didn’t miss a beat as far as keeping things moving forward,” Kurt says. “You don’t plan for death, but it certainly can happen quickly.”

After their father’s death, Kurt and Eric became 54% owners and their uncle John, a 46% owner, which was outlined in the succession plan.

In 2016, John had a stroke. He was sidelined for a year, only to return for a few months before undergoing a heart valve replacement. The surgery unfortunately never allowed him to go back to work on the farm. However, his leadership continues to be appreciated by the partners today.

Just, two months ago, at the age of 52, Eric went in for prostate cancer surgery, returned home, went into cardiac arrest and passed away. Kurt recalls his last words to Eric before his surgery: “I love you. Don’t worry about coming back. We will take care of it.”

Although Kurt was referring to taking care of the dairy while his brother recovers, a life insurance policy helped take care of the farm. Kurt notes none of his business partners walked off the dairy like everyone had envisioned.

“You’re not going to be here forever, so you better have it together,” he adds.

Succession Planning Advice

Kurt readily admits his farm doesn’t have it all figured out when it comes to succession planning. He wholeheartedly believes the key ingredient is communication among the partners during the long process.

“If there’s no communication, it is never going to work,” he says.

Appreciating the younger generation’s drive and passion is something Kurt admires.

“Truthfully, I don’t think there is a greater joy than watching your kids want to take over what you’ve established,” he adds.

After graduating from Ohio State University – ATI in 2018 with a degree in dairy science, Christian oversees the calf and heifer program as well as fresh cow protocols for the farm.

According to Kurt, the farm’s culture also plays a part in succession planning because the next generation isn’t going to operate and run the family business the same hours and the same way as the previous. He believes establishing work-life balance illustrates to the younger generation they too can achieve the very same balance.

“When a kid sees dad was able to attend activities and come inside for supper, this all sets the stage for what’s next,” he notes. “If the old man is dragging down the attitude of everybody and never taking a break, why would the younger generation want to come back to work in an environment like that?”

It’s a blessing, Kurt adds, that Robin came from dairy roots.

“She understood it all from day one,” he notes. “Sometimes the spouses who are not from this kind of background watch their friends’ spouse join in on all the fun things over the weekend and if you’re spouse isn’t prepared for that, it can be a rough adjustment.”

Crediting a solid foundation built on faith and family, the Steiner’s have been able to work together on the family farm.

“If you can foster a positive culture in your operation, where members want to be together, then you realize this life is worthwhile is key,” Kurt adds.

Every quarter, the Steiner family gathers for management meetings where no finger pointing is allowed.

“Everyone is expected to come with ideas.”

Understanding it is easy to be pulled into different directions and put off conversations for another day, Kurt highly recommends not postponing transition planning for tomorrow.

“It could simply be too late,” he adds.

The one question Kurt says needs to be agreed on is the end objective for the farm.

“What is the future goal of the farm?” he questions. “If you figure that out, it makes the whole succession planning a lot easier because if everyone wants it to continue to the next generation, then you just have to figure out how to execute it.”

The key component is communication and defining expectations for all members, including non-farming family members.

“Have those uncomfortable conversations,” Robin says.

Those conversations the Steiner’s executed early on, along with open communication, hard work and strong values have allowed Steinhurst Dairy to pass the torch from one generation to the next despite a string of grief and mountains of heartache.

Don’t Face Stress Alone

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:37:18 GMT

From drought to wildfires to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 is proving to be an obstacle course for agriculture. The financial frustration is mounting and bleeding over into mental health concerns.

“Farmers, even in best times, have a very high rate of suicide,” says Deborah Reed, University of Kentucky professor of nursing and agricultural health.

Farmers and ranchers are on the front lines feeling the effects of added stress. As stress builds, Reed explains, you have physical and mental consequences.

“You make poor decisions that affect your bottom line on the farm,“ she says. “You have a chronic anxiety, which affects everyone around you. Maybe you’ve even thought of harming yourself. These are very serious outcomes.”

Candid conversations are key, Reed says. Honesty about stress and anxiety could help remove the stigma around mental health in agriculture for good.

Tips to Deal With Stress

Stress is a requirement for life. But, you can change how you handle it with focus and time, explains Athena Diesch-Chham, a clinical veterinary social worker at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine.

1. Know your stress response type. People respond to stress in three main ways: hot reactors (explode in the moment), sustainers (go and go until they can’t anymore) and the resilient (lower reactivity and healthy daily habits).

2. Normalize seeking help. Push past canned answers and find out how your friends are doing. Wait for a real response – don’t let people think they can just say “I’m fine” all the time.

3. Take a deep breath. When we become more present, stress starts to come down. Breathing is one of the easiest ways to handle stress. When you feel stress growing, breathe deeply five times and release air slowly.

To learn about more strategies and resources for managing stress, visit AgWeb.com/manage-stress

Why It Pays to Make Time For You

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:36:36 GMT

“Please place the mask over your own mouth and nose before assisting others.” This rule shared by flight attendants is just as applicable on the farm as it is on a airplane.

It doesn’t matter if you call it mental health, rest or today’s trending label of self-care. The point is your health is the most important asset for your operation. As such, you must make it a priority.

“In times of stress, we need to depend on our health for our functionality and decision making,” says Sean Brother-son, an Extension family life specialist at North Dakota State University. “Our health helps us be resilient in times of stress.”

For example, you depend on a combine in the fall to harvest. Just as important as it is to have farm equipment in good working condition when you need it, the same is true for your health, Brotherson says.

Replenish Your Energy

How you can replenish your energy and focus? Consider time away from the farm, sharing your challenges with a con-fidant or a new exercise routine.

These activities don’t take time; they make time. You owe it to your family and team to invest in yourself.

“Think about the consequences if one of our leaders becomes less effective because he or she does not take care of himself or herself,” says Bob Milligan, senior consultant at Dairy Strategies. “That could happen to you.”

You must take care of yourself, Milligan emphasizes, by cultivating your SEEDS:

Sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major source of poor management and a negative attitude.
Exercise. Needed to both keep the body in shape and to give the mind time to relax and reflect.
Eat right. A well-functioning person requires the right fuel just like a fancy sports car or your big equipment.
Drink water. Many of us become dehydrated when under stress.
Source of strength. We all need something to ensure we keep our priorities in order. Remember what is truly im-portant in your life.