Angie Traetow, senior manager of North American learning and development for Nutrien, said on May 26 that dedicating just 14 minutes a day—representing 1% of each day—to strategic thinking can help farmers prepare for the future. Traetow shared this advice during a recent episode of The Dirt podcast, emphasizing that this small daily investment adds up to over two working weeks per year.
“When you actually do the math, it’s crazy,” Traetow said. “Fourteen minutes a day equals 98 minutes a week… that totals to over two working weeks a year.”
Traetow encouraged growers to step away from daily routines and distractions in order to focus on big-picture planning and decision-making. She said this approach can help address challenges such as grain marketing plans and succession planning, which are often postponed due to their complexity or emotional weight. “He’s been very intentional with his succession plan to the point where he has communicated to all of us kids, even those that are off the farm, what that succession plan is, so there are no surprises,” Traetow said about her father’s approach.
She also advocated for embracing technology and breaking traditional cycles in farming operations. “Don’t just do what’s always been done,” she said. “Utilize technology… to work smarter, not harder.” Traetow mentioned how her own family diversified their operation by partnering with other farmers and engaging in custom work.
Beyond business logistics, Traetow noted that using these 14 minutes for personal reflection or reading market reports could yield significant benefits both professionally and personally. She concluded by saying, “I’d like to challenge our farmers and our customers to take 1%, or 14 minutes, of their day and be more strategic and think about the big picture of their operation and their business. The results will follow.”
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